Being a quant and having a family

[masarikm]

Hi folks. I've perused the previous posts concerning this topic and didn't really see a suitable answer, so please excuse me if this is all too familiar. Anyhow, I'm going to have a M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics in May and I'm thinking that being a quant is a great fit for my skill-set and personality; therefore, I think that Carnegie Mellon's mathematical finance Ph.D. program is the best option for me. However, before I make this decision, I have some questions about the work-schedule of a quant. I understand that 10+ hours/day is the norm, and I'm fine with that (I'd work those hours anywhere), but if it's much more than that, I was wondering if firms are flexible in working, say, ten hours at the office and then going home and getting your last two or three hours done at home (after the wife and kids go to bed). I guess I'm just not very comfortable consistently spending twelve hours at the office when there's a family to see. If anyone has any experience with this, or any other helpful advice, I'd be grateful for your sharing. Thanks a lot.

 

[alain]

My experience, sometimes you have to do it. It all depends, not only on the firm but on your boss. I have a kid now and my boss understands. He says that as long as the job gets done, it doesn't matter. However, things need to get done.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Having a understanding boss is very, very important. If your boss has young child as you do, then he will be flexible. You can work at home sometimes, leave early, etc but as Alain said, that comes as long as the job performance is not negatively affected.
Firm culture is overstated. The micro culture within your small group is the most important one. Within the same dept, different groups have their own working hours, dress code, and culture.