Torn between Software Engineering route or Equity Research Route

Here's the thing; I've been in finance for over 4 years now, but I've only started programming since this year (Just declared a CS & Math, Finance double major).

I'm having trouble decide whether I should be a mediocre full stack engineer while being a decently good financier, or being a really strong financier with peak domain knowledge in the space.

I have a lot of domain knowledge in the technology space and equity research in TMT & Semiconductors.

Ultimately my goal is to make an impact in the world, and currently I feel that being a software engineer now would be more beneficial in the long run because I can just build anything I want. Another factor to my choice is that I intend to be a billionaire just because I've been several profitable bets in the past, believe I have a strong insight in the market, and ran and exited a successful investment fund.

The alternative would be to pull a Martin Shkreli by staying in the financial industry while working on developing a product.

4 Comments
 
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You will have more job security in Software Engineering period. No contest compared to Equity Research. With that being said, I started my career in computer science/information systems and found that my career path lacked the passion that I have for finance.

Lucky for your both of the skill sets you would build through either of those roles when married would make you deadly. I would decide where your passion lies, you sound qualified enough to be able to break into Equity Research the better question is which one do you think you can't live without, or maybe better said if you were to die tomorrow which career path would have you wondering what if, or would bring regret.

Best of luck with your decision!

 

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