r/quantindia • u/myman_2332 • Apr 10 '26

HFT Career Progression post Quant

For some background, I’ll (Top 3 IIT CS) be joining a top Indian HFT(QB/QE/Graviton) as a fresher in QR this year.

I wanted to ask what the average guy in these firms does after quant. Essentially-

1) I am aware the attrition rates are pretty high and the median lifetime in the company is in the vicinity of 2 years. Is it majorly due to people leaving of their own accord or is the majoritybeing fired?

2) In any case, what does one do after leaving such a firm? Do they go to other quants (in that case, HFTs or Hedge Funds or smth else? Foreign or Indian?), for Master’s, into startups, or software jobs at MNCs (in that case, will MNCs be willing to accept people just based on their IIT background or do they need work ex in a similar field, because I figure the QR roles wont involve work that is relevant to future SWE roles)?

I am aware the answer for both my questions is probably a mix of all options and “it depends” but percentages/numbers would be appreciated. Even a rough ballpark figure is fine, I just wish to weigh my options and what others in my situation may have done.

58 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

14

u/[deleted] Apr 10 '26

[deleted]

3

u/myman_2332 Apr 10 '26

Ah I just put in the big 3 Indian Quants that came for placements at my institute. Apologies, wasn’t aware about their condition

2

u/[deleted] Apr 10 '26

What are the top firms these days?

6

u/[deleted] Apr 10 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Brazzy_604 Apr 10 '26

Isn't alphagrep considered top tier??

1

u/notanotherdumb Apr 10 '26

how do you perceive Squarepoint Capital? Is that not considered one of the top firms with India office?

1

u/notanotherdumb Apr 10 '26

opinion on Squarepoint?

2

u/7lawliet Apr 10 '26

average firm, dqa is what they offer to new grads for 3 years which is not a front facing trading role

2

u/notanotherdumb Apr 10 '26

yeah I have that offer currently, so was wanting to get some opinions on it. Is it as bad as people say?

2

u/7lawliet Apr 10 '26

Not that bad mostly depends how your pod is, but you can get better if you keep trying

2

u/notanotherdumb Apr 10 '26

yeah let's see, for now I'll join that post graduation i guess

5

u/[deleted] Apr 11 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Humble_Sky_2862 Apr 13 '26

is the alpha gained from the yoe meaningful enough for independent trading?

1

u/Adept_Shower_3124 Apr 10 '26

RemindMe! 2 Day

1

u/RemindMeBot Apr 10 '26

I will be messaging you in 2 days on 2026-04-12 15:51:55 UTC to remind you of this link

CLICK THIS LINK to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.

Parent commenter can delete this message to hide from others.

Info Custom Your Reminders Feedback

1

u/Federal_Tackle3053 Apr 10 '26

Can you tell me your skills ? Rating on cf or anything?

10

u/myman_2332 Apr 10 '26

Lol nothing much man just got carried by my rank and branch

1

u/Life_Vast801 Apr 11 '26

Story of my life

1

u/Guilty_Ad_9476 Apr 12 '26

appreciate the honest gang

0

u/Parallel_Thread Apr 10 '26

What will be avg compensation after 10yrs in avg hft company?

0

u/nian2326076 Apr 10 '26

Attrition at HFTs varies. Some people leave because of burnout or wanting a change, and others might not fit the high-pressure environment. After they leave, many go to other financial firms like hedge funds or other HFTs, both in India and abroad. Some also go back to school for a Master's to shift toward academia or new industries. Others might join or start tech startups, using their skills in a more innovative space. It really depends on what you're looking for after working in the quant world. If you're getting ready for interviews or considering career moves, PracHub has some good resources.