its called being competitive monkeysama ... and it is also useful to know for many of us who are currently applying for such positions. I dont want to waste valuable interview face time going into detail about my experiences studying abroad if they actually hold leadership in higher regard .. (and yes, i understand that props and MMs dont give 2 shits about studying abroad and are quantitatively focused in their approach, its simply analogical to the fact that we as candidates should emphasize relevantly significant strengths rather than the stale, run-of-the-mill "im a team worker" bit ...)

 

Im looking over to my dry erase board looking at the things i knew I needed to work on to be more successful as a prop trader. Going to read you in order what they are.

1) This is written 3x bigger than everything else DONT OVER-THINK

2) Think BIG PICTURE

3) BE OPPORTUNITY SEEKING

4) RISK MANAGEMENT - Let winners run (and add to them), cut losses when stop is hit

"Oh the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion" - Frank Slaughtery 25th Hour.
 

I think these interviewers assume that if they are across the desk from you that you have trading ideas and have the confidence to take positions in various markets. So to differentiate yourself among candidates I would try to express a focus on managing risk.

Also if you have some well thought out trades and the interviewer questions them don't be too intimidated to politely defend your position.

 
adapt or die:
I think these interviewers assume that if they are across the desk from you that you have trading ideas and have the confidence to take positions in various markets. So to differentiate yourself among candidates I would try to express a focus on managing risk.

Also if you have some well thought out trades and the interviewer questions them don't be too intimidated to politely defend your position.

Great advice. Also if they ask you to suggest a stock, don't suggest AAPL or GOOG like every other average bozo interviewing. Bring up a unique stock and talk about why you think it's undervalued, has room to grow, etc. Also I would take a fundamental approach, as it is more agreeable.

 
Jerome Marrow:
You're a fuckin idiot. If somebody is brand new, not an experienced trader/research associate/whatever, nobody is going to expect you to have any trading ideas whatsoever. You may even (probably) make yourself look like a raging buffoon.

I would absolutely expect somebody I was interviewing even at the undergraduate level to be able to discuss and have opinions on the markets. With the amount of free info available there is no reason an undergrad cant have trade ideas.

 
adapt or die:
Jerome Marrow:
You're a fuckin idiot. If somebody is brand new, not an experienced trader/research associate/whatever, nobody is going to expect you to have any trading ideas whatsoever. You may even (probably) make yourself look like a raging buffoon.

terrible advice, go back to playing on vector vest

I cited you multiple elite firms (where I either personally have experience with or have close friends that have experience with) that not only don't ask that in interviews for new recruits, at least one of those will think you are quite silly if you start offering them your advice on where people should be putting their money.

 

They are DEFINITELY going to want you to have positions, ideas, etc. That was the first question I got when I sat down in the office on an trading interview. "Give me one stock you would buy and one you would short with reasons why."

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Completely different experiences then from where I am and people that are in S&T or in a TA role @ GS, Citadel, DRW, Jump, etc.

Having an informed opinion on the markets is different from having trade ideas. It is assumed you have an idea of what is going on (where the spu is, where EUR/USD is, what is unemployment like, etc.) and having strategies that you want to implement.

 
Jerome Marrow:
Completely different experiences then from where I am and people that are in S&T or in a TA role @ GS, Citadel, DRW, Jump, etc.

Having an informed opinion on the markets is different from having trade ideas. It is assumed you have an idea of what is going on (where the spu is, where EUR/USD is, what is unemployment like, etc.) and having strategies that you want to implement.

I have been asked about trade ideas in at least one of those places. And by 2 different interviewers.

 

There's no one right or wrong way to interview with a trader. In general, two interviewers may disagree with each other on the answer to the same market-oriented question. This is why we have markets in the first place. The trick is to figure out which answer the interviewer wants, and perhaps even defend both sides of the argument.

I'd say that you should have some trading ideas prepared for an interview, but I wouldn't proffer them unless asked explicitly. I'd always follow up by asking the interviewer's opinion on the trade idea.

 
Best Response

You should have specific trade ideas. If the guy dosent ask then dont offer them, but as an undergrad you should be able to develop some ideas provided you are interested and motivated enough to spend some time learning. No one is expecting you to sound perfect but not having anything to say is definitely not smart going into a trading interview. I have interviewed college sophmores who have given me specific ideas without sounding bad.

 

Can we agree that while you probably do not HAVE to have trade ideas it might be smart to have a couple in case you get asked? Every resume is different and it might come up as a way to gauge a persons interest or commitment. When it comes to interviewing for banking, trading, etc I think it is better to be over prepared.

 

BB S&T != Chicago Prop.

I interviewed last fall with a bunch of Chicago props and not once was I asked anything even remotely related to pitching a stock or trading ideas.

Again, this might be because I have zero actual trading experience besides what is sitting in my e*trade account, which is mostly SPY and QQQ.

 

Balls Quick brain A huge ego while retaining a sliver humanity to know when the market is fucking your asshole.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 

I was partially being a dick--clearly you are a college kid that possibly skimmed through Natenberg once. I certainly saw what you said. I am trying to see the value or where some trader is going to see where your edge is in your trade. You simply recommended a 1x2 call spread. Terrific. What, your fundamental analysis said it would rally exactly up to that point at which time implied vols would collapse and it would expire on your shorts? Seriously, get a clue.

 
Jerome Marrow:
I was partially being a dick--clearly you are a college kid that possibly skimmed through Natenberg once. I certainly saw what you said. I am trying to see the value or where some trader is going to see where your edge is in your trade. You simply recommended a 1x2 call spread. Terrific. What, your fundamental analysis said it would rally exactly up to that point at which time implied vols would collapse and it would expire on your shorts? Seriously, get a clue.

You might get shat on in a lot of political threads, and while that is unnecessary to have to sit through, this thread proves you are truly an asshole. What do you expect someone in an interview to do when asked for a trade idea, talk about how it doesn't matter what they do because the efficient market hypothesis has made their ideas all random guesses? Should they say that their ideas are inferior simply because they are a college student and the interviewer is somehow a master of the trading universe? Most of the interviewers know the ideas suck and it isn't about the idea, its about seeing if they think like traders or are just rambling in generalizations. I'm not sure why you think the interviewer is supposed to get something out of the trade ideas of a college grad, as that isn't the purpose of the interview. Even if someone did have the knowledge and skill you are looking for, chances are they won't be getting paid enough to work for a true douche like yourself as your threads consistently prove that even incredible compensation cannot overcome the shittiness of having to share a cubicle with you.

 
Cash4Gold:
You might get shat on in a lot of political threads, and while that is unnecessary to have to sit through, this thread proves you are truly an asshole. What do you expect someone in an interview to do when asked for a trade idea, talk about how it doesn't matter what they do because the efficient market hypothesis has made their ideas all random guesses? Should they say that their ideas are inferior simply because they are a college student and the interviewer is somehow a master of the trading universe? Most of the interviewers know the ideas suck and it isn't about the idea, its about seeing if they think like traders or are just rambling in generalizations. I'm not sure why you think the interviewer is supposed to get something out of the trade ideas of a college grad, as that isn't the purpose of the interview. Even if someone did have the knowledge and skill you are looking for, chances are they won't be getting paid enough to work for a true douche like yourself as your threads consistently prove that even incredible compensation cannot overcome the shittiness of having to share a cubicle with you.

The whole point is that the majority of people are going to be looking for things that aren't trading ideas. Things like work ethic, intelligence, honesty, diligence, etc. Those are things that I'm sure many people here have and can show. Focusing or even considering trade ideas just sounds bafflingly dumb to me. I literally see 0 value in asking somebody about trade ideas as an entry level hire. What could possibly be gained? I've never asked it (nor was I asked as an undergrad) and I don't know anybody who does ask undergrads that kind of thing. The closest I've seen is asking for opinions on 'the market', which is far different and fair to ask. When random people start going off on some trade idea, they often sound incredibly foolish from my end. If I asked a college jr/sr about the market and they started going off about some 1x2 CS on XLF, I would be at a loss of what to even think. It has nothing to do with me being smarter or more experienced at all (and many are likely much more intelligent), but it has to do with the fact that you are not being interviewed for you prop trading ideas, the vast majority of ideas have absolutely no edge and truly are foolish (even from a common sense standpoint), and I would rather hear about how hard you worked on a project you were passionate about in college or what you read re: the markets.

 

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