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Hi there, I have been working for a start-up for one year as a quant with a special attentions to commodity options. I am now considering a move since they are not able to pay me salary. My problem is, I have been looking for vacancies in the financial sector for two months, and only got one interview opportunity within an algo trading firm, which is a area with high rejection rate and I definitely failed. I nearly lost all my confidence, ye, I know, I am not a Ph.D, I am not from Ox and Cam, but not everyone is. Was it the main reason that I didn't get more chances?I am a little bit directionless, could anybody be kindly enough to guide me? I have a MSc degree in Electronic Engineering, and I can do maths, stats, prob, C++, Matlab, VBA. I am not considering financial functions within utility, oil&energy companies, will it be the right path?Thank you very much in advance.

Are you based in London?

Thank you katastrofa, I am now living in London.

Send me a PM with your CV.

Hi katastrofa, I have sent you a CV in plain txt, I am not sure if it is readable. If not, please let know. Thank you very much again.

so you worked 1 yr without pay?

That's right, and also is why I am leaving

QuoteOriginally posted by: blueraincapso you worked 1 yr without pay?maybe that's why K is interested

there are so many interesting area in banking / trading / finance, why you do not keep your eye wide open and only consider being a quant? in a tier one investment bank how many real quants are there? there are probably a lot of people claiming themselves to be quant but most of them are actually developers / BA. If you did not get phone calls from HH then it means something already

QuoteOriginally posted by: blueraincapso you worked 1 yr without pay? they offered to double his salary but he still left

how do you know?

QuoteOriginally posted by: DevonFangsQuoteOriginally posted by: blueraincapso you worked 1 yr without pay?maybe that's why K is interested He wants to double his salary :-)Seriously, 2 months of looking for a job is not long in this job market - juniors are never urgently needed, recruiters are very inefficient, companies are slow in making spending decisions (not to mention their budgets were probably frozen at the end of the year), ...Pimp your CV to demonstrate that you have practical skills (I would focus on OO C++ - maybe add links to some projects you implemented) and keep looking. You need to push it persistently and hard. Start to worry if it takes longer than half a year.It sucks for everyone - I have a PhD, but when I was looking for a junior position in finance literally all banks I applied (and I applied everywhere) responded that they had better candidates without even talking to me :'-( Only hedge-funds and start-ups were interested.

QuoteOriginally posted by: VolatilitySmilerI have a MSc degree in Electronic Engineering, and I can do maths, stats, prob, C++, Matlab, VBA. I am not considering financial functions within utility, oil&energy companies, will it be the right path?.I should have said 'I am now considering financial functions within utility, oil&energy companies' rather than 'not', I am sorry.

QuoteOriginally posted by: BankingAnalystthere are so many interesting area in banking / trading / finance, why you do not keep your eye wide open and only consider being a quant? in a tier one investment bank how many real quants are there? there are probably a lot of people claiming themselves to be quant but most of them are actually developers / BA. If you did not get phone calls from HH then it means something alreadyYou are right BankingAnalyst, I am not restricting myself witnin quant area, actually any role in the financial sector that matches my skillset can be considered. So my question is, again, who are looking for juniors? What companies, what kinds of positions? Can you please give me some ideas?

QuoteOriginally posted by: UltravioletQuoteOriginally posted by: DevonFangsQuoteOriginally posted by: blueraincapso you worked 1 yr without pay?Seriously, 2 months of looking for a job is not long in this job market - juniors are never urgently needed, recruiters are very inefficient, companies are slow in making spending decisions (not to mention their budgets were probably frozen at the end of the year), ...Pimp your CV to demonstrate that you have practical skills (I would focus on OO C++ - maybe add links to some projects you implemented) and keep looking. You need to push it persistently and hard. Start to worry if it takes longer than half a year.It sucks for everyone - I have a PhD, but when I was looking for a junior position in finance literally all banks I applied (and I applied everywhere) responded that they had better candidates without even talking to me :'-( Only hedge-funds and start-ups were interested.Thank you very much Ultraviolet. I will polish my CV and continue trying more. I am feeling a little bit relief now.