Hi AllI have 2 years and an half of working on a prop trading firm. I was hired as software developer for developing a trading platform in C++. After that project and at the end I didn't mature the business knowledge of the trading job.I did study basic of trading, but without developing any trading strategy at all ( since I did development only tools ).I am looking for a new job. I have a MSC in electronic engineering + company gave me a financial engineering corporate class e.g. I know basics of pricing options or doing CAPM.Big banks are interested in my technical skills i.e. pure C++ but I would like to get some real business knowledge.I found some recruiters that are willing to offer me some jobs in an ASSET MANAGEMENT private bank doing:1. C++ implementation / maintaining models developed by quants2. maintenance of trade reporting systemEssentially I would work between IT and QUANT group with the change to slowly move into understanding of the business behind it.My doubts are the following:1. I don't have any particular knowledge about ASSET MANAGEMENT firms: do they trade anything like cash, stock options or what? Is there any relation to trading?2. what does/might it mean the word QUANTITATIVE in such kind of firms? Is there any modeling or research like there is in options ( I name only volatility as simple example )3. Most Important: is it worth to leave trading for an asset management private bank?I thank you allRegards

QuoteOriginally posted by: manustonee.g. I know basics of pricing options or doing CAPM.Regardscertainly that is very valuable.

Do you want to be a prop trader? If so, leaving a prop trading firm to go to an asset management firm doesn't seem like a smart move to me. Also, this may be my own bias, but to me it seems easier to transfer from IT in to the "business" at a prop trading firm than at an asset manager.

On a usual basis, I would advice against it. Simply because proprietary trading nowadays rely more on technology "more" than asset management company. What I am saying is, better technology can actually make a large impact to some trading firms in their profit generation whereas the technology edge is not as obvious in asset management company. And in general, from my recruiting experience, developers working in the proprietary trading space are usually more skilled than those who work in asset management.

Yeah, stay put dude. Tech guys are treated best at prop shops, esp HF. If you can move to an HFT propshop then do it, if you are already at one stay...

QuoteOriginally posted by: manustoneHi AllMy doubts are the following:1. I don't have any particular knowledge about ASSET MANAGEMENT firms: do they trade anything like cash, stock options or what? Is there any relation to trading?2. what does/might it mean the word QUANTITATIVE in such kind of firms? Is there any modeling or research like there is in options ( I name only volatility as simple example )3. Most Important: is it worth to leave trading for an asset management private bank?I thank you allRegardsAsset management mentioned below is strictly traditional asset management excluding hedge funds1) Asset management companies trade cash, but not on a frequent basis. their holding period is long, some of their assets are long enough for them to do securities lending. They trade options only for hedging purpose, options trading will not be used for profit generation. In relations to prop trading, the main difference is that prop traders at trading firms or banks get in and out of positions in a relatively short time. Even people who hold their positions for the longest in prop trading, for example those who trade principal strategies at the banks will hold their positions probably no longer than 3 months, with some rare exception of course. Also, asset management DO NOT do short-selling unless you are talking about hedge funds, whereas prop traders do.2) There will not be options modeling at asset management firms. As mentioned they do not focus on options trading. Again unless you include hedge fund like a volatility arbitrage fund. Usual quantitative work in asset management can mean quantitative risk modeling or quantitative model development for portfolio optimization/management. There are certainly quantitative driven funds, some even involved automated portfolio management, which requires both modeling and programming skills. 3) Depending on the situation. All I can say is developers in trading are in better demand than developers in asset management at this moment.

Hi all!I thank you very much everybody for all your precious advices!RegardsManu