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Columbia MFE v/s Exotic Options Trading Role

Joined
7/8/15
Messages
2
Points
11
Hello,

I just got admitted into Columbia MFE and that has opened a bit of a tussle in my head. I'm currently an analyst with one of the largest players in the exotic options industry in India(doesn't have great brand recall outside India), and next financial I'm going to be moved up to trading. This is something I've worked towards for the past couple of years. It's my first job out of undergrad and something that I'm deeply interested in. Just to add context, I'm also done with FRM and should be completing CFA soon.

Should I prioritise getting the 'trader' label on my resume? In the Indian job market, breaking into the trader clique is difficult (esp from a mid rung undergrad uni), but once you get in, a lot of doors start opening for you. Given that I would have liked to land a trading role (exotic options ideally) in the US post MFE, would getting the label justify delaying education by a year? I'm a 100% sure that I want to pursue masters studies, so it's a question of whether delaying by a year opens more possibilities. Would be really kind if someone help me weigh the opportunity cost.

Also, given the political environment, is a wait and watch policy better?
 
I can't comment on the political environment stuff and how policy might change for foreign students/employees, but that aside I would definitely recommend moving into the trading role first before trying to get into the US via a MFE or (preferably) by moving to a desk at a more global bank.
 
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