Work in Fidessa VS prop trading firm

I have been working in a prop trading firm for about 2 years, managing IT projects as well as working closely with traders for catering their new requests. Recently there is an opportunity to join Fidessa, one of the world's largest trading software vendor used by quite a wide range of ibanks / brokers / hedge funds etc.

My eternal goal is to get into strategic positions in ibank. Not sure whether I should take this opportunity now, or to stay in my current prop trading firm until a direct ibank opportunity pops up. What would be the norm of exit opportunities in firms like fidessa? Please kindly share your thoughts, very much appreciated!

2 Comments
 
Best Response

Why would you want to leave a prop shop for Fidessa? Or even a bulge bracket bank? Prop shops are where the money and excitement is. Unless you're changing functional areas into more prestigious work or gaining a position of higher seniority, you're not adding value to your career by making the switch, imo. Are you going to be in a more business focused role in your new job? IMO, joining a firm solely for the exit opportunities can be a bad idea.

Can you clarify what you do right now? Connectivity? Position keeping? Risk? Do you currently work on a trading floor? That might shed light on how best you can move your career forward. What's stopping you from making a lateral functional area switch at your current firm?

When you say "strategic" position, do you mean strategy? I.e. quant work? I'm not sure any kind of career switch is going to guarantee that kind of position in the future. That requires graduate coursework. Maybe if that's your ultimate goal you should be looking more toward education than a career switch?

 

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