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when is too old for to be a quant?

Stelin

Joined
2/15/11
Messages
9
Points
13
Both WallstreetOasis and Quantnet are the main forums I'm reading in order to get an approach to the investment banking world.
It seems that for corporate finance and related fields the age seems to be very important, as well a high GPA from an IVY league, and the most important thing, networking. Using the search function in WSO you can find a lot of threads about people concerning about their age (24-25) if it was too late to break into IB.

I was wondering how important is the age in the quant area. I'm also wondering what is more important for recruiters, knowdlege? school prestigious? networking?...
 
I think it ultimately comes down to how much you want to deal with at an older age. Young people put up with investment banking because they usually have no wife and kids so that responsibility is gone. They have a long career a head of them and banking pays off big the longer you are in the business. Someone nearing 30 will typically have previous work experience so the hassle of banking isn't economically beneficial immediately. Also, the older you get the higher the probability of you having a family. Real tough to be working 7 days a week, until late at night or early morning, when you have a wife and kids home.

If you search WSO enough you will find many posts with people going into banking at an older field. It can be done. As for quants, I would imagine that it would be more acceptable for older people to be starting/working in the business. Quants generally(typically) have more education than the average investment banker so it would be understood that a quant might not be a fresh faced 22 year old.

Unless you visibly look really old you will be fine. Asking about age is against employment law and most places don't really care. Good luck!
 
Stelin said:
Both WallstreetOasis and Quantnet are the main forums I'm reading in order to get an approach to the investment banking world.
It seems that for corporate finance and related fields the age seems to be very important, as well a high GPA from an IVY league, and the most important thing, networking. Using the search function in WSO you can find a lot of threads about people concerning about their age (24-25) if it was too late to break into IB.

I was wondering how important is the age in the quant area. I'm also wondering what is more important for recruiters, knowdlege? school prestigious? networking?...
Click to expand...

LOL worring 24-25 is too late? I'll have to say that in my personal opinion the financial markets is a place where experience is worth its weight in more than gold.
 
As Ohad says, 24-25 is actually about the average age of starting in this line of work.
 
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