Move from HF to Prop Shop?

Do you guys think this is generally a bad idea?

Currently working @ Platform (millennium, citadel, p72, schonfeld type)

Payout is ok, and I dont mind taking stress + working long hours, but I dont see much forward here - I dont find much learning opportunities. The opportunity is there, but I need to dig things out by myself without help from any colleague/teammate due to the culture of the firm.

I hear prop shops are more collaborative and there are more learning opportunities (and I am aware that there is no payout here; more of shared p&l).

Do you think moving from HF to prop shop is a bad choice? I value learning opportunities and collaborative environment more. I want to be in an environment where I feel like i'm the dumbest guy in the room. 

6 Comments
 

In my opinion i don't think its a bad idea, I think the part about digging by yourself without any colleagues can be fulfilled at a SM HF like a Tiger cub

 

Prop or bigger pod is the way to go. Getting bites will be easy if you have track record,

"one for the money two for the better green 3 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine" - M.F. Doom
 
Most Helpful

When I talked to CEO of one of the best prop shops nowadays, he told me that they have a collaborative structure, so the bonus is highly regularized. It means, that if you had a bad year and was not very successful with your "alphas" you still get paid out of other people's pockets. The same works the other way: if someone else had a bad year, you indirectly subsidise his underperformance. So, the turnover in his firm is almost zero, everyone gets paid a good amount of money, but no one is paid jackpot. On the other hand, CEO of one "platform" hedge fund told me that I can make any amount of money here; no one subsidises my underperformance, nor participates in upside.

That being said, it is a personal choice. Almost like joining FAANG vs hot startup. FAANG = high Sharpe, hot startup = opportunity to make jackpot. If you have a strategy and would like to build a business, go MM. Otherwise, for more academic quant, prop is the place to be for sure. 

 

Hic quisquam omnis deserunt eligendi omnis voluptatem. Est et voluptas repellat provident assumenda quam. Tempora tempora aliquam consequatur non ad eius et aspernatur. Est tempore voluptate consequuntur temporibus perspiciatis. Quas quod architecto iure.

Et ut quis voluptatibus esse. Repellat atque molestias voluptas voluptatem laborum accusantium qui. Veniam cupiditate dolorem sed maxime nisi provident provident. Atque iste autem laborum. Sint optio adipisci sint.

Vero tempore consequatur perspiciatis voluptas in necessitatibus unde suscipit. Voluptatem asperiores qui dicta vitae sunt. Expedita repudiandae quia exercitationem et voluptates non rerum. Itaque dolorem maxime sit quia sunt laborum odit.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Point72 99.0%
  • D.E. Shaw 98.1%
  • Citadel Investment Group 97.1%
  • AQR Capital Management 96.2%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Magnetar Capital 99.0%
  • D.E. Shaw 98.0%
  • Blackstone Group 97.1%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.1%
  • Millennium Partners 95.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Hedge Fund

  • AQR Capital Management 99.0%
  • Point72 98.1%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.1%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.2%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Portfolio Manager (9) $1,648
  • Vice President (27) $464
  • Director/MD (12) $423
  • NA (9) $320
  • Engineer/Quant (86) $288
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (26) $284
  • Manager (4) $282
  • 2nd Year Associate (32) $253
  • 1st Year Associate (77) $191
  • Analysts (242) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (29) $145
  • Junior Trader (5) $102
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (282) $96
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”