Projects to Break Into High Frequency Trading

Summary

In this video, Tala shares his journey into high-frequency trading, highlighting how a single project—a multiplayer trick-taking card game developed during university—opened doors to top firms like Citadel and RenTech. Despite writing most of the code himself, Tala emphasizes the importance of enjoying the project and learning along the way. He encourages aspiring professionals to focus on passion-driven projects and not fear applying for positions, regardless of their level of readiness. Tala’s message is clear: pursue what you love, stay consistent, and apply with confidence to achieve your goals.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tala films a video outdoors for a change of scenery and to enjoy fresh air, contrasting with the usual indoor coding environment.
• 😀 Tala shares their experience with applying to high-frequency trading (HFT) firms like Rentech and Citadel, emphasizing that they only did one main project.
• 😀 The main project was a multiplayer card game (trick-taking games) developed during university, where Tala wrote most of the code.
• 😀 Tala encourages viewers to pursue projects they are passionate about, as this will lead to greater learning and personal enjoyment.
• 😀 Despite having little finance knowledge at the time, Tala successfully used this project to gain interviews at top HFT firms.
• 😀 Tala reflects on the importance of teamwork, admitting they had an ego-driven tendency to do all the coding but learned some valuable team skills.
• 😀 The project helped Tala learn key software engineering skills, game logic, and networking fundamentals (e.g., UDP, multiplayer game mechanics).
• 😀 Tala stresses the importance of consistency in learning and being able to speak about what you've learned, even if the project is not perfect.
• 😀 Tala advises viewers not to fear failure when applying for jobs—just apply and see where the journey takes you, even if you're not fully prepared.
• 😀 The key takeaway is to focus on pursuing your dreams with determination, applying for roles that excite you, and embracing growth from failure.
• 😀 Tala wraps up the video with an encouraging message to chase dreams, work hard, and keep applying regardless of the fear of failure.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video primarily focuses on the projects that the creator worked on to break into high-frequency trading, specifically discussing one project that helped him get interviews at top firms like Rentech and Citadel.

How did the creator feel about working outdoors for the video?

The creator expressed enjoyment of being outdoors, appreciating the fresh air and the sounds of kids having fun. He also contrasted this with the usual indoor environment where he typically spends his time coding.

What is a trick-taking card game, as mentioned in the video?

A trick-taking card game involves players taking turns to play cards, with the objective of winning 'tricks'—which are rounds where the highest card wins. Examples of trick-taking games are Bridge and Hearts.

How did the creator contribute to the multiplayer game project in university?

The creator played a significant role in the university project, contributing most of the coding work, even though it was a team project with five members.

What were some of the key things the creator learned from the multiplayer game project?

The creator learned about game logic, software engineering, coding practices, networking fundamentals (like UDP), and how multiplayer games function. He also gained insights into Java and different programming patterns.

What advice does the creator give regarding pursuing projects?

The creator advises focusing on projects that ignite passion and enjoyment. He emphasizes learning as much as possible from the projects and staying consistent in working on them, as this can lead to greater success.

What is the creator’s stance on applying for high-frequency trading roles?

The creator encourages viewers to not fear applying for high-frequency trading positions. He believes that the fear of failure should not prevent anyone from applying, as no one knows the outcome in advance.

What is the creator's experience with finance knowledge in relation to high-frequency trading?

The creator had minimal finance knowledge before applying for high-frequency trading roles. He learned most of the necessary finance concepts during the interview process itself.

What did the creator learn about working in a team through the multiplayer project?

Although the creator had a strong individual approach and often did most of the coding himself, he mentions that he did learn a little about working in a team, especially in terms of collaboration and team dynamics.

What message does the creator convey at the end of the video?

At the end of the video, the creator emphasizes the importance of chasing one's dreams and working hard toward goals. He encourages viewers to apply for positions they want, regardless of the fear of failure, as the only real thing to fear is God.