Financially, I know I could quit my EE job. I'm at the point where the DAILY fluctuations in my trading account dwarfs a single bi-weekly paycheck.... up AND down of course. What's preventing me from giving my resignation is the fact I know quality jobs are hard to come by nowadays. I read it everywhere in the newspapers, magazines, see it on tv, hear from friends... about how people with college degrees are settling for something far less than they had hoped for. There are sad stories everywhere I turn. This is eating me up psychologically. It's not that I feel obligated to my job. I just feel very fortunate to have a decent job the past couple of years. I'm very lucky to have multiple streams of income. I'm 30, still single. How did some of you bring yourselves to put in your 2-week notice to concentrate more on trading? Am I just being a wuss?
if you have been able to get your account to that size while working why not just continue what you are doing. you introduce another whole level of emotions into the game when trading is your only source of income. many cant handle it.
You are not a wuss, you are reasonable and see the things the way they are. Keep your job till it becomes a nuisance to your stellar trading career.
hey you must be on another planet, what do you mean hard to get jobs, according to the government and media, NOW IS THE BEST TIMES EVER! TONS OF JOBS AND A KILLER ECONOMY...
I did it. But, I'm also 25, single, no kids (or plans for any). Take a 2-week vacation, tell them your mother died or something - then trade for that time. If you think you can handle it after 2-weeks (since you say you already have trading experience, but simply lack the full-time routine of trading), then it'll be an easier decision. You also may find that it's different (harder) than you thought.
IMO, You are doing a smart thing. It is very hard to find a good job with benefits nowaday. It is very different trading for a living. The daily fluctuation also means you can lose many more paychecks in a losing streak and are you gonna withdraw even more money from the account to pay for the rent for a month or two. I trade in the morning and work as a programmer in the afternoon into the night - no pressure although lots of work.
I do not consider myself a professional trader, but I did quit a lucrative "real job" to go into professional gambling. Wish I had done it months earlier than I did. The signs are... 1. You've already made your year's salary and the year is not even halfway over. 2. You start noticing all the money your real job is costing you by not being at the trading job. Take the plunge if you're single. It will only get harder the older you get. You can always go back if you fail. Traveler PS: It also hinges on how much money you have saved up. If you have net worth in excess of 4-5 years salary then it's a slam dunk.
i agree... tech companies are hiring left & right. employers have increased interested in my school noticeably since 2003. This year was the best year ever (# of employers showed up) since I started school in 2001. im on the other end of your spectrum. i'm going to graduate june 2007 w/MS CS. I am contemplating whether to trade full time or work for a very popular tech company that im going to intern for during this summer.
Someone already said this but 2 options you might consider are: 1)take a week or two vacation from work. Trade full-time, if things go as planned you can quit. If not just go back to work like nothing happened. or 2) See if you can get a part-time job in addition to trading full-time Good luck