Mid Office to Sales and Trading

Hi community,

I am currently working in model risk management at JPMC. I have an MBA too, though my grades were not that great.

At final placements, I was shortlisted for Structuring roles too.

I am nearing 2 years in my current role during which I learnt sufficiently about products and stochastic calculus for derivative pricing.

However, I want to move to an FO type role and being mathematically inclined and more market oriented, I think that role would really suit me. Atleast this is what I think afte long mental debate.

My question is how can I break into sales and trading role? Should I look laterally? Should I start at some unknown bank? Or should I go for Masters in Finance course?

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For context i'm a recruiter that focused previously on MO placements, and currently i focus on FO placements so I am familiar with your situation. From my perspective the transition to FO can be difficult but i've talked to numerous candidates who have pulled it off.

Long story short; making the move laterally/internally seems to have the most success.

You want to be as close to traders (or whatever FO role you want to move into) as possible. Make yourself a resource to them much as possible while letting them know your interest in making a move. Ask good questions and be engaged but don't be a pest about it. Keep in mind not all are going to be willing to help advocate but some will when the opportunity presents itself.

Bottom line; there are plenty of people who have made the transition, they all have different story's and i'm sure they would have more specific advice.

Best of luck!

 

If you work even indirectly with any S&T teams, try to network with them, otherwise, I would just try and network with people at ur bank, and hopefully a spot will open up somewhere within trading soon enough, and if you have done a good job of building relationships, you can try and snag that spot internally. If you have a good relationship and reputation with your team and the team that you are trying to get on, and a spot opens up, good things should hopefully happen. Best of luck.

 

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