Breaking into Buyside

This week, we sat down with Aditya Vijayanagaram, Incoming Analyst at Ares Management (Direct Lending, LA), to break down how he went straight to the buyside out of undergrad. We cover what private credit actually is, how buyside recruiting differs from banking, what firms look for in candidates, and how to demonstrate an investor mindset in interviews, especially in credit-focused roles where downside analysis is key. If you’re interested in private markets or considering skipping IB for the buyside, this episode is a practical guide to getting started.