Paluka

[ClaytonN]

Your line of work sounds interesting to me.

As a background, I'm attending college in the fall at UGA. I'm major undecided, but leaning towards something in business.

That something could be anything from trading to stocks to investing to real estate, etc etc

Do you have any advice regarding your career?

[Paluka]

Without knowing anything about the programs at your school, I think that the best bet is always to major in some sort of science/math/engineering. People with degrees in those fields are so highly respected that they can get jobs in any field.

[ClaytonN]

Major degrees at our school range from business to science to agriculture to journalism. Mainly business and journalism.

How would having a degree in engineering or science make you a more sought-after candidate as a trader?

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]


How would having a degree in engineering or science make you a more sought-after candidate as a trader?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because being a good trader is about being good at math, not knowing something about business.

[turnipmonster]

what kind of math? what are the hours like at your job? pm me if you want, I am curious as I have been considering changing fields. I get the feeling trading is not for me, but am curious.

[kem]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


How would having a degree in engineering or science make you a more sought-after candidate as a trader?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because being a good trader is about being good at math, not knowing something about business.

[/ QUOTE ]

I 2nd that.. engineering majors aren't hurting on wall st.. pretty much no one in our front office studied business undergrad. even the guys who have phd's in finance, all have undergrads in physics/math/engineering.

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]
what kind of math? what are the hours like at your job? pm me if you want, I am curious as I have been considering changing fields. I get the feeling trading is not for me, but am curious.

[/ QUOTE ]

I work when the market is open. It isn't so much about knowing specific topics in math, but rather having a strong understanding of quantitative reasoning in general. An education in hard science or math hones these skills. As for math specifics, probability and statistics is pretty important. Most of the same skills involved in being a good poker player or winning sports bettor are important.

[turnipmonster]

hmm, in school I genuinely enjoyed classes like linear algebra and discrete math, and was pretty indifferent about calc and stuff. I need to figure out what I want to do, I think.

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]
hmm, in school I genuinely enjoyed classes like linear algebra and discrete math, and was pretty indifferent about calc and stuff. I need to figure out what I want to do, I think.

[/ QUOTE ]

What is your current field?

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
Major degrees at our school range from business to science to agriculture to journalism.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you forgot about Turf Management.

[edtost]

[ QUOTE ]
I 2nd that.. engineering majors aren't hurting on wall st.. pretty much no one in our front office studied business undergrad. even the guys who have phd's in finance, all have undergrads in physics/math/engineering.

[/ QUOTE ]

interesting. a lot of the kids i know in (undergrad) engineering are switching to our finance program, though i guess it's still fairly mathematical.

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]

interesting. a lot of the kids i know in (undergrad) engineering are switching to our finance program, though i guess it's still fairly mathematical.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some schools (Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Princeton) have finance programs that are more heavy into mathematical finance. These majors are excellent for a career in trading- much better than a business or econ degree. But, if you are going to a good school you are in a better spot already.

[Dead]

I'm taking a class in managerial finance right now(heavy on the math), and I absolutely hate it. I'm a general business major, and I am definitely leaning towards human resources or operations management.

[turnipmonster]

currently I work as a programmer. I enjoy the data modeling/object design part of what I do, but not much else. in college I worked in R&amp;D and I enjoyed that quite a bit.

I am thinking of changing careers completely, not really sure.

--turnipmonster

[Jeff W]

Have you considered Online Poker Pro?

/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm taking a class in managerial finance right now(heavy on the math), and I absolutely hate it. I'm a general business major, and I am definitely leaning towards human resources or operations management.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, you probably shouldn't be a trader then. or a poker pro.

[kem]

[ QUOTE ]
interesting. a lot of the kids i know in (undergrad) engineering are switching to our finance program, though i guess it's still fairly mathematical.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah at my school business was the major all the engineering majors who dropped out would switch to. i know more EE/CS traders than i do business undergrad traders though. i think it's all basically a signaling game..

[kem]

[ QUOTE ]
currently I work as a programmer. I enjoy the data modeling/object design part of what I do, but not much else. in college I worked in R&amp;D and I enjoyed that quite a bit.

I am thinking of changing careers completely, not really sure.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah i started in programming too, then i changed careers. wish i knew then what i know now -- never would have gotten that first programming job out of college

[mason55]

Most people are shocked to learn that of all the fortune 500 and fortune 100 ceos, the most common degree is engineering.

[Dead]

Liberal Arts degrees are common as well.

[turnipmonster]

what do you do now? trading?

[kem]

[ QUOTE ]
what do you do now? trading?

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah im a jr fixed income trader at a hedge fund