I will be graduating next month from Vanderbilt and am looking to start a career as a trader. After extensive research and phone calls over the past 4-5 months, it seems that the advice i have gotten points toward starting out as a Trading Assistant in a respectable firm as the best way to begin this career. I am looking for advice on how to best get into one of these positions, when the hiring usually takes place, what i can do to round out my candidacy in the meantime, etc, etc. Any information anyone could provide on Trader Assistants would be greatly valued and appreciated.