For the most part it is tough to get a trading job straight out of school. I am currently a Real Time Trader for one of the larger energy merchant on the west coast. I find that most people start in the back office and work their way to the trading desk. I have been fortunate to skip that step. Here are the main things I did to distinguish myself. During college, I interned at a few financial institutions. I graduated from a top ten school, traded my own account and spent enormous amounts of time learning markets.