Joining a well-established quant shop versus a new one if I wanted to start my own company in 7-10 years??
Apr 3
14 Comments
The question says it all. I have two choices between 1) joining a well-established (top tier if you wish - think of it as one of the few firms at Citadel/Two Sigma level.) shop versus 2) joining a relatively new one (tier2 if you will), both in NY. If I wanted to start my company down the road in 10 years, which one would suit me better? I'd imagine that a new company would have a lot of headaches that would better educate me when I wanted to start my own firm down the road but at the same time a top firm offers a lot of learning opportunities.
tc_1 $363k
tc_2 $310k
current tc, $180k
yoe < 1
#citadel #quant #twosigma
comments
In terms of downsides, I really think the biggest one is risk (not just TC or job security but of wasting years at a place that turns into a dead end). Citadel has a lot of opportunity for the right person since we do so much. A small shop could go either way -- you might end up working side by side with a trader and learning the ropes or you might end up stuck in a closet creating spreadsheets. The latter outcome would probably leave you worse off than a job at Citadel so you need to be quick to recognize what is happening and be ready to bail if you don't see the job as advancing you towards your goals. I view the risk/reward spectrum as like tech < citadel < small prop shop. It sounds like you realize the risks involved and are making a conscious decision so best of luck!
I wouldn't worry too much about the tech -- just be aware of what the limitations are and let that drive your strategy. And working at a place that's still building out their platform is an invaluable experience that is very hard to come by. At the very least, it should set you up to sail through the interviews for your next finance job.
Obviously, non-competes offer a chance to build your own thing until they end. But I’d imagine tier 1 can look better assuming tier 2 doesn’t become tier 1.
I'm trying to figure out which path would better prepare me for my ultimate goal.