Getting a foot in the door at the largest multistrat hedge funds has always been one of the highest barriers to entry in finance. And that bar is only getting higher.

That’s why in this week’s episode of the Searching Smarter podcast, we’re doing something a little different. Our host, Jesse Skaff joins Ethan Kho as a guest on Ethan’s trading and investing podcast Odds on Open, for a conversation on what’s really driving hiring decisions within multistrat hedge funds.

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in hedge fund careers, talent strategy, or the future of buy-side hiring.

Covered in this episode:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 1:03 - How top multi-manager hedge hire the best talent possible.
• 04:50 - Why elite hedge funds target the top academic institutions.
• 07:52 - Why hedge funds spend hundreds of millions recruiting.
• 12:45 - The core differentiator between candidates.
• 16:30 - How recruiters identify the candidates for them.
• 21:38 - Structural trends that are shaping hedge fund hiring.
• 24:58 - Why hedge funds are expanding beyond New York.
• 26:10 - How hedge funds convince talent to relocate.
• 28:54 - The personality traits you need to thrive at a hedge fund.
• 31:43 - Predicting future hedge fund winners.
• 33:35 - What makes elite hedge fund business developers.
• 38:10 - Can business development leaders launch funds?
• 43:52 - Why finance backgrounds matter for fund builders
• 45:20 - The foundations of long-term fulfillment in hedge funds.
• 47:10 - Why elite scientists are transitioning into financial markets.

Be sure to subscribe to the Selby Jennings’ Searching Smarter podcast on your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss an episode.

LEARN MORE

Selby Jennings - https://hubs.la/Q03qrs-70

Phaidon International - https://hubs.la/Q03qsqrh0

CONNECT

Jesse Skaff on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-skaff-0783645b/

Ethan Kho on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanrkho/

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BAUCsXbXiNqnfXR9jDG4k?si=4a75d55cf5a74d6e

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-smarter/id1770342621

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk9RrybV10doAzoXuK5jYw

Many professionals reach a point in their career where they take a moment to stop, reflect, and ask themselves what they truly want next, whether that’s higher pay, better growth opportunities, more flexibility, or a complete shift in direction.

With more candidates re-evaluating their priorities, the offer stage has become increasingly delicate, and negotiations are often filled with pressure that doesn’t need to be there.

In this episode of the Searching Smarter podcast, we sit down with Corinne Wilson, Client Director at Phaidon International, to break down how candidates can approach negotiation conversations with clarity and confidence.

If you’re exploring new roles, or just want to be more prepared when the time comes, we share exactly how to negotiate salary, how to stay calm under pressure, and how to approach negotiation conversations in a way that will get you more of what you want.

Covered in this episode:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:23 - The two questions to ask yourself when considering a new role.
• 3:56 - How to know where your salary and benefits expectations should sit before making the ask.
• 7:15 - Balancing priorities and knowing when to be flexible.
• 10:43 - Exactly what to say when an offer comes in too low.
• 16:00 - How much to share about your current compensation with hiring managers.
• 20:56 - What to share with colleagues and your recruiter about your compensation structure.
• And more…

Be sure to subscribe to the Selby Jennings’ Searching Smarter podcast on your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss an episode.

LEARN MORE

Selby Jennings - https://hubs.la/Q03qrs-70

Phaidon International - https://hubs.la/Q03qsqrh0

CONNECT

Paige Carlotti on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigecarlotti/

Corinne Wilson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/corinne-wilson-cw/

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BAUCsXbXiNqnfXR9jDG4k?si=4a75d55cf5a74d6e

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-smarter/id1770342621

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk9RrybV10doAzoXuK5jYw

Keeping your best talent is often harder than hiring them in the first place.

A recent study found that over 20% of HR leaders reported that up to half of their new hires leave within the first 90 days, and 61% of HR leaders say early turnover has increased over the past year.

So what’s going wrong in those vital first few months?

In this episode of the Searching Smarter podcast, we speak with Christine Corson, Managing Director at DSJ Global.

With over a decade of experience helping some of the world’s biggest organisations build and scale teams, Christine shares practical strategies for setting new hires up for long-term success - for both the candidate and the organization.

If you want to uncover the real reasons why onboarding often fails and how to retain talent, this is for you.

Covered in this episode:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:53 - Why so many new hires are leaving within the first 90 days.
• 3:42 - Are more candidates leaving on their own or being asked to leave?
• 5:09 - The onboarding mistakes hiring managers make before day one.
• 7:09 - Early signals that a new hire might be thinking of leaving.
• 9:50 - How often managers should be checking in with new hires.
• 11:22 - How to handle dissatisfaction from new starters.
• 13:25 - 3 onboarding actions to take before a new hire starts.
• 15:44 - 3 onboarding actions to take within the first 90 days of a candidate starting.

Be sure to subscribe to the Selby Jennings’ Searching Smarter podcast on your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss an episode.

LEARN MORE

Selby Jennings - https://hubs.la/Q03qrs-70

Phaidon International - https://hubs.la/Q03qsqrh0

CONNECT

Jesse Skaff on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-skaff-0783645b/

Christine Corson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-corson-0a5828bb/

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BAUCsXbXiNqnfXR9jDG4k?si=4a75d55cf5a74d6e

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-smarter/id1770342621

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk9RrybV10doAzoXuK5jYw