Anyone who has had multiple prop trading offers, how did you choose where to start your career?

I'm fortunate enough to have landed multiple competitive offers at different trading firms (2 of which I have not ever experienced, but were incredibly accommodating and personal with the entire interview process). I interned at a different one as well and also received an offer. I love the culture here, everyone is incredibly ambitious and young, and I was offered a spot right on the desk I'd want to be placed in. The other two firms might have a better name, and aren't as small as the one I have an offer at, and since the internship was remote/in-person optional I rarely was able to meet anyone in person at the firm I interned at. From what I can tell in the short period of time I was in-person, everything lines up with culture and fit but the team is incredibly small. Two of the offers are in New York and very similar offers, but the offer in Chicago is significantly higher (and lower CoL), as well as might have a better name brand, but I have no idea about the culture or fit. For someone interested in trading, some of the best advice older traders have had for me, is "Find a desk and culture you fit at and enjoy, and if you're a good trader you will get paid no matter what. The first year offers are just to lure you in because if you're not good, you're gone".

Does anyone have advice on how to choose which trading firm offer to accept or what you wish you did when you took your offer at your firm? Should I be assuming I'm going to be an amazing trader and just go to the best culture (this seems like the most risky, because if I'm not a great trader at the firm with the best culture and little name-brand recognition, I'll struggle to transfer. I'm not the type to ever bet against myself, but at some point I need to think about my career security/risk), should I be going to the place with the best learning opportunities and name-brand (this sounds like the best place to see if I could be a good trader. If I'm good I'll get paid, and if I'm not good enough and need to move I'll have the learning experience and name-brand recognition to move to a different firm), or should I be going to the place that seems to be a mix of both (larger firm with more opportunities to learn and better technology that also pays well if I'm good, but if I'm not good I have average name recognition and a niche product)?

1 Comments
 

Accusamus enim quaerat non voluptatibus culpa et maxime ipsa. Sint maxime eos id qui eveniet consequuntur quis aliquid.

Accusantium sequi aperiam iste aperiam est. Qui quos atque id inventore officia numquam eum. Expedita illum beatae quia impedit sit aut at.

Incidunt et aut labore incidunt officia omnis. Earum esse unde ducimus nesciunt. Enim itaque ut et. Pariatur beatae dolore aut consequuntur amet sit quia sunt. Doloremque laudantium eos numquam cupiditate expedita.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”