The Woman's Dilemma

I've talked to a ridiculous number of young women lately who are wanting to get into trading. Many of them are in analyst classes in "sales and trading" and are finding that they aren't being given a chance to try trading. Some of them are in rotational programs, others are assigned to a desk but not necessarily on the sales or trading side of that desk. In both cases young women complain that they are only given a chance to see the sales side and nobody will take them seriously on the trading side.

First of all, it is a mistake to think that anybody will ever "GIVE" you anything. You're not given a chance to be a trader, you have to take it. Whining about how your desk or HR won't give you a chance to be on the trading desk is exactly why you aren't on the trading desk. Generally it is perceived that those who will excel at trading are the types who will aggressively pursue goals.

I won't argue that there isn't some bias against women in trading. A lot of trading desks still adhere to the "old boy's club." That can be a hard game to break into. That being said, I have been looking for a well qualified woman to join my desk for a while, but none have risen to the task.

There is a natural bias against women in trading. Now obviously this isn't true of all women (and I know some damn good woman traders), but the majority of women simply aren't cut out for trading. Women tend to be more emotional, more talkative and less aggressive than men. More emotional and less aggressive are minuses for traders and more talkative makes them happier as sales people. Yes, that is sexist, but it's also statistically true. If you're offended by this statement, you shouldn't be a trader--you'll here a lot worse and less founded sexism on the floor.

I don't know a single trader who wouldn't like to work next to an attractive trader woman. In fact, I know many who envy those who do. Women who have gotten into trading tend to be few and far between. They fought to take those positions and have shown themselves to be able to not only weather the markets but also weather the machism that tends to dominate the trading desks.