How to Add Management of Personal Portfolio w/o Getting Grilled in Interviews?

I manage around $25,000 of my own money, which I use to trade across a couple dif asset classes (equities, fx and commodity futures) using a macro approach. I would love to be able to include this on my resume as I believe it shows I have an interest in the markets, and that I'm able to decipher market trends/opportunities and attempt to exploit them.

I have spoken to couple of seniors at my school and they reckon I am better off not including it as it can potentially make me susceptible to extra scrutiny during finance interviews..

Any way I can opaquely include this on my resume without getting hammered during interviews?

Any advise is appreciated!

For reference: rising junior at a Canadian target preparing for IB recruitment in the fall

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17 Comments
 

Don't even bring up the dollar amount. Some people won't care, others will think you're a schmuck. Feel free to talk about how because of your interest in markets you decided to put some skin in the game, and manage your own small portfolio. If they push for more info, feel free to talk about some of the strategies you have used, and what you have learned since starting.

...
 

There is nothing wrong with mentioning personal trading on your resume. Odds are they will be more concentrated on your school performance and technicals than your account. If they do ask for more in depth details tell them.

Only two sources I trust, Glenn Beck and singing woodland creatures.
 

You have to ask yourself what the purpose of adding this to your resume is. If this is simply something to add to your interests line, I'd pass because it just makes you look like a finance robot. If you have an impressive return and are including it on your resume as a sort of accomplishment, then I think it's only fair game for an interview to question you about it. In this case, there's probably no way around getting grilled. Unless you have very impressive returns, I would honestly just leave it off.

 

Perhaps youre right. Only issue is that I am not sure what to replace it with. It is currently occupying a decent chunk of my resumes extra curricular activities section, but I am not an executive member of any school clubs. I was, however, a member of my schools varsity mens basketball team (redshirt) during freshman year. Do you suggest I try and milk that experience to fill in some resume real estate?

 

Good answer – I think it's fair to include TD Ameritrade (assuming that's the platform you're using) on your technical skill in your resume and to breach the topic if asked about it casually. Always better to stay away from talking about the actual sum of your money, as it's better to avoid the risk of looking like a douchebag.

EBITDA rules everything around me
 

What sort of returns do you get? Also, has this investing been solely in the past 3-5 years? Averaging 5% going long equities in a bull market isn't anything to brag about but if you've done something that you think others have not then I would mention it.

 

It shows interest in financial markets if nothing else. Just include it without the dollar amount and don't bring it up unless they do. If they do bring it up then keep it brief since you're only not even beating the S&P500 ytd.

What specific instruments do you trade? Currencies? Crude?

 
Best Response

You weren't very hard to find on LinkedIn, Christopher. FYI, Schulich isn't a target school. Also, I'd spend less time on this forum and more time practicing your tie knots. Auto ding in my books bud.

 

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