Do I belong in trading?

M-Mo1

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I've recently graduated with a high upper second class honors in Mathematics, and I am studying a Masters also in Mathematics where I am on track for a distinction. While I was at university, I became renowned for my poker ability - I was ranked on a well known poker database for a year at #2 for total earnings for the year (within a medium sized stake size), #10 for average earning for the year, and I still have a ranking in another category (which isn't for a specific stake bracket). Since I did not know what I wanted to do with my degree, and given I was also making money, I did not look into many areas of banking or finance, and therefore I didn't attempt to get any internships. I think, because of my lack of *REAL* experience, I have struggled to even get a sniff at an interview, despite the fact that I feel that I have shown through my poker that I am consistent when it comes to making correct decisions when money is at risk. Also, I believe that my degree shows that I am very strong numerically, especially since I averaged around 75-80% in about 6 financial mathematics related modules.

Given that I have spent so much time writing applications for these roles, and applied to every IB and many hedge funds for trading and quantitative analyst jobs for when I graduate, just to get instantly rejected without even a numerical test, my question is...shall I continue to pursue a career as a trader? I have read that many of my above traits are good for a role as a trader, and I would have thought that stating some of the above on my application would make me more unique than most recent graduates?

If anyone has any insight as to what the chances are that my above skills will be able to help me land a job in a semi-decent hedge fund - either as a trader or a quantitative analyst (although I understand this is usually a field for PhD's) or any advice on how I should leverage my experiences to break into trading, I would be extremely greatful!

Regards
M-Mo1.
 
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..."a very high upper second class honors in Mathematics from a top 15 university"..

What's one of those then? Hardly John Nash are ya..
 
dont think anyone can say wether someone will be a good trader or not untill they become one...

also if you treat trading as gambling like poker you are going to get your ass handed to you!
 
also if you treat trading as gambling like poker you are going to get your ass handed to you!

Thanks for the reply. I'm aware that they're absolutely independant of each other, but the only reason that I'd like to use my ability at poker is to differentiate myself from other candidates (not because I truely believe that because I was good at poker, i'll be a good trader), and my reason for using poker as something to do this with is because of the significant element of both risk and probability theory in both fields?
 
Screen name? Which database were you ranked 2nd on? Was it on SS? Cash or SnGs?
 
Anyway, you can win in poker on a consistent basis, there are people doing it and it's not pure gambling.

My ranking was on SS yes, which only tracks SnG, and funnily enough, the one I still have is for consistency (wins in a row).. ;)
 
Just go and do it.........youll find out far more by commiting yourself than any psychometric testing or advice from unknown people (no matter how well intentioned) after a short time you may well hate it or love it, sometimes the only way to find out is to go and take the risk IMHO !
 
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6 seater SNG. Middle stakes. Thank you for ending your fued with each other on this post. From what I can gather, you're trading for yourself. What do you trade, and have you got any advice for how I may leverage some of my achievements to gain some kind of a trading role in a hedge fund, or whether I actually stand half a chance as a trader?

Regards.
 
Apologies about that. I just trade FX and might get back into equities soon. Have you tried looking into prop trading firms? They'd respect your poker history more than the IB's which are mainly just going for the straight A, Ivy league students. If you could print off some SS charts and prove you're not just some degen gambler it'd help your case. I think prop is really the way for you to go.
 
Yeah, I made sure that I printed them off. I haven't looked into many prop trading firms, simply because I don't know the names of many, and have found it very hard to find some. I have applied to one named Liquid Capital and Tibra, one of which has said they are going to send through some tests, which never came. If you could message me the names of any prop trading firms you know of, it would be much appreciated.
 
Just go and do it.........youll find out far more by commiting yourself than any psychometric testing or advice from unknown people (no matter how well intentioned) after a short time you may well hate it or love it, sometimes the only way to find out is to go and take the risk IMHO !

Totally agree !

You need the confidence to do it tho, if you don't have that this, or anything else for that matter, won't work.

So work on that first, and then go out and just do it.
 
dont think anyone can say wether someone will be a good trader or not untill they become one...

also if you treat trading as gambling like poker you are going to get your ass handed to you!

and if you treat poker like gambling you will lose money
 
I've recently graduated with a high upper second class honors in Mathematics, and I am studying a Masters also in Mathematics where I am on track for a distinction. While I was at university, I became renowned for my poker ability - I was ranked on a well known poker database for a year at #2 for total earnings for the year (within a medium sized stake size), #10 for average earning for the year, and I still have a ranking in another category (which isn't for a specific stake bracket). Since I did not know what I wanted to do with my degree, and given I was also making money, I did not look into many areas of banking or finance, and therefore I didn't attempt to get any internships. I think, because of my lack of *REAL* experience, I have struggled to even get a sniff at an interview, despite the fact that I feel that I have shown through my poker that I am consistent when it comes to making correct decisions when money is at risk. Also, I believe that my degree shows that I am very strong numerically, especially since I averaged around 75-80% in about 6 financial mathematics related modules.

Given that I have spent so much time writing applications for these roles, and applied to every IB and many hedge funds for trading and quantitative analyst jobs for when I graduate, just to get instantly rejected without even a numerical test, my question is...shall I continue to pursue a career as a trader? I have read that many of my above traits are good for a role as a trader, and I would have thought that stating some of the above on my application would make me more unique than most recent graduates?

If anyone has any insight as to what the chances are that my above skills will be able to help me land a job in a semi-decent hedge fund - either as a trader or a quantitative analyst (although I understand this is usually a field for PhD's) or any advice on how I should leverage my experiences to break into trading, I would be extremely greatful!

Regards
M-Mo1.

Hi,

You have a maths degree and are about to complete your masters, correct? Your 2.1 is fine and your masters "distinction" will be fine.

But!
You havent mentioned your a-levels (or equivalent). Are they reasonable? (reasonable being all a's and b's in proper subjects (business isnt a proper subject))

Also, you havent told us the name of your university? If it's Durham, fine. If it is Hull or Surrey "university".... not so fine.

The banks can pick and choose and generally allocate numbers to the top schools then 1 or 2 to all the others for special situations.

Your poker is all well and good but only as impressive as a "head boy" or scholarship so dont dwell on it too much.

Further more, you seem a little deluded regarding how one secures a job. Hedge funds are many things and the name has become somewhat of a misnomer. Most hedge funds are in actual fact "asset management" companies on a legal footing but everyone still refers to them as the "sexy" hedge fund title. I suggest you urgently do some reading and broaden your knowledge of what a bank is, what a hedge fund is and what an asset management company is.

Anyway. You will not secure a trading job at a hedge fund. So forget that one. They are clever, they let you "learn" your trading at a bank, follow your progress, then come and slap you in the face with their wallet. They arent interested in wet graduates. What do they know about anything??

So. It leaves you with banks or other big companies that actually put resources into hiring graduates, like yourself. There will be a reason why you havent been picked but from the details you have given us. I cant tell you why because a maths degrees with masters should most definitely get you in a door somewhere.



PS. Please can you tell me what a "semi decent hedge fund" is?? A stab in the dark would lead me to believe that you have very little knowledge about finance. Maybe this is why you are falling at the start gates.





.
 
I have a friend on the pro poker circuit. He seems to do very well from it indeed.

I have a friend who's a market maker. He's a bit of a Essex lad. Wouldn't look out of place at a rave in Romford. Not much of an education. He seems to do very well from it indeed.

Perhaps you have already found your niche.

If it ain't broken...
 
I've recently graduated with a high upper second class honors in Mathematics, and I am studying a Masters also in Mathematics where I am on track for a distinction. While I was at university, I became renowned for my poker ability - I was ranked on a well known poker database for a year at #2 for total earnings for the year (within a medium sized stake size), #10 for average earning for the year, and I still have a ranking in another category (which isn't for a specific stake bracket). Since I did not know what I wanted to do with my degree, and given I was also making money, I did not look into many areas of banking or finance, and therefore I didn't attempt to get any internships. I think, because of my lack of *REAL* experience, I have struggled to even get a sniff at an interview, despite the fact that I feel that I have shown through my poker that I am consistent when it comes to making correct decisions when money is at risk. Also, I believe that my degree shows that I am very strong numerically, especially since I averaged around 75-80% in about 6 financial mathematics related modules.

Given that I have spent so much time writing applications for these roles, and applied to every IB and many hedge funds for trading and quantitative analyst jobs for when I graduate, just to get instantly rejected without even a numerical test, my question is...shall I continue to pursue a career as a trader? I have read that many of my above traits are good for a role as a trader, and I would have thought that stating some of the above on my application would make me more unique than most recent graduates?

If anyone has any insight as to what the chances are that my above skills will be able to help me land a job in a semi-decent hedge fund - either as a trader or a quantitative analyst (although I understand this is usually a field for PhD's) or any advice on how I should leverage my experiences to break into trading, I would be extremely greatful!

Regards
M-Mo1.

I just want to be sure this is right. In this day and age credit crunch and all you applied for a job basd on your skills as a poker player?? You said that in the application??
 
Can't say much about working for a hedge fund or anything like that, but I trade for a living and I left school with four unimpressive A-Levels, didn't go to university and can't play poker :LOL:
 
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