I got a hedge fund job

Congratulations or commiserations?

11 hours a day and no lunch break, you are fully paid up member of the rat race, hope you enjoy your work so it doesnt feel like work. Thats the only you can survive that kind of life style. And as you really want to be doing something else (trading) you probably wont enjoy it much either.
 
Yup, based on what you've told me you're def in the middle office, if you can program in this day in age you'll have a lotta opportunities open up... In fact I think the reason why other HFs haven't been tryin to court you is that you're straight outta college, get a year of experience under your belt and you'll be golden, congrats...

Quote from demoship:

Nope, we don't book trades as techops, or settle/square em out, that's ops' job (which I guess is the equivalent of tradeops). We write scripts that automatically generate rec reports. We also do the software that the ops group uses to book the trades, as well as manage the software that the traders use for risk management.

Any support we do for the traders are technology related.
Ex: If they're having a problem with the software, they come to us, if trades aren't reconciled correctly, and it's due to a file missing (that's supposed to come from the counterparty), we track down the file.

If a trade that isn't ours gets booked for us, ops are the ones to track that down. They also use our system to book trades into the database.

Also, anything that needs a change in the database (such as allocations) is our responsibility, since we're the only ones with database access.

This means that I will learn their risk system, and pretty much everything else. If I'm going to be working on the software they use for risk management, then I'd obviously have to know how it works.
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Quote from Spectre2007:

be thankful you got a job offer. Many are struggling.
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Only advice that should be given in this thread.

Get at least 1 year experience before thinking you can make demands. Don't blow your head up with this nonsense of making 7 figs within 2 years. Just be thankful you have a job in a field that you have a strong interest in.

If/When the hedge fund industry takes a downturn, your current offer will seem golden.
 
Quote from landboy:

Yup, based on what you've told me you're def in the middle office, if you can program in this day in age you'll have a lotta opportunities open up... In fact I think the reason why other HFs haven't been tryin to court you is that you're straight outta college, get a year of experience under your belt and you'll be golden, congrats...
More...

Actually, funny thing is, I wasn't even looking for this job. A headhunter agency called me about my resume I posted online. I actually got calls about other job offers shortly after I accepted this job (don't know what exactly they were for though, since I wasn't interested).

As far as interest in the job, I AM interested in it, if it was programming for some random consulting firm, I'd hate the job. But I am starting in the right place if I want to be a career trader, considering that I DON'T have a finance degree.
 
Congratulations on the job. I think you have the right basic attitude about this position. Here are some thoughts:

1. Take every opportunity to make yourself known to the front office staff...especially traders and portfolio managers. The most common way to get a promotion to a trading desk is through leveraging personal contacts. Unless you are a known quantity, the ONLY reason anyone would ever let you risk the firm's capital is if they know, like and trust you.

2. Take time to accumulate political currency (see point 1 again). You may come up with the best trading system in the world while you are working in the bowels of back/middle office, but if you were to walk up cold to a trader you didn't know and announce your new discovery you would get laughed back to your cubicle and that would be the end of your trading hopes at that firm.

3. Learn when and when not to approach traders. For example, DO NOT approach traders at 8:31 AM on the first Friday of the month! I always remember the cement-heads who ask me basic questions when the markets are going haywire...not a good place to place to find yourself.

4. Don't worry about the starting salary. If you make it to a good trading desk the money will not be an issue.

Good luck
 
this is how i started out but i did get to trade a small account from day one. i didn't touch the money or make a trade for 6 months after i was there and then i started slow. they loved it when i lost cause they could help me. when i won they didn't teach me anything, btw i thought i was already a trader when i went to work there. little did i know i didn't know anything!

you are in a position to make it big! really big! the money you get is nothing forget it! you should be paying them! belive me i know what i'm talking about stay there 10 years and you will be king stay there 5 years and you have a 50/50 chance. learn listen and meet people, meet people, meet people. i can make a phone call and get millions in a week from the contacts i have.

dont ever abuse the position and never jump to take or trade money. tell them when you have something you will let them know. be humble and honest with your results it is what it is. dont fake anything to meet some expectations, do it honestly and like i said you will be king.

mb

also once a month tell the principles that your glad to be there and that you want to learn all you can about the business. always go to parties and seminars when you have the chance. the other thing most principles will show up saturday morning at the office to discuss the past week you should either be there or show to hang out. yes even if you dont have to invest in a few saturdays!
 
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