Well not deal with them directly, but of course you deal with them indirectly. You can't see everyone in the market but if we all assembled in an airfield I think it would be a big crowd. They are there. But I know what you mean, in comparison to other professions trading is a loners game, a bit like long haul trucking. That's the problem with it. The barriers to entry are almost non existent, fill out a few forms, stump up a few grand and your in business. Typically, an industry that is easy to get into has a very high fallout rate (by definition). Just because it's easy to get into and you think you are only operating a machine because you can't see the other participants in the market, doesn't mean that it is any easier than becoming a pro boxer. Cheers
The High Tech Trifecta They've got multimillion-dollar bankrolls, lightning-fast networks, and a probability- crunching system that leaves the odds in the dust. Meet the pari-mutuel fund managers who are redefining horse racing. http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.03/betting.html?pg=1&topic=&topic_set=
thanks puffy, it was good to read that again. Just like the first time, I find my mouth watering profusely.
yes but the market requires no actual interaction with a single person if not wanted Fill out application Mail in check or transfer funds Trade Hopefully take profits by internet access Trading might be easy to get into but few have the capitol they are willing to risk. (Ps I guess i stand corrected on the recycling)
Cash : 'Sounds like a LOT of dependency to me.' You didn't ASK about dependency, you asked for a career that 'doesn't require people' If you mean dependency of this sort that NO CAREER needs people more than being a trader. So you manage a prop firm : Did you have to interview for the position with someone (maybe many people)? Did you have someone give you an assignment? (and what happens if you told them you didn't want to do that, but wanted to do something else?) Do you have to report to someone on your progress (either in person or through a reporting system)? Does someone expect you to produce (profits) within a certain time? (and what happens if you don't?) Will someone have to approve your trading plan ? Sounds like a LOT of dependency to me. Sure does ...
yeah, but you missed the whole point...Cash is not talking about being a manager of a trading firm, he is talking about the at home self employed trader who lives in total anonymity...
Actually YOU missed the point ... The title of this thread is finding a career that doesn't require people. Cash responded to my earlier post with the questions that I listed above. I simply asked him the same questions about his career as a trader. As a prop trader ALL of the questions he asked me are relevant and valid when asked of a (prop) trader as well. In any case, this is one of those mental masturbation threads where nothing every gets any clearer because the original question / definition gets all mucked up (i.e. what exactly is meant by 'doesn't require people'). I stand by my original post. Of all the jobs I've ever had, by far the the two that require the least amount of interaction with human beings have been trader and computer programmer. I am sure there are others, but since I haven't done them, I don't feel qualified to comment.
the one thing about i miss about offices, and working downtown in a big city is the sights - plenty of good looking women
That would be so close if someone didn't have to hire you. Being from a state full of lighthouses, I understand that those were plum jobs that you had to have connections to get.