A career in the stock market industry

[mylestc]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum site so Im not sure if I've posted in the correct area or not? Anyway, I'm 18, currently a chef, working all hours, barely seeing the light of day (literally). Any spare time I have, I like to play around with FOREX, (head in hands i know)...

However, believe it or not I have made myself a bit of money, i started my account with £150, i turned that into £700 over a few months of playing around. Ive taken a HUGE interest in the stock market, I'm glued to it.

My question is, what career opportunities are there for me within the financial markets industry? I left school with 5 GCSE's A*-C including maths/english. I'm hugely money motivated, which is probably the main reason I've taken such an interest, but I'm also EAGER to educate myself more in trading, I can't get enough of it!

Any help/advice would be GREAT and much appreciated!

Thanks

 

[timsk]

. . . My question is, what career opportunities are there for me within the financial markets industry?

Hi mylestc,
Welcome to T2W.

When you say 'financial markets industry', I assume you mean something that's directly trading related - as opposed to being a financial advisor or something of that ilk?

I don't work - and never have - as a professional within the industry. That said, based on the many comments I've read from those that have done so in the past - or are now working in it today - I'd say you've got more chance of winning professional Masterchef than making that particular transition! Sorry to sound negative, but the odds are stacked against you. However, it's not impossible.

The best route would be to continue as you're doing and build up a track record, so that you can prove you know what you're doing. A sustained record of success over many months (ideally years) is the one key that may open some doors for you. However, this then begs the question that if you can trade your own account profitably, why would you want to get a job working for someone else? That's one for you to ponder on!

In the meantime, this FAQ might be of some interest: How Do I get a Job Trading?
Good luck!
Tim.

 

[jsc]

You'll need to pass a number of exams whichever route you go down. You will ultimately need to get to level 6 to do discretionary management, but you can work on an advisory basis with level 4.

There is no future in stockbroking anymore, you are better off going down the wealth management route and specialising in investments. You will not get into fund management or serious trading (using algorithmic modelling or quant) with your level of education anymore I am afraid. Those days are gone. Besides, it has become a dry, boring, desolate and unhappy field of work in fund management. All the characters and fun and charisma has been sapped out of that industry (post 2008) and its now rammed full of geeks and nerds and serious people talking about serious things in a serious way. All day. Everyday. Working in virtual silence. Number crunching. Serious men doing serious work.

There is some future in trading, possibly, but you will simply trade one or two things all day everyday to a set of parameters that are not defined by you anymore. Until they replace you with another, better built robot.

 

[CityTrader]

The large investment banks are all changing and don't really promote from within - other than their oxbridge graduates.

Try getting a job at smaller broker/trading firm ( Finncap? Novum, etc etc) maybe in the middle office and hope to get a promotion to trading from within. Hope that helps

Hi,

I'm new to this forum site so Im not sure if I've posted in the correct area or not? Anyway, I'm 18, currently a chef, working all hours, barely seeing the light of day (literally). Any spare time I have, I like to play around with FOREX, (head in hands i know)...

However, believe it or not I have made myself a bit of money, i started my account with £150, i turned that into £700 over a few months of playing around. Ive taken a HUGE interest in the stock market, I'm glued to it.

My question is, what career opportunities are there for me within the financial markets industry? I left school with 5 GCSE's A*-C including maths/english. I'm hugely money motivated, which is probably the main reason I've taken such an interest, but I'm also EAGER to educate myself more in trading, I can't get enough of it!

Any help/advice would be GREAT and much appreciated!

Thanks