After years in academia, with post-doc experience, I'm planning to jump into the industry. Coming from the area of physics, it seems that one of the most obvious options is to get a job in finance, specifically in quantitative areas.
My question is: has anybody here done the same? I have taken online courses at coursera.com to further improve my knowledge in these fields, but is there any advice you could give me to maximize my chances? It seems most jobs ask for previous experience, even Junior positions, which I don't have.
I have extensive programming experience in several languages, c++, python, databases, shell scripting, a bit of MATLAB and also statistical tools such as R, so I think I have that more or less covered. At least I hope so.
With respect to finance, well, I don't have professional experience, but I have taken several coursera courses to learn the basics of risk management and quantitative finance.
All this, together with the PhD in physics, should make me a good candidate I hope? What else could I do?
Regarding my nationality, I am spanish, but I have lived several years in Hamburg and I would be definitely able to use german as the working-environment language, but probably not good enough to talk to customers or take a representative position that uses german as the main language.
Sure, I heard about it, but six months, while on the other job...I don't know, it's a lot of time. But if it is what it takes...I guess one will have to go and do it. Did anybody here take it? I also hear there's the FRM certification, I wonder which one is better.
Financial Services and Risk Management Advisory departments in one of the Big 4 companies. They are hungry for people with PhDs in mathematics or physics, and are eager to train them when hired at the starting level. My sister in law applied for such a job (not in CH though) with a master in applied mathematics and knowledge of the local language, and got an offer within days. My brother, post doc mathematics, applied to a couple of places (insurance companies) just to get a feeling before he decided that academia is his life calling, and also got offers within days.
Same Big 4 companies, Corporate Finance departments within Advisory or Tax, things like stock option valuation, scenario analysis with MC simulations, etc. although these usually are a bit more particular about having some kind of business training (which can be supplemented as you go, don't forget).
The Stock Exchanges!
Here in DC, I have a couple of former colleagues who went to work for the SEC with exactly the background you mentioned, but after supplementing it with a couple of years of business experience, so maybe another option further down the line.
As far as taking courses/further professional training while on the job, that is the norm at all levels, especially as you start, so don't be surprised. As Meloncollie said, I would go for New York or London, but also Frankfurt, San Francisco, Hong Kong and Singapore, Sao Paulo (why not, if you fancy learning Portuguese as you go). I would stay away from Zurich until you are established in your profession - a lot of fun (technically/professionally speaking) stuff going on in Switzerland with respect to shuffling numbers around, especially with all the trading, but I'd be surprised if they took on someone at the starting level with your "non-traditional" accounting/finance/economics background. Not saying it's impossible, just my personal opinion based on what I've seen - I think you'd have a much more dynamic, opportunity-rich starting work environment in the other places I mentioned.