I was hired as a quant trader by a top-tier quantitative trading firm (a market maker). I have a PhD in Theoretical Physics, limited programming experience, and zero experience in analyzing real-world data. At the moment, I'm mostly excited about it and looking forward to start. However, I was wondering what the exit opportunities from a position like this one are in case I'm not successful or realize after two years that I really hate trading. After two years of working as a quant trader, how realistic is it, given my background, to find an attractive job as a data scientist outside of the financial industry (say, at Google)? Also, what fraction of novice traders at quant trading firms are fired because they are not successful enough?

QuoteOriginally posted by: zumselI was hired as a quant trader by a top-tier quantitative trading firm (a market maker). I have a PhD in Theoretical Physics, limited programming experience, and zero experience in analyzing real-world data. At the moment, I'm mostly excited about it and looking forward to start. However, I was wondering what the exit opportunities from a position like this one are in case I'm not successful or realize after two years that I really hate trading. After two years of working as a quant trader, how realistic is it, given my background, to find an attractive job as a data scientist outside of the financial industry (say, at Google)? Also, what fraction of novice traders at quant trading firms are fired because they are not successful enough?I am afraid I don't really have too much to say on the data scientist role at somewhere like Google (I've never worked at somewhere like that) butjust wanted to say congratultions on getting the quant trader role. Some would give their right arm for that job so I wouldn't worry too much about exit options. PhD in Theo. physics + quant trader job looks a fairly interesting skill set to me.Just goes to show... in former years some would be asking whether to go for the red or the yellow Lambourghini after a couple of yearsrather that worry about an exit strategy.

High School Physics Teacher.

QuoteOriginally posted by: zumsel...what fraction of novice traders at quant trading firms are fired because they are not successful enough?100%