Any suggestions?

Looking for some career path advice here. I’m currently a sophomore in Canada and have had a bit of a weird path so far. Started with some real estate and a search fund, then moved to a VC role, where I worked on a few small deals. More recently, I worked at an exchange (think NYSE or Nasdaq) with a focus on public markets research (products design etc).

I’ve got two offers for summer 2025: a mid-market IB role and an FX trading position. I know most of my peers are aiming straight for IB and PE, and my school’s more of a target for those paths. However, I’ve found myself more interested in public markets and algo-based trading rather than the deal work in PE/IB. I’m not looking to do hardcore quant but want to explore algo trading and potentially more buy-side roles down the line.

Compensation and WLB are definitely factors in my decision, but I’m also trying to be realistic about career trajectory and exit opps. I’ve read a lot of mixed opinions about trading roles, particularly around market volatility and L/S strategies underperforming recently. My concern is whether I might be closing doors or limiting myself by not sticking to the traditional IB path, especially given the strong pipeline at my school.

Would really appreciate any insights, advice, or just a reality check.

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