An executive at one of the world's most successful hedge funds reveals a 'red flag' that comes up during interviews

Working at a hedge fund can make you a lot of money.

There's no doubt about that.

But it's a huge red flag if you let your potential employer know during your job interview that money is what incentivizes you.

Business Insider recently caught up with Mike Butler, head of human resources at Point72 Asset Management - formerly SAC Capital - the $11.4 billion family-office hedge fund led by billionaire Steve Cohen.

"When I hear people kind of come back to the financial opportunities too often relative to just the interesting work, that's concerning," Butler said. "If somebody is coming here because they think it's a way to make a lot of money early and retire in their 30s, they're thinking about it wrong."

A lot of folks talk about Wall Street generally that way. For many, it's a way to score big and go off and do something else.

"When I hear any inkling that's the way somebody is thinking, that's kind of a red flag," Butler said.

"We want people here who really like this work. The best of them will make a lot of money, and that's great. And it's a way some people keep score or track their relative level of skill in the game. But somebody who is doing it for the money is doing it for the wrong reason. And in my experience, they're not going to be among the best. They best do it for the love of the game and the money is sort of a happy side effect."

During our 45-minute conversation, Butler emphasized that the firm was looking for really smart folks with a genuine passion for the work.

Point72, which is one of the world's most profitable hedge funds, has been investing big time in its talent.