Equity Research: Research Associate Position

"I chose the junior associate role at William Blair because it offered a unique opportunity to apply my love of technology to my degree in finance. I was also attracted to William Blair's flat structure, which I knew would give me exposure to a wide array of opportunities that an entry-level candidate would not normally be able to experience."

"I would recommend the junior associate position because it is an excellent opportunity to develop an understanding of financial markets and the industries that drive them. William Blair has helped shape me as a financial professional and has played an integral role in teaching me skills that I will be able to apply throughout my career."

"I saw the junior associate role as a unique opportunity to work side-by-side with a seasoned sell-side analyst at one of the top firms in the industry–a first-year job with that kind of direct exposure is hard to come by. Also, I knew I wanted to work with highly motivated, supportive people in a team atmosphere; William Blair was a perfect fit."

"Coming right out of undergrad and working with the best and brightest has allowed me to quickly develop my financial modeling skills, ability to conduct in-depth research, and aptitude for interacting with senior management. You gain a deep understanding of equity analysis in a vigorous work environment while developing specific sector expertise, which can give you a distinct advantage over your competition."

"I found the research associate role at William Blair & Company appealing given the quality of the people and the reputation of the firm. William Blair’s great culture combined with a global platform offered a unique opportunity to develop my sell-side equity research skills."

"The role offers the opportunity to multitask daily, with responsibilities including financial modeling; writing company-specific or industry pieces; performing fundamental research; and communicating with our internal salesforce, senior management of companies, or external clients. Combined, these tasks enable me to understand industry and market dynamics that affect the healthcare services sector. I recommend the research associate role to those interested in a rewarding opportunity to form differentiated investment opinions and to provide the best equity investment ideas to help institutional investors, our clients, make investment decisions."

"I was attracted to the research associate position at William Blair because I've always had an interest in the equity markets, and I felt this was an opportunity to advance my equity analysis skills while working for a firm that is highly regarded for the quality of its research reports. I was also drawn to the team setting and high level of expertise that is visible within each of the industry groups."

"Working in equity research has allowed me to develop an industry focus and interact closely with management teams at some of the most well-known companies in the world. Further, the associate role has provided challenges that have encouraged me to perform at the best of my ability while developing a skill set that I will be able to use throughout my professional career. I would recommend this position to people with an interest in investing and learning about the fundamental drivers of the market.

"I was drawn to the research associate position at William Blair because I wanted to learn equity analysis from an industry leader, with a reputation for high-quality, in-depth research. I also wanted to develop a specific industry expertise, which is an opportunity unique to the sell side."

"For me, learning the firm's rigorous, fundamental approach to investment analysis has been my greatest reward. I'd encourage others to consider applying to the firm because no two days are the same, and you can expect to be surrounded by people eager to help you succeed."