Jump now or take advantage of my current flexibility

[JosckaF]

Here's a first post on NP, but I've read the phorums for a while and don't recall seeing this question answered.  About a year and a half ago I joined a prop trading firm.  My background was non-programming quant grad school with very strong academics.  At this place, I'm more or less left alone to come up with ideas.  And that's the problem.  There's almost no interaction amongst the traders and certainly no sharing of know how.  I thought I was smart and the freedom to explore ideas was appealing, but it's clear that that I'm not good enough to be able to generate alpha by myself, at least at this point in my career.  I make just enough money to keep my job, but I don't feel as though I'm advancing or learning, especially compared with my friends who took jobs anywhere else.  Every step of every problem is a research problem for me and my programming has been developed on the fly.



What should I do?  I think that if I left now, I wouldn't really be qualified for any job except those available to someone right out of school.  Would I even be considered for such a job at this point?  The current job affords immense freedom and I can spend all my time learning things as well, but I'm not even sure what to learn.  I would be fine working on for six to twelve months here, making more or less no money, and then trying to get a non-entry level job.  I have this time, but I don't know how to spend it wisely or else I'd be doing that already.



As far the sort of jobs I'd like to have, ideally to come back to be a quant trader as I am now in a while, I'm just not ready to generate the pnl.



I appreciate any advice for someone who has just enough experience to realize he has none.

[Graeme]

My advise is to get somewhere else as soon as possible. The most important thing right now is to be exposed to people to learn from. If what you say is true then where you are now are very negligent employers - of course this may partly be your own fault, but that makes no difference. The mentoring framework isn't working there so go and try somewhere else.

[Johnny]

I agree with Graeme.

[MMopt]

I can name a few shops like this off the top of my head, and you’re in the exact situation a few folks I know are in also. While these firms are great for junior guys who have found an edge, in the long run many will be better off learning the ropes first. I’d have to agree, and say get out soon. (But don’t resign till you have another option!)