Any of you guys gotten a job you’re slightly under qualified for, then your senior leaves?
This ever happened to anyone? There are two other traders on the desk, one about as senior as I am, and another just slightly more senior. However, those guys trade different markets. Our desk head probably took a shot on me, which was made easier by having a very senior trader to kind of bounce ideas off of.
I’ve been trading mostly under someone else’s book during my time trading, around two years at another shop. Now I am responsible for flexing to cover the senior who left and create my own alpha. Hasn’t been easy. Our desk head is the busiest man on the planet so don’t have a ton of time to chat him about ideas etc.
Any of you other monkeys experienced this? What did you do to continue to learn? I am doing a ton of trial and error, luckily making money but sometimes it feels like it’s dumb luck.
I think they are planning to hire someone more senior just haven’t seen any movement on that yet.
This situation is not uncommon, and based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s how others have navigated similar challenges:
Trial by Fire is Normal: Many junior traders who find themselves in this position have had to step up and prove their worth. As one VP trader shared, doing well in such situations often leads to greater responsibilities and career growth. It’s a chance to demonstrate your ability to handle pressure and deliver results, even if it feels overwhelming at first.
Leverage Your Desk Relationships: Build strong relationships with the other traders on your desk, even if they trade different markets. They can be valuable sounding boards for ideas and strategies. Additionally, get to know the IT desk support team—they can be lifesavers when systems fail.
Focus on Learning and Observing:
Ask Questions Strategically: While your desk head may be busy, don’t hesitate to ask questions when the timing is right. Traders are often willing to share insights if approached thoughtfully. Just ensure you’re not asking the same questions repeatedly—show that you’re learning and building on previous advice.
Develop Your Own Alpha: Start tracking your trade ideas and their performance meticulously. This will help you identify what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to refine your approach over time. Even if it feels like “dumb luck” now, consistent tracking and analysis will help you turn luck into skill.
Be Proactive About Learning:
Patience and Persistence: It’s common to feel imposter syndrome in such situations, but remember that confidence comes with experience. Keep pushing through the trial-and-error phase, and over time, you’ll develop the expertise and confidence to thrive in your role.
This is a challenging but potentially career-defining moment. By staying proactive, learning from every experience, and leveraging the resources around you, you can turn this into an opportunity to grow and excel. Keep at it, monkey! 🐒
Sources: How did your acquisitions career evolve?, Sucking as a junior trader, Q&A: 25 years Sales / Trading Experience, Q&A: 25 years Sales / Trading Experience
Was in similar sell side fixed income seat with similar circumstances. Provide the desk with things that will be hard for another person to replicate, regardless of how senior they may be. Whether that be building street connections or building technical processes with excel/python for reporting info up the chain of command or for analysis - all of the above works best. Make yourself hard to replace and give yourself some insulation. You'll be fine if you do those things.
Honestly I’m not actually worried about being fired. Really just concerned about progressing. I know I could carve a nice career out here but want to progress as a trader, not just an employee here.
Any of you guys gotten a job you’re slightly underqualified for… then your senior leaves?"
Yeah. That happened to me.
I got hired for a role that I felt 80% ready for. Just enough knowledge to talk the talk, but still leaned on my senior for the heavy stuff architecture decisions, weird bugs, stakeholder pushback. They were my safety net.
Then... they left.
No handoff, barely any documentation. One day they were there, next day they were gone. Suddenly, I was the "go-to" person. I went from asking questions to being expected to have all the answers.
At first, I panicked. Imposter syndrome hit like a truck. I kept thinking, “They made a mistake hiring me.”
But I didn’t have the luxury of waiting to feel ready. So I started doing three things:
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