Career Switch Advice

[Taffy]

Hi everyone,

I'm a recent graduate (class of 2023) from a strong university (think Georgia Tech, UT Austin, UC Berkeley) studying data science with extra coursework in applied math and optimization. I'm trying to make the switch into quant trading. I graduated 2 years early at 19 with a subpar GPA, and I've been working in management in a non-finance sector at a large company since my graduation. I've been interested in finance for a few years now but have only recently begun pursuing a career in the field, seeing that it's highly intellectually stimulating and the type of work seems very interesting to me.

Lately, I've been studying Hull's book on derivatives for some time now, as well as the green book and HOTS for interview preparation, and have done a good amount of research online to find ways to get started in this field, but I haven't found anything that fits my background. Regarding research, I assist a professor in experimental psychology (no pubs yet), but a lot of it is very non-technical. What should my next step be to land an interview? I don't have any connections in the field -- would it be worth applying to mid-tier MFEs or going to quant conventions to try to network? Should I load up on projects to show interest in finance or compete in competitions? FWIW, I'm located in the Bay Area.

I would greatly appreciate any advice.

 

[YZhao]

I am not sure if I am in the best place to give advice as I am in UK and I am not a quant trader. However, I will try here. Please someone else correct me if what I say is not sensible.

I think MFE will help.

I interviewed / screened CV in my previous jobs - that is often after HR screening... The number of CVs we get is ridiculous. The last time I chose to interview someone from 2 years of experience non-financial background (but still highly numerical) for a model validation role was someone who came first in MFE at Oxford and came from Cambridge. Many marginal candidates or even potentially qualified candidates' CV gets binned because there are simply too many applicants.

Loading up on projects maybe helps but I never took that seriously. Unfortunately, many people like myself looked at school, grade, subject studied. I remember there was once when someone from a marginal university with an interesting and relevant project. I wanted to interview him but my college did not so we did not in the end.

 

[MikeLawrence]

I'm a bit worried about your technical skills given you sped through a degree in two years and had a bad GPA at that.
If I saw your profile I'd wonder if any of what you were taught actually sunk in.

Name your proficiencies in math/stats/coding.

Edit: I guess this depends on your definition of 'subpar GPA.'
Also, if Your from UTAustin/Berkeley type caliber undergrad than you should get past the resume screens. I wouldn't sink your profile with a mid-tier MFE. Take the C++ courses/python from here on QN and at the very least go to UChicago and then land interviews off of your undergrad reputation - execute well and you should get a good job.