Eleven attributes needed to be a trader

You may have seen our recently conducted research looking at the DNA of power traders, a whitepaper with the aim to make you think differently about the make-up of your team and things to look out for when hiring for new power traders. 
 
Whereas the whitepaper looked more at the background of traders, from their degrees studied to their first job roles, we have since looked even more deeply at the required skills needed to be successful trader today. 
 
This list is by no means exhaustive, but comes from the ‘horses’ mouth, through conversation between Eleven Energy Headhunter Richard Tregarthen and various hiring managers, industry professionals and past and current power traders. 
 
Skills needed to be a power trader in 2021:

  • Arithmetically agile
  • Ability to maintain focus and concentrate under great pressures, sometimes in a chaotic, fast-moving environment
  • Ability to identify crucial information, through a market lens, in a sea of noise
  • Self-control and the ability to regulate emotions whilst having a strong moral compass
  • Diligence and a forensic attention to detail
  • Yet, creativity and out of the box thinking to come up with new strategies – aided by an organisation with the vision to encourage this and support
  • Risk management understanding - knowing when to take your losses indeed the size of the position you take on clear communication skills, as well as the ability to remove emotion from the decision-making process
  • Confidence to ‘pull the trigger’
  • Self-reflection – you must know when to be steadfast in your conviction and when you have become stubbornly married to their position
  • Humility or non-egotistical
  • Passion, enthusiasm and resilience – hungry to make money but not over-confident. 

Are you a trader? Would you add anything to this list? 
 
We’d love to hear from you. 
 
For more information on our mini whitepaper, or to discuss your hiring needs, speak to a member of our team today via +44 (0)1565 654 830 or hello@elevenassociates.com or via the contact us form.

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