How do you get a job as a Trader with a bank or investment firm?
- Thread starter MikeJonez
- Start date
hey zinc
what are you smoking? why should you get a break, do you have a nice rack and a pretty name. a million guys trading prop want that opportunity and you never spent a day trading should get it. i don't think answering phones and mailing a FA's mail gets you that shot. also anyone who has a job like that open is not giving it to some guy on a chatboard. that is a special job a favor job like bill you make a few million off me can you get my kid in the door. maybe they are right about Canadians on south park.
what are you smoking? why should you get a break, do you have a nice rack and a pretty name. a million guys trading prop want that opportunity and you never spent a day trading should get it. i don't think answering phones and mailing a FA's mail gets you that shot. also anyone who has a job like that open is not giving it to some guy on a chatboard. that is a special job a favor job like bill you make a few million off me can you get my kid in the door. maybe they are right about Canadians on south park.
You never get anywhere in this world unless you ask, whether it be on a chat board or anywhere else. It's not about desperation, it's about using the resources open to you as effectively as possible. I'd rather be seen as overly aggressive or even desperate, than never give it a shot at all.
Start here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/102-0657784-1857730?v=glance&s=books
Please make it an interesting place.
Good Luck,
Please excuse many of the sarcastic and egotistical responses by some of the "dumb" Americans that are featured on this thread that have no idea what they are talking about.
The fact of the matter is that 99% of your Investment Banks want to see an MBA degree on your resume for the prestige factor. Whether it is Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, etc. Sure, the Series 3, 7, and 63 help, but the MBA is really what you are competing against. If one of these Banks likes you and your background enough, they will put you in one of their training programs or internships and studying for the Series 7 will just be part of the deal. Remember, there were an awful lot of sales/traders that got layed-off during the Bear Market of 2000-2002 with some pretty decent resumes, so you will most likely be competing against people that already have some actual sales/trading experience. It is not until the latter stages of a Bull Market that banks and brokerages feel confident enough in their expansion plans, and will seek to hire inexperienced people for training programs. Until then, it really comes down to who you know, and how you can use them to help network for you, MBA or no MBA.
Also, you must be aware that positions as an actual trader are few and far between. Most positions revolve around sales and sales/trading which are institutional broker positions. The traders on the desk of a Morgan, Goldman, or Deutsche Bank by in large have a pretty mathematical background and usually come from derivative trading and market-making firms like Susquehanna or O'Connor Associates. They are well educated in option volatility and inter-market spread relationships and all of the Greeks, like Beta, Theta, Delta, and Gamma.
Take a look at the Susquehanna website to get a better feel for what I am talking about:
http://www.susq.com/
Hope this helps!
The fact of the matter is that 99% of your Investment Banks want to see an MBA degree on your resume for the prestige factor. Whether it is Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, etc. Sure, the Series 3, 7, and 63 help, but the MBA is really what you are competing against. If one of these Banks likes you and your background enough, they will put you in one of their training programs or internships and studying for the Series 7 will just be part of the deal. Remember, there were an awful lot of sales/traders that got layed-off during the Bear Market of 2000-2002 with some pretty decent resumes, so you will most likely be competing against people that already have some actual sales/trading experience. It is not until the latter stages of a Bull Market that banks and brokerages feel confident enough in their expansion plans, and will seek to hire inexperienced people for training programs. Until then, it really comes down to who you know, and how you can use them to help network for you, MBA or no MBA.
Also, you must be aware that positions as an actual trader are few and far between. Most positions revolve around sales and sales/trading which are institutional broker positions. The traders on the desk of a Morgan, Goldman, or Deutsche Bank by in large have a pretty mathematical background and usually come from derivative trading and market-making firms like Susquehanna or O'Connor Associates. They are well educated in option volatility and inter-market spread relationships and all of the Greeks, like Beta, Theta, Delta, and Gamma.
Take a look at the Susquehanna website to get a better feel for what I am talking about:
http://www.susq.com/
Hope this helps!
I didn't think Greek-Lettered-Organizations were one name? lol...however, you do bring up some interesting points.
Sorry to crash your party dude but my buddy has an MBA from Queens as well as experience in trading - yet he doesn't even consider what you are because he's realistic, lol. You need results to be heard.
i did it in a different era. started as a salesman at a government dealer. switched to become government portfolio manager at a new york bank. went back to a dealer to trade intermediates. back to original firm where i became head trader. harvard was a factor in initial hiring, but experience, reputation and results became much more important.
recommendation: improve your resume by education or outside experience. backoffice jobs tough way to go. find a bank or equivalent to train you. ie; pay for the learning curve. don't get discouraged, but be willing to take extra step.
good luck!
recommendation: improve your resume by education or outside experience. backoffice jobs tough way to go. find a bank or equivalent to train you. ie; pay for the learning curve. don't get discouraged, but be willing to take extra step.
good luck!
MBA w/a concentration in Finance from a top tier b-school.(Wharton, Harvard, Princeton, etc...)