Hello everyone, I have been a trader on and off for the past 5 years, with the last 2 years being a full-time trader after quitting my career in Health and Safety risk management. Over the 5 years, I have gone through the ups and downs of learning how to trade and becoming consistently profitable. Right now I'm at a point where I have a good system and I'm seeing great results, and that has been a culmination of the 5 years spent trading, reading various books, learning from other traders (on X mostly). I am with a modern prop firm and have been funded by them. However, as a growing trader, I want to enter the industry, whether that's by getting a job at a trading desk or being part of a trading pod where ideas can be shared, discussed and we could learn from each other (These forums are also quite useful, but have something more active in mind). My main question is: Best way to break into a professional trading firm/desk? Over time I have traded Equities, Crypto, Futures (FX, Treasuries, Indices), and Options. Options are my least experience. Currently, I mainly trade Futures and do not focus on specific Equities as much. I do not have a degree but have a solid professional background in my previous career with a fast rise in the consultancy industry within 5 years of professional work. I have a good grasp of the technicals of trading, execution, risk management, economic indicators, and how they "should" affect prices and price action. I mainly swing trade with an average hold time of 2 days to a few weeks. My strategy could also be applied to a smaller timeframe to apply more a day trading style. ___ To conclude: I have a lot of self-learned and self-directed trading development over the years, but no formal education or established trading record yet. What would your best advice be to break into the industry? Not looking for an "easy and quick" solution. Just more of a discussion, learning from people within the industry. Thank you!
So the obvious question is, if your trading is going well, why get a job? Most people want to learn to trade so they can leave their job. Can you not make enough money from the market to live off of?
I'm earning money to live through it. But I want to grow as a trader and be a part of a team that lives for the markets. I do nothing but research all day and thinking about the markets. This is a job already, and I love it. I want to learn more from other people and I've always learned best by getting my hands dirty up close doing something. I can still learn from people online but I guess I want more.
Super difficult. Especially at a tier one firm (bank, large hedge fund) Your previous experience is meaningless and your personal trading is likely not relevant. network and find someone who will take a chance on you based on their personal understanding of you. Fortunately there’s a lot of small groups out there that might be an option.
Yeah, that was my understanding as well. The most likely way would be through networking. I already plan to go to some Finance Expos to network, and building my X account to connect with traders there. Was on X for a long time but not regularly posting. That's something I'm working on this past two months to change. I will do some research on the groups you mentioned. Do you have any recommendations on any of the groups you mentioned?
How old are you BS? If under 35, go back to school, get a relevant (graduate) degree, then look for a job in the industry. Continue to network and amateur trade in the meantime, on the side. No degree? ... uneducated... yet AC as you avatar pic. Doesn't quite fit, does it.
Why would you need a degree to read books? Joined the army right after school and then took my experience from the army and entered the Construction and Health and Safety industry. Uneducated by university standards. I have vocational diplomas. I enjoy reading books both fiction and non-fiction.