Recruiting Journeys | Finance: Max Yamamoto ’24, Dimensional Fund Advisors

What was your recruiting journey like?

In the first year of my MBA, I applied to internship positions at investment management firms. Unlike consulting or investment banking, the process is not very structured. I found a bunch of firms by doing research on the internet, utilizing a list of employers created by the Career Development Office (CDO), and making cold calls to alumni or people inside the company. I applied to about 50 internships, and eventually landed one at Dimensional Fund Advisors.

I didn’t immediately get a return offer at the end of my summer internship. When I returned to SOM in the fall, I started to re-recruit for full-time jobs, but ultimately a position opened up at Dimensional Fund Advisors, and I accepted a full-time offer.

Which SOM classes prepared you for your current role?

Quantitative Investment, a core class for the Master’s in Asset Management program taught by Professor Toby Moskowitz, teaches you to research financial markets with a quantitative review. It’s directly related to what I’m doing right now, and has been very helpful. Another important core course was Asset Pricing Theory, taught by Professors Saman Majd and Jeffrey Rosenbluth; we learned how the market works and how you should view the market based on mathematical or financial theory. A third course is Employer, which is now called Workforce. What I learned in that class helped me understand how a company works, and prepared me to navigate professional culture in my internship and current role.