Best Prep for Prop Trading?

So I'm currently the Global Trading Intern in Boston at a huge asset manager. I'm thrilled to be in this spot after working in accounting and CRE the last two summers as the only job in finance I've ever wanted is to be a trader. Going into my senior year (at a non-target for any area of finance) I'm trying to plan out how I can get on a desk at a prop firm ASAP. 

Basically, I'm curious as to what you guys think is the best way to stand out / prepare for a prop trading interview / job. I've been trading for 2 years now and know technicals well, I'm pretty good at mental math and all that stuff, but I'm kinda trash at programming. Also I have read Reminisces, Liar's Poker, and just about everything Nassim Taleb (goat) has written. 

So, I'm wondering, how should I spend my free time this summer preparing for a prop trading job? Would it be smart to focus on enhancing my programming? Or should I do something else like read more trading books? In time I hope to all of the above, but specifically for this summer, what's the best move? 

Any advice would be incredibly helpful and appreciated.

3 Comments
 
Most Helpful

You should definitely get your feet wet in programming as well as data science and/or statistics. I did “Python for data science” from IBM on edEx. MIT also has great open coursework. Helped me land my gig. Python and R are best… VBA knowledge is great too. These firms want quantitative skills over all else. Read- dark pools, when genius failed, the qants, the man who solved the market, and market wizards (i prefer Audiobook). Be able to articulate and understand what a spread is and how to put one one, relative value trading, and HFT depending on the firm you Interview at.

 

this is super helpful, very much appreciated. theres definitely a lot i still have to learn but finding a starting point is clutch

 

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just google it...you're welcome

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