Are Quants just a bunch of retards?

[mauzj]

From my experience, all quants are good for is losing lots of money on a consistent basis. But they're good at keeping their jobs as they're good at using long words, despite their even better skills at losing sh1te loads of money.

Am I unique in my experiences?

 

[MrGecko]

Sorry mate, but there seems to be a missing option in the poll...

Please add "Maybe, depends of you want to adjust for risk; I can do you a Monte Carlo...".

 

[arabianights]

I probably place more blame on those trying and failing to interpert the quant models.

 

[mauzj]

Sorry mate, but there seems to be a missing option in the poll...

Please add "Maybe, depends of you want to adjust for risk; I can do you a Monte Carlo...".

How do I edit the poll? Our quant does not do risk. He just tells us that there's a 90% chance of a product moving up/down. And then cries out "mohamed!" when it goes wrong. but for some reason has not been sacked.

 

[MrGecko]

On the other hand... if there were a "the proportion of their c*ntness varies directly with how much money that can save me... either way, they are deffo double smart b@stards and prolly bullied at school too - imagine Joe 90 without the cool. GIMME YOUR DINNER MONEY!"

I'd click on that one.

 

[Physicsman]

As with any job and any position, there are some who are a bit dim. However, you can't then just make a sweeping statement and say all <position X> people are dim.

I'm sure there are some quants who are dim (hard to fathom how that can be since almost all quants have Physics PhDs), but not all quants, or even not the majority! There are some really clever people working as quants!

 

[mauzj]

On the other hand... if there were a "the proportion of their c*ntness varies directly with how much money that can save me... either way, they are deffo double smart b@stards and prolly bullied at school too - imagine Joe 90 without the cool. GIMME YOUR DINNER MONEY!"

I'd click on that one.

Your post makes no sense. But I'll give you positive rep anyway.

 

[MrGecko]

There are some really clever people working as quants!

Yes... but the problem is you can't measure just how clever they are and tell their position at the same time.... means when you throw something at them there is an element of uncertainty

 

[mauzj]

...(hard to fathom how that can be since almost all quants have Physics PhDs), but not all quants, or even not the majority!

Yeah. I know they have Phd's in physics. But if they lose money for 6 years in a row, get support from management because they use the right buzzwords, but **** off their colleagues because of their arrogance despite their poor records, how can they be anything but retards? Or are they geniuses because they keep their jobs despite their negative worth?

 

[Hotch]

All the Quants I have met are hilariously intelligent. I'm with arabian on this one. Whether or not they make money is rather irrelevant as that's not really their job.

Who's qwants have you met? (which banks etc).

I have two theories really:

1-you've not met proper qwants, or have had some really bad luck.
2-Jealous much?

 

[readyaimfire]

From my experience, all quants are good for is losing lots of money on a consistent basis. But they're good at keeping their jobs as they're good at using long words, despite their even better skills at losing sh1te loads of money.

Am I unique in my experiences?

One of the best posts I've read on here. I would add 'arrogant' as a suitable adjective for quants too, even when they're losing a fortune (always someone else's) they still act as if they are superior because they have some fancy qualifications. I wouldn't p!ss on one if he were on fire.

 

[Hotch]

Arrogance is something different, haven't come across that, but maybe they all just think I'm their equal .

LOL

 

[Calinor]

Well you mean Quant traders and not quants, right? Because Quants don't lose any money, they don't even trade. They just work on models and pricing issues and you can believe those at your own risk.

Quant traders though...are just like other traders aren't they? Arrogant yea, but so are a lot of traders

 

[Black Swan]

doesn't Taleb have an interesting anecdote on Quants? Load of bank employees at a conference they all go out for dinner, quants get in a right mess trying to figure out who owes what when the bill arrives. The nerds couldn't do simple maths without getting all 'Fibonnaci' over it.

 

[MrGecko]

Meanwhile the traders throw madras in their face and leg it...

 

[DaxDestroyer]

I think, the biggest issue for quants is, they can't accept that the market is always right as they feel (without reason) superior.

Many years ago, my then employer hires some "super-quants", but was smart enough to test their skills in reality. He let them compete with us "stupid traders"

After we beat them 5 quarters in a row (average outperformance against them was more than 5% every single quarter) they were "bought" by a competitor :clap:

Guess, what I voted

 

[Hotch]

Dax: Care to mention said employer?

From this thread I'm getting the opinion that I've met different quants to all of you.

 

[mauzj]

All the Quants I have met are hilariously intelligent. I'm with arabian on this one. Whether or not they make money is rather irrelevant as that's not really their job.

Who's qwants have you met? (which banks etc).

I have two theories really:

1-you've not met proper qwants, or have had some really bad luck.
2-Jealous much?

I've only met qwants from private investment houses. But my mates from places like UBS tell me the same thing.

I'm not sure how I can be jealous of them. Other than the fact that I know they have better job security than me despite their proven inferior track records. But that's more frustration than jealousy.

 

[readyaimfire]

All the Quants I have met are hilariously intelligent.

Remind me not to go to one of your parties

 

[DaxDestroyer]

Dax: Care to mention said employer?

From this thread I'm getting the opinion that I've met different quants to all of you.

Just one of the biggest banks in the world. Maybe you have been lucky