Trading Jobs - Can you help

[Miles42]

Hello everybody, this is my first post on this forum and on any internet forum in general so please help me out.

I live in London and am looking to get a trainee trading role, I have no real trading experience and am finding it difficult to find companies that I would like to apply for.

I'd ideally like to work for a market maker company but so far have only found Liquid Capital, Mako, DRW and Tibra to apply for, there must be numerous market maker companies in London, can anyone name a few and provide me with any advice?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Lee Shepherd]

If you have no experience in flying a plane then you cant become a pilot.

You wont find that helpful, in fact probably more annoying as its the truth.

Check out the companies you've already found, that in my opinion would be a good starting point.

 

[Miles42]

Yes obviously....pretty unhelpful, thanks!

How do pilot's learn to fly? Are they born with the ability or do they learn through practice?

 

[nine]

I think the point is that you have not described any reason why a company might want to hire you.

So its analogous to a boy walking up to the Virgin recruiter and saying "I want to fly and I live near the airport."

In the absence of that information and maybe more about what you want to do and why then you are unlikely to get particularly useful responses.

 

[Lee Shepherd]

Pilots dont go onto chat forums to learn how to fly..

Pilots go through a lot of text books before even contemplating the idea of touching an aircraft and even then are instructed by a competent person all the way.

What your asking could possibly lead you to be lead by the blind. Or sticking with the same theme - being taught to fly by someone who doesn't fly themselves.

So as I said, speak with the companies directly for correct and prompt information about how you can join them and start trading.

Oh, and good Luck.

Yes obviously....pretty unhelpful, thanks!

How do pilot's learn to fly? Are they born with the ability or do they learn through practice?

 

[toxictrading]

"am finding it difficult to find companies that I would like to apply for"

honestly, you will have to take what you are given, apply to MF global !

they take on post boys, yes post boys and bring em up through the back office, middle office and eventually the front office

dont be picky and say i want to be a market maker, just get your foot in the door, then you can afford to be a bit more picky, i know this prob does not sound helpful, but thats the way it is

cheers

 

[DT]

But if he wants to be a market maker then it would be stupid not to at least try that route first - AFAIK most of those firms offer a decent basic about 12-18 months in a trade support type role on a desk and then progression to being a junior trader.

Best way to prepare, so I've heard, is to get good at doing simple calculations as fast as you can in your head, also get a fair bit of practice at doing lots of basic maths problems quickly with a calculator - read the economist & FT regularly and put together a decent CV and cover letter to send to the firms you've already mentioned in the first post.

Also you might want to try Optiver too - AFAIK it is fairly similar to mako and Liquid Capital.

 

[grantx]

Miles,

Unless we know your qualifications everything so far is speculation.

Grant.

 

[Miles42]

Thank you for your comments, I take them on board.

Basically I'm looking for a job in trading, I am a Big 4 graduate (ACCA qualified in August 08) and work within transactions. I have a first class degree in Maths from a Red Brick university and straight A's throughout school. I am aware that lots of people have these qualifications and that definitely doesn't set me apart from the crowd. My trading experience is limited (2 days on a trading floor) but I have read books on trading theory and attended some seminars.

I guess I'm looking for advice as much as anything, what do you think the best way into a career in trading is? What are my option? Who would you recommend applying for, etc.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you

 

[Directional]

if you havent already read this, then it'd be a good place to start: http://www.trade2win.com/boards/general-career-advice/30213-advice-getting-job-trading.html

 

[grantx]

Miles,

It may be an idea - though not vital - to find which markets appeal to you - equities, bonds, fx, commodities; cash, futures or options. Market-maker is fine but is quite narrow and, I would guess, more difficult to enter.

Good qualifications you have. Have you considered the Securities Institutes' qualifications? I reckon you could do one a month (if not two).

Grant.

 

[masterpiecefx]

Try applying to prop firms, they usually hire people with no experience.