Go for Brand-Name?

A friend of mine is choosing between two offers: a brand-name insurance company and a high frequency trading firm. She wants to do trading in the future. I suggested her to go for the HFT firm since it's trading, and the job should be more interesting. She's concerned that because it's really a no-name firm, it might not appear to be as good as the insurance company (where she will do capital management).

I asked a couple of my friends and nearly all of them said go for the HFT firm because you definitely learn more on that job.

I would love to hear your opinion on this.

14 Comments
 
Best Response
BernankeyDont go for the insurance company...i've had the unfortunate pleasure of working at a reinsurance company for two years..

You need to keep in mind that there are really only two "well-known" HFT firms: Renaissance and Getco. In my opinion, the more obscure the HFT firm the better, given that they have a good AUM.

I would add Citadel in there too. But ya, this HFT firm she has got is very very obscure and rather secretive (they don't even say they're a finance firm). Not sure if that's a good thing.

 
BernankeyDont go for the insurance company...i've had the unfortunate pleasure of working at a reinsurance company for two years..

You need to keep in mind that there are really only two "well-known" HFT firms: Renaissance and Getco. In my opinion, the more obscure the HFT firm the better, given that they have a good AUM.

What do you define as a good AUM?
 
jesus of nazareth
BernankeyDont go for the insurance company...i've had the unfortunate pleasure of working at a reinsurance company for two years..

You need to keep in mind that there are really only two "well-known" HFT firms: Renaissance and Getco. In my opinion, the more obscure the HFT firm the better, given that they have a good AUM.

What do you define as a good AUM?

It really depends on their strategy...if this was just a general HF then id say at least 500m

 
dabanoboHFT, no contest. If you're in the business, there are dozens of well-known firms.

Also, she will learn nothing at an insurance company.

This.

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