Enriching working environment, if you're up to the challenge - Trader Genk Capital Employee Review

They trained me well and instilled the right values and expectations. I think it is better to have a more hands-off approach to the training as every trader would need to be able to function independently with minimal guidance. The market is ever-changing and you will always be learning new things. I am glad they chose not to spoon-feed and force us to develop a skill to learn about the market. Also, if you really wanted to learn, there are plenty of opportunities to do so: When traders make calls, when they discuss trade ideas and when they talk about their day during lunch. All of these are valuable experience that will benefit you. Ultimately, I personally think that what you can learn depends on how willing you are to learn.

Keeps a very low profile so nobody knows what you do. Good luck explaining to your parents/relative your job during gatherings.

1) Learning how to learn Genk's training is not focused on the transference of content knowledge such as financial theories or trading strategies etc. Instead, it focuses on creating an environment that encourages a person to think independently and discover things for themselves. The process is done initially with much guidance from more senior traders, who will often spend much time to go through and review the logical process of new trainees. For example, when faced with a problem / unknown, we are often encouraged to google for answers first instead of asking someone for help. If an answer does exist online, then we think critically to see if it is applicable to us and how we can tweak it to solve our problem. Else, when google does not provide answers, we would try to gather as much information as possible, organize it, and think of possible solutions. Though such a process might sound laborious at first, it encouraged me to stopped being intellectually lazy and think more deeply about things. Interestingly, I eventually discovered that many real world problems do not have well defined textbook solutions and the ability to learn and think critically is an essential skill that benefits me outside work too. 2) Working with high calibre people People at Genk tend to value truth and humility. Traders or experienced developers are not afraid to say "I don't know", even if that question might seem very simple. The "side effect" of this is that when someone tells me that they know something, or that they have done research on something, I can often expect that due diligence has been done to produce high quality / insightful work. The hierarchy at Genk is rather flat. Ideas can be shared freely between traders of different experience levels. People are willing to admit when they are proven wrong, or accept critical (but sometimes harsh) feedbacks when it is well justified. As a result, discussions are often efficient and insightful as it does not get bogged down by intellectual egos. 3) Tackling interesting problems Relative to other industries, growth and change seem to occur at a higher rate in tech and trading. Hence, Genk is constantly growing, improving and exploring new frontiers. Consequently, I find it hard to imagine that I will be stuck in a monotonous role, perpetually doing repetitive task for the rest of my career. Often, I am task encourage to tackle new problems, or think of more innovative methods to solve current ones.

1) Mentally tiring Although the hours spent at work are not long, the work done is always engaging and intellectually demanding. Hence, even with 8 hours of sleep each day, it is still possible for me to feel exhausted and tired after a day of work. Needless to say, it is near impossible to perform well after partying past midnight on a weekday. 2) Physically Inactive It is highly likely that you will gain some weight after working at Genk. Most of the time is spent in sitting in front of the computer. Any exercise done will be mental. I seldom find myself moving around much during the day. Hence, I have to watch my diet more closely (by giving up yummy and unhealthy food) and exercise more regularly to compensate for the inactivity. 3) Becoming that annoyingly secretive friend Friends will ask you questions about trading and you will nod and smile and give an unhelpful answer. You become secretive not for the sake of it, but because you want to protect the hard work and efforts of your teammates. While your friends might be sharing the success of their latest deal during a gathering, you will probably have to keep all your wonderful accomplishments to yourself.