Kene joined Goldman Sachs in 2004 after studying civil engineering at Imperial College, part of the University of London. He has been in this role for 12 months.
Q: What does your role involve?
As a sales trader my role is to manage client relationships and trade client orders. Executing a client’s orders efficiently requires a good knowledge of global markets and exchange rules. I also analyse macro/micro economic events and interpret their implications for the market place. However, the most important part of my job is servicing clients and cultivating the relationship between them and the firm.
Q: Can you describe a typical day?
I usually arrive at the office before 7 a.m. and read up on all the overnight news from Asia. I then speak to my clients and give my views on what I think is going to happen during the day. This takes me up until 8am when markets open. There’s usually a lot of activity on the open, with some clients preferring to trade at that time. And after that, the day loses its structure – it could be fairly quiet, or if there are company results announcements or new macroeconomic data on the US economy, I could be very, very busy.
Q: Why sales/trading as opposed to, say, corporate finance?
I chose this role because I enjoy client contact and executing our customer flows.
I also enjoy being under pressure and having to complete many tasks at once. The buzz of the trading floor and constant activity are what get me out of bed in the morning, and the variety in my job is what sustains my interest through the day.
Q: What kind of person do you need to be to excel in this role?
To be a good sales trader you have to be incredibly motivated and driven. Sales traders are client facing, so no matter what sort of day you are having, you have to remain focused on your clients and executions. You also have to be confident and be able to digest information quickly and convey it accurately.
Kene’s tips- It’s crucial to have an interest in the business, and understand the different factors that can move the markets
- You can’t bluff it, so research the role properly and try to get an internship or placement before interviewing – talk to people who do this job every day to get a real day-to-day breakdown of what the job really entails
- Be confident – this is especially important at the start when you won’t know everything. You need the confidence to say, \\"I can’t do this.\\"
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