graduate considering QF
-
nnja
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 12:00 am
graduate considering QF
Oh...the "Google as plan B" was intended to be entirely tongue in cheek. As you point out, it takes a certain type to check for even greener pastures.
I don't always test code, but when I do, I prefer it to be in production.
-
PeregrineFalcon
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 12:00 am
graduate considering QF
CS:
Having the basic math background is critical, being a good/strong programmer is also welcomed. They are both starting points. And, a decent route (in my opinion) to follow if you are that interested in QF, is to join a quant research engine at a sell-side firm, maybe for 2 years or so. This will give you a taste of the 'biz', whilst allowing you to utilise your programming skills, and, if you are interested in making a career out of QF, you can then decide on an MFE or perhaps even a PhD, or joining a HF as a junior quant researcher.
I do not agree that being a 'top programmer' is not important in QF, it may not be important in certain subsets of QF, but others such as systematic automated trading, it is a must.
Regarding culture. You must expect a varied lifestyle in QF, it is not a Googlesque environment, but the intellectual rewards can also be quite grand, with the right boss/team. However, its not to be entered into if you are adversed to working long hours/weekends every once in a while. If you go the route of joining a research group, you will be in learning mode and your schedule will be a bit hectic, to start. Especially if you are more junior.
From your statements on this board, it sounds like you have pretty much made up your mind in Google vs QF. QF seems to be the winner, at least for now.
Good luck, hope this helps....
Having the basic math background is critical, being a good/strong programmer is also welcomed. They are both starting points. And, a decent route (in my opinion) to follow if you are that interested in QF, is to join a quant research engine at a sell-side firm, maybe for 2 years or so. This will give you a taste of the 'biz', whilst allowing you to utilise your programming skills, and, if you are interested in making a career out of QF, you can then decide on an MFE or perhaps even a PhD, or joining a HF as a junior quant researcher.
I do not agree that being a 'top programmer' is not important in QF, it may not be important in certain subsets of QF, but others such as systematic automated trading, it is a must.
Regarding culture. You must expect a varied lifestyle in QF, it is not a Googlesque environment, but the intellectual rewards can also be quite grand, with the right boss/team. However, its not to be entered into if you are adversed to working long hours/weekends every once in a while. If you go the route of joining a research group, you will be in learning mode and your schedule will be a bit hectic, to start. Especially if you are more junior.
From your statements on this board, it sounds like you have pretty much made up your mind in Google vs QF. QF seems to be the winner, at least for now.
Good luck, hope this helps....
-
cs
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 12:00 am
graduate considering QF
"From your statements on this board, it sounds like you have pretty much made up your mind in Google vs QF. QF seems to be the winner, at least for now."
Was this a typo?
I just said that I intend to stay at Google for 2-5 years (and maybe more), so Google is definitely the winner, especially for now!
Was this a typo?
I just said that I intend to stay at Google for 2-5 years (and maybe more), so Google is definitely the winner, especially for now!
-
PeregrineFalcon
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 12:00 am
graduate considering QF
Yes sorry meant google, not QF.
-
mifune
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 12:00 am
graduate considering QF
Well, my impression is that if you have really sharp math skills already, an MFE isn't going to add much to that other than a few applied math courses that give a cursory introduction to SDEs and a few other techniques, like Monte Carlo methods. While that is useful, you can pick it up on the job if you make a conscious effort, and it certainly doesn't mark a sea change in your mathematical sophistication. Likewise, you'll learn most of the financial stuff on the job, eventually.
People with MFEs aren't really competing for entry level jobs with PhDs -- or even with people who leave a few years into a PhD, they're competing with strong undergraduates. But, as far as I know (and honestly, that's not very far), after something like 2-5 years in finance, your educational background very much becomes a peripheral factor.
People with MFEs aren't really competing for entry level jobs with PhDs -- or even with people who leave a few years into a PhD, they're competing with strong undergraduates. But, as far as I know (and honestly, that's not very far), after something like 2-5 years in finance, your educational background very much becomes a peripheral factor.