I know it takes 2+ years to get the knowledge for it, but do you have a pretty solid shot after that experience if you're motivated? Or is it like five schedulers want the position and one would be lucky to get it?
I've seen it written that companies typically promote traders from within from scheduling or other mid office type roles. Does this mean that your options are rather limited if you strike out at your company for a chance at trading?
I've read most of the threads on it, but i've never seen anyone really nail down exactly how feasible it is to land a physical trading position, just that it's necessary for you to go through mid office first.
I will keep it short, it is very very unlikely to get a trader role without a background in scheduling. There is a few who join a desk right out of school/risk/structuring/etc but even then you do stuff very similar to scheduling as a analyst or so, and in the meantime must learn how the physical pipe works on your own.
Basically physical mistakes are very costly, and if you have not shown you mastered that world yah uhmm you ain't getting near a P&L role.
To sum up, if you want to trade you must schedule or have some other skillz to jump right to analyst.
Not sure if serious. You just completely missed the point of the thread and his question...
Because the question was basically like "will I ever make the major leagues without playing AAA?". As blender mentioned in the physical trading world nothing is guaranteed whatsoever at the same time no one is ever becoming a trader without mastering it, so again no one is going to tell you have what it takes to be a trader you need to show that figure it out for yourself but at the same time you need to play AAA to get called up the majors one day.
Marcellus is spot on.
My boss(director of scheduling & transport) and his boss(S.VP of Trading & Scheduling) will not hire any trader that has not had at least some experience scheduling. For in house, looking at track records, its 5 years as a scheduler, year 6-7 as a senior scheduler, year 8 and you start trading.
I'm in month 4, but in year 2-3 I'll look for a way out into trading, but you I'm learning so much being a scheduler. The whole storage, pipeline, understanding backhauls, restrictions, etc., is such a huge playing field.
To the OP, yeah it's usually a bunch of schedulers within the same place trying to get that trader role. Unless you're the man with the boss on trading, it's hard to stand out. Hence, grass is always greener on the other side(for both you and the new employer) and thats when you jump ship to trade.
I'm going to give my company the first option(not that I mean to be entitled), but will jump ship in 2016-2017 for a trading role!
@Butterbean, What position did you start at before working as a scheduler?
Depends on the shop but in general unless you are recruited directly into a junior trader role, there is no guarantee at all that you'll make to a trader, though the "best"shot you have will be as a scheduler since you'll be more familiar with the product/desk.
Keep in mind that there really isn't a time limit to transition from ops-trading, it really depends on the need of the desk and more importantly whether you would actually be a good trader (lots of guys think they'd be a good trader and then can't really even schedule a bucket). If you "strike out", which as I said before is pretty subjective term, you can switch to another shop or move up the ops ladder.
As to the question about backup plans, no your options are not limited as a scheduler you will gain a ton of knowledge and skills which can be moved over to other roles. I have seen schedulers go on to Sales/Structuring/Project Management/Business Development and etc roles, also very common for schedulers to end up on desks of other shops.
Yeah, you have a good shot. You will have the required skillset apart from pricing knowledge. Not all the schedulers are going to want to move to trading. As a scheduler you are the trader's eyes and ears to events on the physical flow side. If you're giving them valuable feedback and insight on what you're seeing and hearing I'd say its inevitable that you'll move to where you want to go. Lots of shops move people up internally, mostly because those people know their company's business best, but moves up outside are possible as well.
Scheduler myself. I can confirm that some people make it to a trading role, but it takes time and not everybody will make it. Some people get stuck there (out of will or not, that I do not know), others give up as it takes too much time and some make it to the other side.
Its a mix of work consistency, timing, a bit of office politics and a dash of luck.
Similique corporis quo est harum. Est et voluptas sed aut nostrum. Et nulla eos nostrum. Consequuntur velit provident sunt inventore animi ea quae. Molestias vel necessitatibus doloribus qui. Minus laborum fuga rerum voluptatum expedita laborum. Animi fugiat ut consequatur enim pariatur qui.
Molestiae quae magnam sit sit qui est dolores. Enim sed vitae dignissimos a dolorem aut delectus. Quod esse ut id mollitia fuga occaecati.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...