Coding for quantitative trader, quantitative portfolio manager and derivative trader.

[SAIL KIM]

Hello!! I'm one of the students who recently got admitted to one of the MFE programs.

I'm from finance undergraduate background and I got some work experience as derivative analyst. My future career goal is to become one of the list below

Future career path

- quantitative trader
- quantitative portfolio manager
- derivative trader.
- algorithm trader

I know basic about below languages but I want to improve my coding skills to next level

R
Python
C++
VBA
SQL

How much coding experienced are required for those jobs and what kind of language should be learned?
I was considering to take Advanced C++11/C++14 and Multidisciplinary Applications course from Quant.net.
Does advanced C++ Skills are required for those jobs? or is it too much for trader?

What kind of coding courses should I take ?
Thank you in advance. I really want to hear advice from experienced people.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

One fact is that if you have good C++ skills then it's the top of the programming languages heap. In this sense it is a real blue-chip skill IMO.

 

[pingu]

Does advanced C++ Skills are required for those jobs?

NO

 

[yetanotherquant]

Traders don't code very frequently and if they do, they usually create rapid prototypes in R, Python or Excel/VBA.

 

[SAIL KIM]

Thanks for advice

Then, in order to become trader what should I do?
Even though I need luck, I want to improve my chance by education and experience.

I have traded stocks with my own account. Even if I stopped because of my full time job which was derivative analyst. I will restart trading.

Can you give me any advice to increase my chance of becoming a trader?
Thank you in advance

 

[tfors]

_

 

[SAIL KIM]

_

Does that mean that coding is getting important for traders?

 

[JLevin]

It's not "getting more important"; it already is... if not to write tools, then to understand the company trading systems. To be very honest though, no one is going to hire you as a trader (in America at least) unless your English is up to scratch, as communication is extremely important

 

[yetanotherquant]

Thanks for advice

Then, in order to become trader what should I do?

Get a track record or a least (paper) trading experience.

I can recommend you my book "Knowledge rather than Hope: A Book for Retail Investors and Mathematical Finance Students" (in parallel you will learn R) and my blog (start reading with this: Einstein - a star trader on Wikifolio, who can beat the market — letYourMoneyGrow.com - Serving Retail Investors ).

 

[SAIL KIM]

It's not "getting more important"; it already is... if not to write tools, then to understand the company trading systems. To be very honest though, no one is going to hire you as a trader (in America at least) unless your English is up to scratch, as communication is extremely important

Thank you very much. I really appreciate your advice. I will work on improving my coding skills and English.

 

[SAIL KIM]

Get a track record or a least (paper) trading experience.

I can recommend you my book "Knowledge rather than Hope: A Book for Retail Investors and Mathematical Finance Students" (in parallel you will learn R) and my blog (start reading with this: Einstein - a star trader on Wikifolio, who can beat the market — letYourMoneyGrow.com - Serving Retail Investors ).

I will visit the blog and read the book to get more knowledge about trading. I also think that track record is really important.

Thank you for great advice.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

One issue that I do not see in discussions is how to design and create a stable architecture for a software system that is easy to maintain down the years.

I'm not talking about a one-person throwaway/short lifecycle proof of concept.

Coding is not design and design is not architecture although the three are blurred in many(most?) software projects.

The Advanced C++11/C++14 course does address these topics in addition to C++ syntax. It's the only course I know that does so. Long story short: we combine the best design techniques from the last 35 years and map it to multiparadigm C++.

 

[pingu]

One issue that I do not see in discussions is how to design and create a stable architecture for a software system that is easy to maintain down the years.

I'm not talking about a one-person throwaway/short lifecycle proof of concept.

Coding is not design and design is not architecture although the three are blurred in many(most?) software projects.

The Advanced C++11/C++14 course does address these topics in addition to C++ syntax. It's the only course I know that does so. Long story short: we combine the best design techniques from the last 35 years and map it to multiparadigm C++.

That issue is not for Financial Engineers/Quants to solve.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

That issue is not for Financial Engineers/Quants to solve.

What's the story then? How does the process work?

How then do you guarantee the quality of the finished product?

Requirements -> architecture -> design -> software products.

There must be a big communication issue here between the different stakeholders.

Won't things "get lost in translation" with so many links in the chain?

So, a trader does not have to program but how much of the other stuff does a trader need to know?

 

[FranklinHurst]

@Daniel Duffy

Hi Dr. Duffy:
Could you comment generally about the applicability of the advanced course to financial engineering and quantitative development?