Hi everyone,
This is my first post on these forums, so please be kind.
I potentially have an offer from a prop trading firm for a trainee trader position. With a physics, maths and compsci background (recently completed my PhD in artificial intelligence), a lot of people tell me that I should go for a quant job in the City being a "rocket scientist". However, from my understanding of what it takes to be a quant (ie sitting in front of a computer, programming algorithms 10 hours a day and doing financial maths the rest of the time), it simply does not appeal to me... it seems like a much hyped career to be quant analyst. The basic salaries can be around £60-70k plus bonus. This is reasonable money but for what is required of your skills/expertise (superb c++ programming skills, strong maths, stats, various other IT skills, databases, etc., etc., etc.) it seems like a lot of hassle for a much lesser return on your academic and time investments.
So I am asking this question rhetorically - if someone had the choice, why would anyone want to forge a quant-fin career when being a trader (where every minute and decision potentially makes you money) is so much more satisfying and seemingly rewarding ?
I assume most traders of some worth (whether at an IB or a prop firm) easily make more money than most quants ? Am I thinking along the right lines ? Your viewpoints would be much appreciated.
This is my first post on these forums, so please be kind.
I potentially have an offer from a prop trading firm for a trainee trader position. With a physics, maths and compsci background (recently completed my PhD in artificial intelligence), a lot of people tell me that I should go for a quant job in the City being a "rocket scientist". However, from my understanding of what it takes to be a quant (ie sitting in front of a computer, programming algorithms 10 hours a day and doing financial maths the rest of the time), it simply does not appeal to me... it seems like a much hyped career to be quant analyst. The basic salaries can be around £60-70k plus bonus. This is reasonable money but for what is required of your skills/expertise (superb c++ programming skills, strong maths, stats, various other IT skills, databases, etc., etc., etc.) it seems like a lot of hassle for a much lesser return on your academic and time investments.
So I am asking this question rhetorically - if someone had the choice, why would anyone want to forge a quant-fin career when being a trader (where every minute and decision potentially makes you money) is so much more satisfying and seemingly rewarding ?
I assume most traders of some worth (whether at an IB or a prop firm) easily make more money than most quants ? Am I thinking along the right lines ? Your viewpoints would be much appreciated.