我很弱，但是我想做trader!

by4css

MBA is never a typical path to be a trader(my desk not even screen MBA grad's resume), but if you want to do asset management and have no front office working exp, that may be a choice. Lots of star trader grew from boardboy, which means no college education but a good apprentice training. If you want to be a real trader, avoid sell-side trading job as that won't give you much investment insight but mostly sh*t flow business. Being a prop trader or buy-side investment professional (a research role that can lead you to be PM eventually) can be optimal, and most ppl start from either foundamental research, PE, or IBD, rather than sell-side flow trader.
I echo the comment "ｔｒａｄｅｒ不适合女孩子是真的... " and most female traders I met are pretty tough (though some of them are v nice and real in the heart actually). Being a female trader myself, I definitely feel my patience getting decreased day by day, and the exit paths are very limited -- running a hedge fund is the only good ultimate exit. Ask yourself, do you really want to be a strong woman, sitting in office and watching 8 screens everyday from 8am to 6pm (at least) and even caring about your overnight delta in dream when market goes against you? Do you want to check your blackberry every hour and watch your risk and pnl even when you are having honeymoon with your beloved ones? There are tons of ways to make good $$$, and being a trader is no longer the fastest way. If earning money and realizing social impact is your goal, I would rather suggest you go to PE/VC/Hedge Fund. Those are much more solid fields with broader outlook.
Just some random thoughts

-- by 会员 iceccn (2011/2/4 18:03:57)

wow, a female trader. I am your big fan now. I am asking myself hundreds of time if I really think trading is a long-term job, but I cannot help myself these days, probably just because I am close to it but cannot touch it or I like the priviledge that traders have. Feel really hard to tell a convincing reason. But whatever, it's the career goal in my mind for these days. Btw, I am quite similar with Louzhu in background. I am doing trade support for CDS trading in a bank. I would be really appreciate if iceccn can share more insights and backgrounds.

PerduAnge

MBA is never a typical path to be a trader(my desk not even screen MBA grad's resume), but if you want to do asset management and have no front office working exp, that may be a choice. Lots of star trader grew from boardboy, which means no college education but a good apprentice training. If you want to be a real trader, avoid sell-side trading job as that won't give you much investment insight but mostly sh*t flow business. Being a prop trader or buy-side investment professional (a research role that can lead you to be PM eventually) can be optimal, and most ppl start from either foundamental research, PE, or IBD, rather than sell-side flow trader.
I echo the comment "ｔｒａｄｅｒ不适合女孩子是真的... " and most female traders I met are pretty tough (though some of them are v nice and real in the heart actually). Being a female trader myself, I definitely feel my patience getting decreased day by day, and the exit paths are very limited -- running a hedge fund is the only good ultimate exit. Ask yourself, do you really want to be a strong woman, sitting in office and watching 8 screens everyday from 8am to 6pm (at least) and even caring about your overnight delta in dream when market goes against you? Do you want to check your blackberry every hour and watch your risk and pnl even when you are having honeymoon with your beloved ones? There are tons of ways to make good $$$, and being a trader is no longer the fastest way. If earning money and realizing social impact is your goal, I would rather suggest you go to PE/VC/Hedge Fund. Those are much more solid fields with broader outlook.
Just some random thoughts

-- by 会员 iceccn (2011/2/4 18:03:57)

nice point. but getting into PE/VC can only be much harder~

templehebe

darklianyu

想请教各位大牛，做trader对年龄有什么限制吗，30岁以上的MBA还能入行做trader吗？

沧月小鱼

MBA is never a typical path to be a trader(my desk not even screen MBA grad's resume), but if you want to do asset management and have no front office working exp, that may be a choice. Lots of star trader grew from boardboy, which means no college education but a good apprentice training. If you want to be a real trader, avoid sell-side trading job as that won't give you much investment insight but mostly sh*t flow business. Being a prop trader or buy-side investment professional (a research role that can lead you to be PM eventually) can be optimal, and most ppl start from either foundamental research, PE, or IBD, rather than sell-side flow trader.
I echo the comment "ｔｒａｄｅｒ不适合女孩子是真的... " and most female traders I met are pretty tough (though some of them are v nice and real in the heart actually). Being a female trader myself, I definitely feel my patience getting decreased day by day, and the exit paths are very limited -- running a hedge fund is the only good ultimate exit. Ask yourself, do you really want to be a strong woman, sitting in office and watching 8 screens everyday from 8am to 6pm (at least) and even caring about your overnight delta in dream when market goes against you? Do you want to check your blackberry every hour and watch your risk and pnl even when you are having honeymoon with your beloved ones? There are tons of ways to make good $$$, and being a trader is no longer the fastest way. If earning money and realizing social impact is your goal, I would rather suggest you go to PE/VC/Hedge Fund. Those are much more solid fields with broader outlook.
Just some random thoughts

-- by 会员 iceccn (2011/2/4 18:03:57)

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. Best wishes.Cheers!
- Anna

LILY0920

So glad to see this article，thanks a lot.

history_jnu

MBA is never a typical path to be a trader(my desk not even screen MBA grad's resume), but if you want to do asset management and have no front office working exp, that may be a choice. Lots of star trader grew from boardboy, which means no college education but a good apprentice training. If you want to be a real trader, avoid sell-side trading job as that won't give you much investment insight but mostly sh*t flow business. Being a prop trader or buy-side investment professional (a research role that can lead you to be PM eventually) can be optimal, and most ppl start from either foundamental research, PE, or IBD, rather than sell-side flow trader.
I echo the comment "ｔｒａｄｅｒ不适合女孩子是真的... " and most female traders I met are pretty tough (though some of them are v nice and real in the heart actually). Being a female trader myself, I definitely feel my patience getting decreased day by day, and the exit paths are very limited -- running a hedge fund is the only good ultimate exit. Ask yourself, do you really want to be a strong woman, sitting in office and watching 8 screens everyday from 8am to 6pm (at least) and even caring about your overnight delta in dream when market goes against you? Do you want to check your blackberry every hour and watch your risk and pnl even when you are having honeymoon with your beloved ones? There are tons of ways to make good $$$, and being a trader is no longer the fastest way. If earning money and realizing social impact is your goal, I would rather suggest you go to PE/VC/Hedge Fund. Those are much more solid fields with broader outlook.
Just some random thoughts

-- by 会员 iceccn (2011/2/4 18:03:57)

这位trader大姐说的很实在。很多人整天标榜这个，风靡那个的，其实都很浮躁。做什么工作，首先要看自己适合做什么，愿意为之付出什么，能付出什么。而不是看谁谁谁做trader赚了大钱，谁谁谁做IBD当了高管，任何一条路都有它的优点和缺点，仔细衡量下，再做决定吧。

从这位trader大姐的话中，可以看出如下几点：
1、trader的工作是要从早到晚盯盘的（至少是这样）----所以问问自己能坐住不，够专心不，喜欢这个模式不？
2、trader的职业出路比较窄，最高境界就是自己跳出去开hedge fund。----问问自己，是否真的热爱这行，愿意走这条路。跳出去开hedge fund的肯定都是trader中的佼佼者，如果自己做不到很优秀，那么就可能面临出路问题。。就这点来说，做trader就不如做ibd/vc/pe等工作。
3、trader的工作很辛苦，占用了你很多的私人时间。（不过个人觉得其实做投行的也一样）
4、如果想赚钱并且赢得社会声望，那么最好选择pe/vc/hedge fund（这个就不明白了，为什么做个优秀的trader就不行吗？）
不过总的来说，trader毕竟是给投行创造最大利润的职能，如果做得好，前途大大的有。只是自己要衡量下自己的情况，是否符合trader的要求。不能盲目的明星崇拜。