Day in the Life of a Graduate Trader at IMC

Meet Katie: 

My name is Katie and I’m a Trader at IMC Sydney. I studied a Bachelor of Science majoring in Mathematics and Chemistry at the University of Sydney. I graduated in 2015 and then started working as an Analyst at the Reserve Bank of Australia. After almost three years at the RBA I started looking for something more fast-paced. One of my friends from University worked in trading and recommended it to me as he thought I’d enjoy it. He explained what trading was and told me about some of his most exciting days which really caught my attention. I applied to a few trading companies in Sydney, but I had heard that IMC had a global focus and there was a lot of collaboration between offices. Living and working overseas is something that interests me so that definitely drew me to IMC.

What does a typical day at IMC look like for you?

I am the main operational trader in my team so most of my morning is spent ensuring our systems are healthy for open. Trading is usually busiest right after open so I keep a close eye on the trades we are doing and making sure everything is running smoothly. Then after about an hour or two, things quieten down. I look into specific trades we did in the morning in more detail, or sometimes I work on a longer-term project. Of course, if the market remains busy, that’s where my attention remains! 

What kind of graduates do you think make great traders?

At IMC, you need to be interested in problem solving, enjoy learning and be good at communicating. Problem-solving often goes hand-in-hand with STEM degrees which is why many of the traders have a STEM background.

What do you love about IMC?

“Every day you learn something new, and every day you have the opportunity to make changes that impact trading.”

It’s very rewarding seeing how much you learn in such a short period of time and exciting knowing there is so much more to learn.  

Find out about our graduate career opportunities in Sydney and around the world.