The Student Room Group

How much client interaction is there in trading?

For trading at a bank (not proprietary trading) how much client interaction is there compared to IBD, sales or research? Is there a lot of building relationships and networking involved? Does it depend on the product being traded? For example, would equities trading involve more talking to clients than derivatives trading?

Also, could an introvert survive in trading? I like working in a team and becoming friends with my colleagues but I'm not sure if do well in developing great relationships with clients and representing the bank at events... I'm willing to learn, though.

Scroll to see replies

Original post by Ladbants
For trading at a bank (not proprietary trading) how much client interaction is there compared to IBD, sales or research? Is there a lot of building relationships and networking involved? Does it depend on the product being traded? For example, would equities trading involve more talking to clients than derivatives trading?

Also, could an introvert survive in trading? I like working in a team and becoming friends with my colleagues but I'm not sure if do well in developing great relationships with clients and representing the bank at events... I'm willing to learn, though.


A lot of 'client interaction' is done via IM and phone. You don't have to build/maintain relationships for future business in the same way a sales/senior IBD/research guy (or girl) has to. Most of your interaction will be with traders at other banks, traders/portfolio managers at large mutual (or hedge) funds and brokers for deals that require a bit more sophistication than a simple exchange.

An introvert will be fine. Performance at the end of the day in trading is based on PnL not how many deals you bring in to the bank.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 2
Original post by Princepieman
A lot of 'client interaction' is done via IM and phone. You don't have to build/maintain relationships for future business in the same way a sales/senior IBD/research guy (or girl) has to. Most of your interaction will be with traders at other banks, traders/portfolio managers at large mutual (or hedge) funds and brokers for deals that require a bit more sophistication than a simple exchange.

An introvert will be fine. Performance at the end of the day in trading is based on PnL not how many deals you bring in to the bank.

Posted from TSR Mobile
thanks.
Reply 3
Original post by Ladbants
For trading at a bank (not proprietary trading) how much client interaction is there compared to IBD, sales or research? Is there a lot of building relationships and networking involved? Does it depend on the product being traded? For example, would equities trading involve more talking to clients than derivatives trading?

Also, could an introvert survive in trading? I like working in a team and becoming friends with my colleagues but I'm not sure if do well in developing great relationships with clients and representing the bank at events... I'm willing to learn, though.


There's a mergers and inquisitions article where they say that traders are more likely to be introverted than sales, research and IBD guys. However, you will still need to be sociable and network with traders at other banks to be well known in the industry, which will be useful for moving banks later on in your career to secure better salaries. But there isn't much relarionship building with clients.
Is the client interaction for IBD pretty small as an analyst?
Original post by Terry Tibbs
Is the client interaction for IBD pretty small as an analyst?


Yes. But it depends on how many people are on your team (i.e. you're more likely to be in the meeting room at an elite boutique than a BB) and whether the MD/VP wants you to or not. Generally Analysts aren't the ones speaking to clients.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 6
Original post by Princepieman
A lot of 'client interaction' is done via IM and phone. You don't have to build/maintain relationships for future business in the same way a sales/senior IBD/research guy (or girl) has to. Most of your interaction will be with traders at other banks, traders/portfolio managers at large mutual (or hedge) funds and brokers for deals that require a bit more sophistication than a simple exchange.

An introvert will be fine. Performance at the end of the day in trading is based on PnL not how many deals you bring in to the bank.

Posted from TSR Mobile


I think you might be forgetting about the trading culture- traders at banks tend to go outdoor drinks/food multiple times a week- an introvert probably won't be suited to this.
Original post by Trapz99
I think you might be forgetting about the trading culture- traders at banks tend to go outdoor drinks/food multiple times a week- an introvert probably won't be suited to this.


The culture you speak of varies desk by desk. More vanilla desks might have the type you describe but derivs/exotics desks will be decidedly more 'nerdy' in terms of culture.

Regardless, no-one will give a damn whether you go out for drinks or not if you post a solid PnL number consistently.

Sales is much more likely to involve what you're talking about. But even then, there are introverted salespeople who are just great at providing value add with their knowledge of the products and market to their clients.

Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by Princepieman
The culture you speak of varies desk by desk. More vanilla desks might have the type you describe but derivs/exotics desks will be decidedly more 'nerdy' in terms of culture.

Regardless, no-one will give a damn whether you go out for drinks or not if you post a solid PnL number consistently.

Sales is much more likely to involve what you're talking about. But even then, there are introverted salespeople who are just great at providing value add with their knowledge of the products and market to their clients.

Posted from TSR Mobile


This might be an unrelated question, but do you think it would be an advantage to learn to code if you're looking to go into trading? What if I don't have a compsci-related degree- will banks still care about programming skills that I've self-taught?
Original post by Ladbants
This might be an unrelated question, but do you think it would be an advantage to learn to code if you're looking to go into trading? What if I don't have a compsci-related degree- will banks still care about programming skills that I've self-taught?


Absolutely learn to code. Not only for S&T but just in general, it teaches you how to think logically through problems.

As for which languages are normally used, it's only really the exotics or algo desks that'll require heavy duty scripting. I'd start off with something like Python or Ruby then C++/R/VBA.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 10
Original post by Princepieman
Absolutely learn to code. Not only for S&T but just in general, it teaches you how to think logically through problems.

As for which languages are normally used, it's only really the exotics or algo desks that'll require heavy duty scripting. I'd start off with something like Python or Ruby then C++/R/VBA.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Thanks PRSOM
Original post by Ladbants
This might be an unrelated question, but do you think it would be an advantage to learn to code if you're looking to go into trading? What if I don't have a compsci-related degree- will banks still care about programming skills that I've self-taught?


yes, i'd recommend vba.. as an intern i was asked to produce a spreadsheet ran by macros on a trading desk, and i know a few other interns who got tasked with similar projects.

fortunately i had working knowledge of the language, so i'd definitely recommend learning to programming (even basic programming) if trading is an area that interests you
Original post by Princepieman
The culture you speak of varies desk by desk. More vanilla desks might have the type you describe but derivs/exotics desks will be decidedly more 'nerdy' in terms of culture.

Regardless, no-one will give a damn whether you go out for drinks or not if you post a solid PnL number consistently.

Sales is much more likely to involve what you're talking about. But even then, there are introverted salespeople who are just great at providing value add with their knowledge of the products and market to their clients.

Posted from TSR Mobile


that's an oxymoron I swear
Sales is such a talkative job
Original post by Elchapojr
that's an oxymoron I swear
Sales is such a talkative job


a lot of convo is on Bloomberg chat tbh
Has anyone done the Bank of America spring week and chose Global Markets and Research (it contains trading)? Any tips on whether it is useful, how to make the most of it? I've heard that you can be considered for a paid summer internship, is this true and how can I achieve this
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by Princepieman
Absolutely learn to code. Not only for S&T but just in general, it teaches you how to think logically through problems.

As for which languages are normally used, it's only really the exotics or algo desks that'll require heavy duty scripting. I'd start off with something like Python or Ruby then C++/R/VBA.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Sorry, old post I know, but if anything the guys on options/exotics desks do less programming because they're more reliant on quants than other desks - but even then at the banks you won't find many traders programming in anything beyond VBA (and if they are, they're usually in roles and on desks that classify them more as devs than traditional traders).
Reply 16
Where would be the best place to get specific information on what traders analysts do these days? I know it can vary considerably between groups, banks etc but I would really like to be a bit more prepared.

I have done a bit of programming before and so VBA stuff shouldn't be an issue (unless I have massively underestimated the complexity of what would be required).
Original post by kake55
Where would be the best place to get specific information on what traders analysts do these days? I know it can vary considerably between groups, banks etc but I would really like to be a bit more prepared.

I have done a bit of programming before and so VBA stuff shouldn't be an issue (unless I have massively underestimated the complexity of what would be required).

Do you want to do trading
http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/day-in-life-options-trader/
Reply 18



Thank you for that link. I have been googling and reading so many articles but surprised I did not come onto that one given how detailed it is.
Original post by kake55
Where would be the best place to get specific information on what traders analysts do these days? I know it can vary considerably between groups, banks etc but I would really like to be a bit more prepared.

I have done a bit of programming before and so VBA stuff shouldn't be an issue (unless I have massively underestimated the complexity of what would be required).


WallStreetOasis.

Quick Reply

Latest