Becoming a trader or continuing as a quant?

[dream]

Hello everyone,

I have been working in the quant space for the past 10 months since I finished my master's degree in Mathematical Finance (currently a Quantitative Risk Analyst). I have been given two opportunities that will greatly change the direction of my future - I am wondering if anyone could provide some color on what would be the best decision for me.

I have been offered two roles, 1 as an analyst on a trading desk at my current company (owning and developing their trading model), or one as a front office quant at a separate company. My eventual career goal is to explore quantitative trading and I'm not sure which one of these offers will facilitate a natural progression into that dream role. I know both positions I have been offered have their positives and negatives but if anyone could maybe speak from experience on which offer would be the best for me to accept I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[KillingField]

In short: A quant trader is a trader, not a quant, so trading would be the more natural path to take.

For an only slightly longer answer, the big caveat is that, like everything, it depends on the details. What type of company would you be a trader at, dealing in what types of products? What would the desk quant role be like? Why were you rejected from the quant trading roles you applied to - what kind of feedback did you receive? What does "quant trading" mean to you, and why would you like to do that version of "quant trading"?