Anyone ever talk to these guys for an interview? I have to speak with them real-soon-now. I'm basically an Asian-math-robot straight out of math graduate school (PhD . I have a BS in CS and a BS in EE also.) and I've got 6 offers on the table, but I am having trouble sorting out which offers are good and bad and recruiters make all of them sound great. Some are trading roles, some are quant roles, and some are quant-developer roles. I also need to decide between Texas, New York, and Chicago. I really need help from someone in the high-frequency space to help me make this decision.
Why do you only list Jump if you have six offers? Jump is a good firm. If I were you, I would take the most money and go to NYC (which is almost certainly offering you the most $). Straight quant jobs are boring, imo. Quant + developer role is by far most interesting, but trader pays best. Sad, but true.
There's a wide variation on the NYC offers. I've got lowballs from 100 to the highest being around 280. Like that other guy, I'm not one of those 800k off-the-bat PhDs. I'm a run of the mill math PhD. A "junior" PhD. In terms of the high-frequency space, Chicago is a better place to be, right? 280 is nothing if what I learn in Chicago makes me the best market marksman, right?
For God's sake Wang, take the $280m before they come to their senses! No matter where the job is, take it. It could take them months to figure out that you are a complete tosser, and by then you might have saved enough to open a prop account at Velez.
Right, I was thinking the same thing. If I'm a dope, the money I pocket would be enough to go do something interesting. But the thing is, I actually want to learn from other people who have a clue; therefore, money shouldn't be the most important thing. Or am I thinking crazy thoughts?
If a firm is offering you $280k/yr, it is because they think you will produce more value than that figure. Since it is unlikely that you can produce that kind of value right out of the chute, they must think that you will learn on the job. The firm offering you the most money is also the firm that has the most to teach you. The other alternative is that they are fools with too much money and you will not produce that kind of value for them. Either way, I would take the highest offer. Especially if it is in NYC. I agree with Nitro, your potential for advancement is highest in NYC.
LOL! $280k in NYC for a Phd in math with a minor in EE? Dude, seriously, turn them all down. You should start min $300K and you are selling yourself a bit cheap. I still don't understand why you called this thread Jump Trading. Suspicious.
They're offering that high value because of some research I did that they are particularly involved in. I could add value, a lot actually in one particular niche. Not that I disagree with you guys, but could you drill down a bit more as to why NYC has more room for improvement? Money, ok. But what aside from money? My problem with evaluating offers is that everyone is secretive. Beyond interview personalities, my visibility into these places is zero. I can't know what my room to advance is just on the surface, and everyone seems nice. There's also the issue of going with known names versus unknowns that clearly have money and infrastructure.