I have a friend who works in trading. He's very sharp and very smart and has friends who work for D.E. Shaw. I used to ask why he didn't go work for D.E. Shaw and he said that he would never survive the interview gauntlet there. And most importantly, he would not be smart enough. Now, I know how good at math my friend is (he used to win Games t-shirts - from the magazine and studies math at graduate level). And now when I talk to him about HFT, he's like even if I could bluff my way into an HFT job they'd fire me after three months once they found out.
My math abilities will never ever approach my friend's. If he is not confident about his ability, it speaks volumes to me about the ability and sheer analytical horsepower of some of those working in HFT.
Yes, they may be financial wizards who cause far reaching effects but they are doing what challenges them.
I know a few people in HFT. They are the kind of people who can do just about anything pretty well. The kind of people who switch to Dvorak key bindings on a whim, just to make the day a bit more challenging.
Even so, had he joined DEShaw he would still have the syndrome which could easily affect his work there (as a self-fulfilled prophecy). Happens all the time.
Indeed. Underestimating your abilities is no fun, but if your estimation of your math skills is all that's keeping you from life as a quant let me be the first to tell you you suck at math.
My math abilities will never ever approach my friend's. If he is not confident about his ability, it speaks volumes to me about the ability and sheer analytical horsepower of some of those working in HFT.
Yes, they may be financial wizards who cause far reaching effects but they are doing what challenges them.