Hedge fund job seekers defy market conditions

While layoffs throughout the financial services industry are hitting headings, hedge funds have been bucking the trend, along with asset management.

According to research by eFinancialCareers, total US job postings for hedge funds grew 38% between the second quarter of 2007 and same period in 2008 compared to 10% for asset management. Applications for hedge funds grew an impressive 135% over the period with private banking and wealth management in second place with 116% and asset management coming fourth with only 81% growth.

There has been speculation but we can now offer you statistics that look back on the last few months which prove the demand for folks on the buy-side.

To give a more accurate view of growth over time eFinancialCareers uses quarterly averages rather than monthly. This shows live job postings and applications that professionals have sent in for jobs listed on the eFinancialCareers website.

eFinancialCareers has been tracking job postings and applicants to identify the sectors that have seen the greatest increase and decrease in candidate interest and in demand for talent.

The eFinancialCareers website is the leading global recruiting and career development network of websites for capital markets and financial services professionals, headquartered in the UK and serving the financial services industry around the world.

Job applications	Per cent change Q2 2007 to Q2 2008
Asset management	81
Capital markets	41
Commodities	85
Derivatives	-14
Equities	53
Hedge funds	135
Private banking / wealth mgmt	116
Job postings
Asset management	10
Capital markets	4
Commodities	32
Derivatives	-30
Equities	8
Hedge funds	38
Private banking / wealth mgmt	8
Per cent of total jobs	Q2 08
Asset management	8
Capital markets	2
Commodities	2
Derivatives	4
Equities	5
Hedge funds	10
Private banking / wealth mgmt	1