The unfortunate truth is there are more people looking for hedge fund jobs than there are jobs available, so hedge funds have their pick of the litter. This article is intended to show you how the search process works, and what the average hedge fund resume looks like. If you want to stand out from the crowd, take notes and do something different, or risk getting lost in the crowd.

It is very rare for a hedge fund to hire someone right out of school, so the typical hedge fund applicant will have at least 2 years of experience, usually in investment banking. Hedge fund managers just want to know how much money you can make them, so they don’t want to spend time teaching the basics like accounting, modeling, or basic corporate finance.  Hedge funds will also consider consultants, ex- military, and accountants. A hedge fund manager is willing to train a person that can bring a unique skill to the table. Consultants often have deep industry contacts; military personnel are very disciplined and will work many hours without questioning the chain of command; and accountants, especially forensic accountants, can identify questionable accounting practices that public companies may use.

A typical applicant will likely have education from a top tier school. That doesn’t mean you have to have a degree in business or economics. In fact, many famous hedge fund managers are students of philosophy. Certain hedge funds require an MBA or CFA. Many people get both, but getting both is really a waste of time. If you already have an MBA, it is a much better use of time to spend the same countless hours researching good investment ideas than trying to pass a memorization test like the CFA.

So if you didn’t go to a top tier school, you didn’t work for an investment bank, and you aren’t an accountant, consultant or ex -soldier, you need to think of something really creative to beef up your hedge fund resume because the sad truth is there are plenty of unemployed people who have the right background and still can’t get in. You might be surprised to learn what hidden skills you have acquired over the years are just the ticket