Help please- composing CV after being a home trader

scattydiva

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Hi All,

I took a career break to trade from home, and long story short I just dont know whether trading is for me and I'm having a wobble so decided to work on my CV today.

It's been a while and I'm stuck on what to even put to describe everything... Please could someone help me? I dont even know what to put as my title... I obviously want to sound professional but not sure if "home trader" really sounds the right thing to put.

I also need some help on what to do in the "job description" bit....

Can anyone please help me...
Thanks in advance
 
I put portfolio manager on mine. That is what you would put if you worked at a fund. I haven't applied for any jobs though.
 
Are you talking about a job involving trading?

The best CV should be customised to the post you're interested in. Beyond that you need to identify if the job will demand very specific skills / experience or generic "competencies".
 
Job description: professional gambler, lost shirt, no money, give'us a job.

Alternatively you can just lie, get some friends to give you references.

Additional alternative is to get low pay job. They won't care as much who you are or where you have been if you are cheap.
 
You do not put the address of your job on a CV.

Depends on the situation. I put post codes of previous jobs on CV because I had very strong post codes. I believe it worked to my advantage.

For self employment, I personally would have no problem to just call it home office.
 
Would it look bad if you didn't put anything and just say you had some personal time off?

I have to admit, the first impression I got was that you've lost all your cash and now need a job (might be a wrong assumption) which doesn't look good.
 
Put Portfolio Manager at Madeupimpressivename Capital. IF any one asks, which is unlikely, say it was your company and you want to get more experience. Do not put the location or home on your cv.
 
. . .Can anyone please help me...
Hi scattydiva,
Welcome to T2W.

There is no need to lie on your CV. Nonetheless, a CV is a sales tool and, like any piece of sales literature, it must emphasize your strengths and provide reasons for the HR team to short list you for an interview. I agree with Trading Spaces - don't mention 'home' - or provide any kind of address. If you're not comfortable with the term Portfolio Manager - put Retail Trader instead. Assuming you're either providing a covering letter or a statement as part of an official application form, then you'll need to address why being a Retail Trader no longer works for you. (Don't ignore it - they'll smell a rat and file your application in the bin.) I suggest you keep it short 'n simple, something along the lines of: 'the current political climate and instability in the wake of Brexit is particularly challenging for Retail Traders and I don't enjoy the isolation of working on my own all day'. Then move swiftly on to the reasons why you want the job and what if offers that you don't get from trading. Lastly - and most importantly - emphasize how your unique set of skills are ideally suited to the post you're applying for.
Tim.
 
Hi scattydiva,
Welcome to T2W.

There is no need to lie on your CV. Nonetheless, a CV is a sales tool and, like any piece of sales literature, it must emphasize your strengths and provide reasons for the HR team to short list you for an interview. I agree with Trading Spaces - don't mention 'home' - or provide any kind of address. If you're not comfortable with the term Portfolio Manager - put Retail Trader instead. Assuming you're either providing a covering letter or a statement as part of an official application form, then you'll need to address why being a Retail Trader no longer works for you. (Don't ignore it - they'll smell a rat and file your application in the bin.) I suggest you keep it short 'n simple, something along the lines of: 'the current political climate and instability in the wake of Brexit is particularly challenging for Retail Traders and I don't enjoy the isolation of working on my own all day'. Then move swiftly on to the reasons why you want the job and what if offers that you don't get from trading. Lastly - and most importantly - emphasize how your unique set of skills are ideally suited to the post you're applying for.
Tim.

Thanks for this Tim, this has given me some things to think about. Really appreciated, thanks.
 
Thanks for this Tim, this has given me some things to think about. Really appreciated, thanks.
Hi scattydiva,
Glad it helps.

An afterthought: I suggest you put 'Retail Trader of financial markets' - or something similar (as opposed to just Retail Trader) - so they don't think you're peddlin' cheap knock-off perfume on street corners! On the relevant section of my CV I've put:
11/2007 - 08/2009 Retail Trader of U.S. equities (e.g. eBay and Amazon etc.) and U.S. index futures (Dow Jones)
Tim.
 
I wouldn't use retail trader. if you don't like portfolio manager then be options trader, fx trader, equity trader etc.
 
Many years ago I interviewed someone for a software job. I saw an interesting bit on his CV which more or less said he was head trader at a fund or words to that effect. A couple of questions revealed basically he traded for himself at home. I was NOT impressed. The last thing anyone wants is to work with a complete bull**** artist.
 
A good reason for not using BS on a CV is that if the interviewer is taken in by it, then it's probably a company not worth working for if they are that easily deceived. If accepted for employment, you will then have the misfortune of having to work with/under similar people. This of course, is how many government departments/civil service end up being staffed with inadequate people.
 
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