I am working at a options trading firm as a quant for about 1 year. And I have a PhD in mathematics. Now I feel like I want to be a trader because the pay will be better, and one may be able to have his own business eventually. And I think automatic options trading is difficult, (true statement?), I am thinking to apply for a volatitlity trader job next year or so. Now the question is: Does it make sense for someone with PhD degree to be a discretionary volatility trader? I am asking this question because most of volatility traders I know just have a bachelor degree. Sounds like I wasted tons of time in school and now I am going back to the same starting line as anybody with bachelor degree. Another question is that building automatic options trading system is much more difficult than volatility trading, right? Any advice is appreciated.

You dont need a PhD to become a trader. If you only did a PhD to do this, then yes you wasted your time, and it is your own fault as you obviously did not research the job market correctly.The reason to do a PhD is because you love the subject. If this was true, you didnt waste your time, but of course you should expect to be behind people your own age who didnt do a PhD.

QuoteOriginally posted by: plusYou dont need a PhD to become a trader. If you only did a PhD to do this, then yes you wasted your time, and it is your own fault as you obviously did not research the job market correctly.The reason to do a PhD is because you love the subject. If this was true, you didnt waste your time, but of course you should expect to be behind people your own age who didnt do a PhD.I would say go with automated options trading. It is more in line with your background and they pay can be very good. Yes it is very difficult but that is why companies pay people with math phd's to develop these systems.

It doesn't matter if you did a PhD or not. If that's what you like, then go for it!This guy has a PhD in applied math, decided that preferred a business career, and didn't do too bad. Money-wise, that is.

QuoteOriginally posted by: QuantVaderIt doesn't matter if you did a PhD or not. If that's what you like, then go for it!This guy has a PhD in applied math, decided that preferred a business career, and didn't do too bad. Money-wise, that is.lol interesting example. I am perplexed with why you choose this thug as an example of a former scientist turned businessman.

The best bit is that he survived an assassination attempt with a "binary" weapon. The geek in me can't help but imagine 0's and 1's all over the place.