Post-graduation Career Choice

[BillsOnTheGround]

Hi All,

I am a current MFE student in the US. Before coming here, my career goal was to become a QR at the buy-side or a desk quant at the sell-side, a cliché choice. After studying MFE for a certain amount of time, I heard quite a number of stories regarding people switching from the financial industry (QR or desk quant) to tech. Typical reasons were such as higher pay, better work-life balance, open-source and collaborative work environment, etc. Coincidently, the door of data science has opened to me, which I didn't expect before I came here. Therefore, at this moment, I am somehow sure that the sell-side might not be a good fit for me, but I hesitate between buy-side QR and DS (DS in both tech and finance).

Quantnet is an awesome community, and I'd love to learn from professionals here. If putting you in my shoes years back, what would your decision-making process be like?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Michsund]

Which program did you attend?

 

[IntoDarkness]

Ez whichever offers me job

 

[Onegin]

Ez whichever offers me job

Agree! I think you might be getting ahead of yourself. Hiring is a hot mess right now - it's unlikely a student has QR buyside / strats roles busting down their door. There are a few top students in every program who are besieged by companies dying to hire them. if this is your problem, congrats. Otherwise, start with what you think will be most intersting and work down the list.