Getting started in physical trading
Hi everyone,
I am a current sophomore math/econ major at a target school for banks (Not sure how relevant that is but most other posts I see include it). Anyways, I am interested in the physical commodities business and am not really sure where to start. I have been reading a lot of books and learning as much as I can. The line of work seems exciting, plus all of the travel opportunities are a bonus. I am in the process of looking for internships at commodities trading firms but most of them seem to not offer them or are only interested in graduates. Any suggestions for something to do this summer to try to get started or my foot in the door to eventually work/intern at a firm such as Glencore/Trafigura/Vitol/etc.(I understand these are extremely tough to land a job at). I am open to working really anywhere in the world and do anything that would help boost my resume.
Thank you for the help.
If you are at a target, get a banking internship or whatever your cohorts (aimming for banking) will do.
We give a ton of respect for people who were able to land and survive a banking internship. But ultimately learned that tortue is not worth their time (even if we pay less starting out).
Email a few traders or current grads at the the places you’re interested in and convert that to a summer internship. A little networking goes a long way especially if you start now and check in every 3-4 months going into internship recruiting
Hey there,
Getting your foot in the door in the world of physical commodities trading can indeed be a bit of a challenge, but it's not impossible. Here are a few tips based on the most helpful WSO content:
Internships: Internships in the commodity world are not like investment banking - you can get a long way with just networking and don't need to go through a formal HR program. Even a 2-week "work experience" can make a difference.
Networking: Networking is key in this industry. Start building your network as early as possible. Attend industry events, join online forums, and don't be afraid to reach out to professionals in the field.
Work Experience: Consider gaining experience at companies that are big clients of physical firms, such as Nestle, Hershey, or Starbucks. Having contacts there could be valuable later in your career if you go into trading.
Support/Service Sectors: For sophomores and juniors who might be overlooked for roles at physical shops, I would highly suggest trying to land an internship with one of the myriad support/service sectors, or with a commodity producer/consumer first. This can make your CV stand out when you do go for a trading position.
Travel: If you're open to working anywhere in the world, consider getting your hands dirty and working for a farm in a country like Ivory Coast or Brazil. This could provide invaluable experience and a unique perspective.
Remember, the goal is to get your foot in the door any way you can. Once you're in, it gets a lot easier to land yourself something full time. Good luck!
Sources: A few questions on getting started in physical trading, Physical Commodity Trading, Physical Commodity Trading career: If you started over again., Physical commodities - how do you overcome the operations trap?
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