How to become a database developer?

What are the ways to break into NY's finance for software developer?

• Hi all,   I need an advise on my further career development.   Some background: I'm a 24 years old software engineer. I've got a master's degree from one of the European universities some time ago and now I'm working in one of the top US software corporations. Within next few years I'll get a green card and become "free" (i.e. I won't be bound to my current employer anymore). After that, I'm going to change my life, by moving to NY and getting a job in finances. Why I'm going to do it? Here are some points: - I don't like living in a small suburb. I was grown in a capital city so living in a "village with several thousand population" makes me sad - Since I'm just one of many other software developers here, my footprint is low and I can't feel myself significant enough for the company - I'm not very satisfied with my income. It would take me many years till I achieve at least 200K$ / year. Now I'm just an average American middle class having around 100K$ / year So, by moving to NY and getting a job in finances, I'm going to overcome all the problems mentioned above.   And here comes the question: could you please advise me on how can I break in to NY's financial sector? I'd like to be a software developer in some kind of first class hedge fund. I have a major concern that since I don't have (and won't have) a financial programming experience, it might be not easy to get there, although now I'm participating in development of what might be called low frequency system with high workload, still not connected to finances at all.   Please, point me out, if any additional details about me should be listed in order to get more precise answer. As suggested by Mark, adding some details on my technical skills:   My current (i.e. on my current work) expirience is - .NET Framework (including LINQ, WCF) - C++ - Multithreading (including Intel TBB, Microsoft PPL, OpenMP) - MS SQL Server   In addition, on my previous work and in university I've gained experience in - Oracle Database - MATLAB (mostly in implementing advanced multilinear algebra algorithms)

• Answer:

  Study on your own. C++ is a very useful thing to know, so that's working in your favor already. Java is also highly used in finance, but you already know one of the main development languages in the finance world. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend learning Java just for its own sake (unless you need it for a job, but in that case learning it should be no big deal for a good C++ coder). Instead, with your free time, study some mathematical and quantitative finance. Since you have "a few years" before you can move, if you're dedicated, you can probably complete study the equivalent of a MS in Financial Engineering in your spare time. To get more specific than that, it really depends on what kind of financial instruments you will be working with. Equities? It will help to know about high-speed messaging, risk analytics, correlation functions, and various forms of signal processing. Options? Know Hull and White's book inside out and study some more specialized texts. (This is not my area so I can't be more specific.) Structured credit? The market has shrunk by a significant factor since 2008, but the mathematics of modeling CDS and CDO instruments is still used in a $100B+ market. Fixed income? This is a huge market with lots of complex mathematics, hedging strategies, and turbulence. (Central banks and policy makers have been doing some very interesting and unusual things lately.) Your particular area(s) of interest can guide your reading in areas of specialization once you get beyond the basics.