Meet a Trading Intern

Alma Mater: Columbia University

Major: Operations Research

Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica

What led you to consider an internship in trading?

I didn’t know much about trading prior to my internship. However, as part of the Columbia Poker Club, I started to gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of decision making and optimization that went into it. Trading seemed to align well with the statistical and probabilistic focus of my Operations Research major, so when I saw the Quantitative Trader Internship on SIG’s website, I applied. My interview was pretty fun; I enjoyed the experience of illustrating the type of thinking and analytical mindset that traders use every day. I was excited to accept my offer to join the program.

What has been your favorite aspect of your internship experience?

I’d say it’s the informal training on the desk. I didn’t expect the traders to be so open to talking about things that might seem trivial to them, but are new to me. They’ll sometimes even approach me with specific situations or trades to see what I think or to illustrate certain events, which is just a great way to learn. Sitting right on the desk with them, I’m able to see what and how much they trade and why they make the decisions they do. This proximity to the traders, albeit unexpected, has been an aspect of my internship that I’ve really appreciated.