trainee trader

[soosta]

Soosta I doubt whether it would really make any difference. A degree is a degree at the end of the day and I 'd say go with what you enjoy. What seems to matter really is where you studied and what grade you got.

Yeah I suppose so. Thinking about going to Kingston in London. Anyone know where I can find a University league table on the net to see where it's ranked?

 

[Salty Gibbon]

Kingston is a Tech College that now calls itself a University.
As far as the League Tables go it would probably rate somewhere towards the bottom of the Doc Martens League.

 

[jamieroberts]

Although your final mark does count a 2:1 is generally acceptable for most positions.
A Level results and UCAS points are more important than you would imagine, if you have a first but rubbish A Levels you will still fall at the first hurdle.

If you do end up at a "not so great uni" then as long as you can justify your reason it will be ok, ie "the course wasnt offered anywhere else?" "The countryside was fantastic!"

The best thing anyone can do is be able to show they have a genuine interest in the job they are after. Trading accounts are good, reading the Economist, FInancial Times etc are always a plus. If its a stockbroking job always now the FTSE 100 that morning!!!!!

Jamie

 

[soosta]

lol! it came around 47th out of 100 in the times uni league table, not bad considering my a-levels were pretty poor!

 

[soosta]

jamie, why would crappy a-levels lead you to 'fall' at the first hurdle!?

 

[Racer]

Why does the degree you get compared to the job you want, not matter these days?

Well don't think I can talk, cos the degree I did, is not related to what I am doing now I suppose, but the knowledge has come in extremely useful at times.

Bit like, why do politicians have charge over the health service one minute and roads the next, when they have no experience whatsoever of medicine or road construction?

 

[jamieroberts]

Soosta.

Alot of jobs aimed at graduates want upwards to 24UCAS points. One I found wanted 28. I got a total of 12 UCAS points which has meant there are alot of jobs I dont meet the basic requirements, ie 2:1 and 22 UCAS points.

There are jobs out there that dont care about UCAS points but the majority do, especially the big boys.

If you dont meet the basic requirements then I would advise not applying as alot of firms firstly check your grades etc and if you dont have them they dont even bother looking at your application.

 

[euroderivatives]

STA aren't currently taking on grads...you can sit down for 5K+
London Cap pay about 500 a month and a 50/50 split on profits and u have to pay 1.5K a month desk fees

Optiver - recruitment process: first a quick fire numerical test. 80 simply arith Q's like 513/54.3, multiple choice. One point for a correct answer, -1 for wrong anwer, and -1 for skipping one. To get through to the next round you need 55/80....very tough
Next round is a pattern recogniition.

Hi,

Do you mean trading pattern recognition when you say they tested you for pattern recognition? I am asking because the term pattern recognition is also applied to many things in Mathematics too.
Thanks and best regards,

 

[Robertral]

Hi,

Do you mean trading pattern recognition when you say they tested you for pattern recognition? I am asking because the term pattern recognition is also applied to many things in Mathematics too.
Thanks and best regards,

hmmmm trading involves numbers!!!!! think about that for a second and you've ansered yourt question!!!!!

 

[TWI]

I do not give a toss about a-levels or degrees, IMO they do not help to make better traders. The reality is however that when you wish to enter grad training schemes in an IB or corporate they want to see them so you gotta have them or you gotta have another route in such as a damn good letter and a way to be sure it gets read.

 

[ewilcox]

do not give a toss about a-levels or degrees, IMO they do not help to make better traders. The reality is however that when you wish to enter grad training schemes in an IB or corporate they want to see them so you gotta have them or you gotta have another route in such as a damn good letter and a way to be sure it gets read.

There endeth the lesson for would be traders at IB's or similar. Let us give thanks to the wisdom dispensed.

I.e. I totally agree with this - sad but true.

 

[Rogueman]

And dont forget, you need luck too.. Chances you get to a BB first round interview are about 1:50.

But hey, my grades suck, I did a pretty unknown university in a small country, it took me two more years than usual to complete my master and there was a typo in my cover letter. But I WAS invited for a Goldman Sachs interview!

I do think my sports past did contribute, although I didn't attend the olympics...

 

[Rogueman]

i've been at optiver too:

questions are like

1276/13?
0.034*0.32?
1985-743?
etc.

you have 4 solutions and need to get the right one. the tuff part is time. you're running against the clock and 80 questions in 8 minutes is not easy (you dont need to get to the end but need to score at least 50). points are +1 if right; -1 is wrong; -1 is not answered.


good luck! (i failed by 2 also...)

So are the multiple choice answers real close to one another?

 

[oliverb]

Optiver numerical test

Hi,
Any of you have attended Optiver's numerical test?
I was wondering if in the first set of questions (80 Qos)there are questions like:
353 x 553 or 6666 x 6666 (I mean 4 steps' calculations?)
What about the second set of questions: 40 questions...would they be like the kind of multiplication I just mentioned?
I would really appreciate any help.Thanks in advance

 

[mauzj]

Also, are there any real preferences as to what degree's companies look for in potential staff? Obviously Maths over Art but how about Financial Economics over Global Economics. Deciding which to choose out of the last two. Financial Economics would obviously be better suited to trading/banking etc. but I feel I'd enjoy Global Economics more. What do you think!?

Cheers

If you want to trade for a bank or hedge fund, you need a "proper" degree from a "proper" uni. Media Studies from Brookes College, Oxford, won't cut it.

If you want to trade for an arcade, you just need to pass a few tests, an interview, and tell them that you want to make lots of f***ing money.,

 

[camgeo4]

I have applied to the following can someone give me any info about them.

Mako global, macfuture, goldenberg heymeyer, schnider trading associates, london capital group and optiver

does anyone work in any of these or been for interviews etc. Also you know of any other prop firms i can apply to (london)

Hi TCA Markets aren the best