I’m currently applying for S&T internships and I’m worried about not choosing/getting chosen for the best desk. Sorry if it’s a stupid question but there’s not a lot of information about this that I could find online. I don’t care so much about the money, more the culture and whether I would learn a lot, even potentially transition into something different in the future. I don’t want to make the wrong decision here.
Hi there. Yes, choosing the right desk when you start is important but can also be tricky. Cash desks are probably the least desirable. In my opinion, maybe choose a derivatives desk since they make a decent amount of money and the product is complicated enough for it not to be completely automated. Program trading is also pretty topical and interesting at the moment. It’s also important to think about what you want specifically. For instance, is it to hedge risk and become a trader, or talk to clients as sales or do something in between like structuring where you pitch new ideas to clients, but also understand the risk and the technical sides of the product. I also think you can consider transitioning into IB. Hope this helps!