Whats it really like to work in an investment bank in sales trading

The answer to this question is its hard. Very hard. The hours are long, and stressful and it may not be for everything. Almost every business student has the dream to work for some of the worlds best investment banks, but few last and make it to MD. This is because it is simply grueling.

Forget about your social life.

Just to be clear I have been working US sales trading on the trading floor and that was hard enough. Get up at 5.30am for the trading day to start and leave after 5.30pm at the earliest. The thing i loved about that job was the relationships I have built over the years.

The stress of any trading job is difficult. You have to be attentive all the time because you are dealing with numbers and so your brain has to be constantly alert that you do not make any mistakes. Calling clients non stop and pitching stock ideas is also part of the job as well as executing trades that the clients want. Finding stocks that you think can do well are a risk and you have to go with what you analysts think, but essentially sales trading is a relationship business.

I brought in some of the biggest commission payers

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This is true for me but does not mean you are directly paid for doing this. There are as with any job a lot of office politics to actually get paid for the commission dollars that you are bringing to the table.

If your up for long hours, not much of a social life but motivated enough to be keep on constantly learning about new companies these jobs will fit you well.!