trader's job security and long-term career path?

Career Opportunities & Internships Investment Banking
1

<p>hey guys, what is the expected career path for a trader 10, 20 or even 30 years down the road? do they really just do trading their whole lives? i heard that burnout's a big issue, because of the stress. </p>

<p>also, i've heard that trading is risky and you might be fired if you make big losses - but how often does that happen? i.e. if you WANT to be a trader your entire life but you're not very good at it and just about average, would you be able to remain employed for 10-20 years as a trader?</p>

2

<p>In a word, no. Front office finance is extremely competitive, if you are not making money for the company, you are out the door. They won’t have trouble filling any positions.</p>

3

<p>Hm. What are your options if you’re pushed out? People say traders could move on to HFs and etc but I imagine that’s closed to you if you’re average. I’ve tried googling but can’t find stories about what traders have done after getting fired.</p>

4

<p>You’d be hard pressed finding many traders older than mid-30s. Generally they move on to more management roles, something lower key or retire.</p>