There are many competitive firms where it is difficult to get into. Think of First NY or Citadel. They even pay a small base salary just to get you by on living expenses. But these top-tier firms generally hire individuals that have MBAs or other important qualifications.
Then there are other second-tier firms that pay no salary, but provide a strong training base and capital. They don't ask for any desk fees (software or quotes) or have their traders be held responsible for commissions in the event they are net negative (commissions are deducted from a positive P/L though). Although these are less competitive, it is difficult to get into many of them. Also, just because a firm asks for a initial contribution shouldn't also frighten anyone. Think of it as a business partnership where your $5,000 gives you access $100,000...that's leverage a bank cannot provide. There are even some firms that require $50,000 in capital. They are generally legit when they are at that level. I prefer ones w/o any initial contribution.
Be careful of the bottom tier boiler shops. They require that you pay for quotes, provide a tiny initial contribution and sometimes attempt to persuade potential traders to take their $1,500 training seminar! Paying a price for training is almost a red flag. They seemingly promise that you will become profitable because they have "secrets" too... bullsh!t. These shops also want their commission dollars even if your P/L is in the negative. Many let inexperienced people trade remotely w/o even with no track record of proven profitability. This kind of remote access is another red flag. These shops essentially just provide a "brokerage" service to you and "fire" you when you go through your initial contribution. Stay away from these! You're better off saving $25,000 and opening your own retail account like IB.
