Hey ATLien, Just thought of going by what experienced people say. You guys would have known more about this field, thats why...
Well, what are your specific interests? There are plenty of very lucrative and intellectually challenging jobs in the financial IT sector. Or do you want to be a trader?
I am interested in Investment strategies, Portfolio management and derivatives (futures and options), financial analysis. I am good at quants and analysis, so I thought I would better suit this.
ATLien is right about choosing what you love to do. If you don't get rich - at least you were happy - and that counts for a lot, some would even pay hefty for that feeling. I combine my interests and hobbies by using what I've learned from working with IT and systems into applied methods that I find worthwhile pursuing. I have done mostly scalping and pattern-matching lately when it comes to trading, but had a hiatus as well. Don't let go of a promising position that will finance your dreams - or at least don't burn bridges easily in these uncertain times.
Hey Gringinho, That was great! I agree with you completely. Thanks for your guidance. As of now, I will start analyzing the possible entry points, that are feasible from my current position.
Hi Vasanth, I was in your shoes a while back. I did an MBA and when most of my classmates got internships between the 1st and 2nd years I got a technical consulting job at a financial firm instead. After graduating I got hired as a fixed income risk management analyst at the same firm. Later did the CFA program. I know 2 people that made the switch from IT to institutional finance jobs without formal finance training so it is possible but I think difficult. I don't mean IT jobs near finance jobs, I mean jobs where you get involved in financial decisions. If I had it to do over again I would have gotten an MS in finance or financial engineering instead of the MBA. A lot of unrelated bs comes with the MBA. But at the time I thought I wanted to go into technical management and didn't know anything about finance. I agree with the poster who said if it is what you love go for it. Forget current demand, that stuff is cyclical and if you are determined and good you will find a spot somewhere. Good luck!
Hey Black Diamond, Thank you so much for giving a detailed reply. Yes, I am exactly in a position which you have been thinking of about me, and even I thought doing another course instead of directly plunging into the field now. I know it would be risky though I like it much. Ok, so, I will first think of giving a course like an MS in finance, or a CFA and slowly come into this field in parallel. Thanks again BD. -Vasanth.
Since you have a strong quantitative background, I think IB's research will highly regard you as a quantitative analyst. In this role, you will get exposure to the techniques that IB use to evaluate securities. You will learn the drivers behind securities values. These are valuable for your career as a trader.