Societe Generale FICC Quant team?/Know currencies?

searchingforbananas — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:16:26 -0400

I have an interview with Societe Generale FICC for a quantitative analyst position. I know a decent amount about options and I guess I know sort of know the basics about the market, but i don't know that much about FICC stuff in general. I mean should I have a canned answer as to where I think the dollar/euro rate is going? Should I know bond convexity hands down? Any advice would be helpful.

Programming to Trading Adivice

searchingforbananas — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:27:21 -0400

I worked this summer at a good (although small) prop shop (think like wolverine, SIG, Peak6) doing coding to help support a small stat arb operation in its infancy. All I did was code data analysis tools the whole summer. After spending the summer doing this (and the last summer to a lesser, and more general extent) I have decided that I really don't want to be coding stuff until i retire. But with the market shot to shit, hiring freezes everywhere, and with a gpa that isn't outstanding (3.5), I'm wondering what i can do to try and break into the bulge bracket, or at least the trading part of a good prop firm. As soon as school starts again i'm going to try to contact as many alums as i can, and try and go to all the information sessions i can. I'm going to try and contact most of the people who said to stay in touch from last spring, and I'm going to try and focus my bullet points on the trading aspects of the internships (minuscule as they were, i.e.

No future for the floor?

searchingforbananas — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:18:00 -0400

From what I have heard, over the past ten years the floor presences of many market making firms on many of the larger exchanges, at least on the derivatives side, (CBOE, AMEX, PHLX) has been greatly diminished as many traders find it easier/more comfortable to trade from nearby offices, as well as on virtual exchanges like the Ise. Is it possible that in 20-30 years down the line everything will be done virtually, with no need to maintain a floor presence?

Screwed for the summer = screwed for fulltime?

searchingforbananas — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:52:53 -0400

We all know it's been a tough year. And no one really knows what the job market will be in September. I currently have nothing for the summer, and after being dinged by oh so many places I'm starting to worry. My question is: If i end up working at a no name firm or a research job at my school (NYC target) is it nearly impossible to get onto a BB trading desk full time?

Jane street second round

searchingforbananas — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:48:13 -0500

How much worse than the first?

Allston trading in chicago

searchingforbananas — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:25:44 -0500

Anybody know anything about them?

Morgan Stanley global power and energy

searchingforbananas — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 06:50:07 -0400

Anybody know anything about it?

Extra year? (advice please)

searchingforbananas — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:57:19 -0400

Is it worth it to spend another year at a target to get a Masters in Financial Engineering? That is, would it be better to go directly to an analyst role after four years, or would it be better to wait a year and walk out with a masters as well. Also, what real help does a masters that isn't an mba provide in the banking world?

Old resumes?

searchingforbananas — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:45:03 -0400

Random question. What do banks do with resumes for perspective first year analysts that don't even get a first round interview? Do they throw them out? Or keep them in some old vault?

UBS Financial Sponsors

searchingforbananas — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:58:34 -0400

I was just sondering if anyone knew the relative strength of the Financial Sponsors group at UBS compared to other bulge brackets. Obviously CS and lehman are more well known, but I was wondering if anyone knew anything specific about UBS's reputation when it comes to financial sponsors.