Programs Do you need a PhD to become a quant?

[Kalidor]

No cookbooks, no cookie cutters, just some simple straight forward advice that will ensure that I get a senior quant position at a top hedge fund. Starting salary I'm thinking 500k, what do you think?

You look extremely clueless.

 

[chiro]

You look extremely clueless.

What about if its in Zimbabwe dollars?

 

[Kalidor]

What about if its in Zimbabwe dollars?

It's not used anymore :D

 

[chiro]

It's not used anymore :D

Well what am I going to do with my trillion dollar note? I was going to buy a small island (or maybe just a loaf of bread).

 

[npc]

Actually, one thing people could do to help in getting into the field, consider doing the FRM (search for GARP) or PRM (search for PRMIA) qualifications, both are 'professional' risk qualifications, they are not very expensive to do and should only take about a year or so. They are not specifically quant, but will give some good background on risk & financial products.

Not going to go into the benefits/downsides of either, or if they would even make that big a difference in getting a job, but it does at least make a potential employer think you are interested/enthusiastic about the field and might just be enough to differentiate you from a similar candidate.