Foot-in-the-Door Advice/Help?

Discussion in 'Professional Trading' started by TheoCap, Nov 22, 2006.

  1. TheoCap

    TheoCap

    Hey all. I'm a 21 year old undergraduate student majoring in Economics and Theology. Upon graduating this spring, I plan on pursuing my dream of becoming a trader.

    I feel like I am extremely qualified for an entry-level, trader's assistant-like position. I have great grades from a very exclusive college, leadership experience, and one (soon to be two) internship experience(s). More importantly, I have extensive history (5 years) trading my own account as well as one year managing a limited investment partnership which I founded (up 30.1% YTD).

    However, I have had little luck gaining the interest of employers.

    Thanks again. I really appreciate your time. I love the site and really respect you guys who post on here.
     
  2. Hint #1 - Don't post your email address/home address on public forums.
    Hint #2 - There is another thread for people who want to become traders. You should visit that thread.
     
  3. 1. Why are you not pursuing a position with the firm where you did your summer internship? If it is because it's in wealth management instead of trading, why would you think your background is better suited to trading rather than a client-facing role (hint: your background is better suited to wealth management than trading)? What makes you think trading is a better area of the financial markets to get into (hint: it's not...my wealth management friends are the ones with the yachts)?

    2. You say you are developing a model for a hedge fund. Why won't they give you a job and some capital to trade?
     
  4. Your cover letter is too long and too emotional. You come across like the Rudy of trading.

    With that being said, everything else looks fine. Be patient. Most employeers probably want someone that can start asap. Unless you are applying to Goldman, etc., must funds or banks do not hire this far out.
     
  5. dac8555

    dac8555

    OK mate here it is....

    I used to own a recuruiting firm and I still help get people jobs all the time...so i can give a few tips.

    1. Not to insult, but a christian liberal arts college that nobody has heard of is NOT exclusive. Ivy league is exclusive. If i see anything that would hurt you, it would be your choice of schooling...but oh, well, as soon as you get your first job...it wont matter as much. But i mention this so you dont go to employers telling them you went to some great school....becuse if you do the next word out of your mouth had better be "Stanford"..so dont use your school as a selling point, it isnt.

    If anyone else reads this...the key to a "good school" is one that everyone has heard of and is famillliar with. I went to one of the "university of "enter state here"" schools that has a good footbal team...so everytone knows the school. "the university of pennsylvania" has pull "university of ohio" has pull "brickleman college" does not...unless the person interviewing you went to the same school.

    2. Ok now down to the nitty griddy. Finding a good job is a FULL TIME JOB. work it 40 hours a week...not just sending a few reumes over the internet. If you have a great personality...that is what matters. you sounds like a nice enough kid. So, to meet these people and to show them what a nice kid you are....GET ON THE PHONE.

    3. Make a list of 50 companies you want to work for. Find out who the PEROSN IN CHARGE is. the person in charge IS NOT HR. HR processes paper work, the decision maker is the department head. find the department head and get him/her on the phone.

    4. tell them that you admire their company and would like to meet them in person to see if there is a personality match beteen you and the company. Tell them thet you will send your resume in 5 minutes and follow up the next day to make sure they recieved it.

    5. then call back and ask if your qualifications look good. If they do, offer to buy them luch to get to know them personally.

    6. if they say they arent hiring, ask who they know who IS hriing.

    7. if you get a referral to somone else, make sure you use the referal persons name to get on the phone with the "new" person.

    8. call people by their first name...not sir or mr. or mrs. Put yourself on the same professional level as them.

    you have to be a salesman is the moral of the story, call around and sell yourself...do any thign you have to do to get infornt of the person.

    As a little success story for you...I used this method. I did not have good grades in school, and am not smarter than anyone else. I didnt really have much to offer. But i knew what i wanted to do and i knew where i wanted to do it. So here is my life now... I am 31, i live in tropical paradise (costa rica) i run an international department and a fund for a broker dealer...and i feel half retired. Whne i am not at the country club playing golf... i go to the race trace or to the beach.

    have a plan, sell the plan execute the plan.

    PM me if you have further questions.
     
  6. dac8555

    dac8555

    sorry about all the misspellings above...i am writing this very quickly. i should have proof read that...
     
  7. The notion that one needs to attend a good university to land a good job is just absurd.
     
  8. pure comedy..

    Focus on job posting sites. ET won't get you too far in this search. There's a large knowledge base here, but not jobs.

    If you want a trader position tailor your resume to say that by highlighting things you have done that correlate to trading.
     
  9. I just wanted to point out that just the visual appearance of your resume is very elegant looking, as far as content I am in no position to make any comments, but you definitely have the visual aspect of the resume down pat, I am impressed.
     
  10. It is relative to exactly what or who the "good job" is with. For instance, if you want to get into a real high level institutional or market making type position with an SLK, CSFB, or SIG, if you dont have a top tier school program under your belt from a harvard, wharton, stanford, ivy league player, etc. with killer SAT or GMAT scores, forget it, do not bother applying.
     
    #10     Dec 4, 2006