Age: 20 in 1 months time. Status: University Student GPA: 3.90 School: Cannot say in-case employers are looking. Some history on me. I have a shot at a ''portfolio management'' program that guarantees you internships at the biggest banks. Getting into this program requires very high marks, and a great personality. This will set my career off as I will be doing 2 internships in equity research positions.. Down the road I want to work, 75% likely in investments, 25% likely in corporate finance. Currently I have 2 options to do while waiting for invitation into that program which starts in 2011. I am not sure which one to choose.. they both sound good for starting off my career. GE opens my windows to more corporate finance positions, while the futures trader opens windows to more 'investment' type jobs. Decision. I: Join General Electric and become a Financial Analyst II: Trade U.S Bond Futures with people who used to work on the actual NYSE Floor. Tough choice, anyone have any advice to help me out here? Granted I've already worked 1/2 year in Prop, If I take the financial analyst role, then I might not have a shot at investments as much as before..
Since you prefer investments over corporate finance, #2 is a better choice. When you start as a financial analyst, most of the time you'll be doing dashboards.
Go to GE. Learn. Meet people. Then go get a grad degree in what you figure out you're actually interested in. The same opportunities, or better, will present themselves. You can get a job as a trader when you're 50 if you still want to. I started my career at one of the elite trading shops, and then decided I'd rather relax and go solo. I don't regret it, and I've done fine, but a lot of doors are closed now. Trading is like being a blacksmith. It's a skilled trade and you can do it any time.
yeah unless you have a wife and kids who depend on your income later on in life, or you don't really want to be blowing your retirement money on trading. I personally would go into trading first, take your risks now while your young. It really depends what you like to do better, do you want to get into corporate finance or do you want to get into trading...Trading takes a lot of dedication and time, it's basically running your own business don't take it lightly. If you become a financial analyst I'm pretty sure no trading house will ever hire you. You can always look for trading jobs that have a salary tied to it, at least when you're starting out. I guess I maybe biased because I love trading and can't stand other finances. There are many opportunities in trading fixed income futures...I assume your talking about actually trading and not being a broker(just because you mention NYSE floor). Anyway good luck!
I have never been an financial analyst or a corporate trader. But from what I read about a lot of traders: failed traders often become analysts and analysts make upward career move by becoming traders. The choice is obvious from my prospective.
Doesn't mean much. Guys who came off the floor of the NYSE were primarily working as either specialists or their clerks, in other words, order takers. Most of these guys have tried to move to desk trading and simply cannot comprehend the different psychology of electronic trading vs floor trading (i.e. they can't try to cheat you out of a nickle on the trade). As someone looking for mentors, you would be better served finding guys who used to trade the pits in Chicago rather than the NYSE or AMEX. Futures and equities are 2 different animals.
How many financial analysts have you not hired at your trading house? Being able to program, do math, and have real financial knowledge is a hell of a lot more important than it used to be. Here's your first lesson about the markets, kid: like politics, everyone's an expert, including the people who don't know anything.