Is becoming a trader a good profession to get into?

Question

What does the typical working day involve?
What are the hours like?
Pay?

What's the best way to get into it?

Obviously within the UK, so could Yank answerers please keep their irritating "Boston/douchebag/like h'yeh" answers for their own lame boards.

Thank you.

Answer 1

"trader"... basis of Capitalism, so 'yes' ..

Working conditions are as varied as the jobs - since anyone who buys & sells is a trader, I guess you will need to specialise at some stage - for example Food (Greengrocer etc), Retail (Clothing etc), Financial (Currencies, Commodities, Bonds etc).

Assuming you mean Financial - well although you may be called a 'Trader' most jobs are actually SALES .. i.e. convincing Investers to put their money into the latest 'flavour of the month' Stock / Bond / Fund being 'pushed' by your Employer ..

Pure Traders DO exists - however playing with the Banks own money is reserved for the 'big boys' - Nick Leason being a famous example.

If you work for any of the big Banks / Finance Houses in the City (a good place to start) you can expect to live outside London and commute = this will determin your working day ...

You will be working on comission - basic pay will be cr*p (say 20-30k) but the Comission / Bonus can be massive (yep, they really DO get £1m Bonuses in the City).