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Career

This Is How You Become A Quant With Non-Traditional Background

Regis Nisengwe

• 1 min read

I was not a typical quant applicant.

Typically, quants come from mathematics, statistics, finance, economics, computer science, and other closely related fields.

I came from none of the above.

I came from environmental science!

But I wanted a quantitative role in industry.

So, I looked at what is required of a typical quant.

And I started preparing.

The idea was to fill the gaps.

Those were programming and advanced modeling.

In my doctoral journey I tried to pay attention to the modeling classes.

Programming? That, I had to teach myself.

Three years later, I started applying.

I targeted data scientist, research scientist, quantitative researcher positions.

Several unanswered emails and ignored applications.

But eventually, interviews and tests started.

Some I failed, some I passed.

Finally, I got an offer.

Based on my experience, this is how you can do the same:

  1. Brush up math fundamentals - No way around this one. Brush up some math fundamentals, especially, statistics, linear algebra, and some calculus.
  2. Learn programming - basics in programming is essential too. Choose a programming language or two (Python or R). Some SQL is also something you should keep in mind.
  3. Build a portfolio - this will be your way of showing recruiters that you mean business. Plus, you learn a ton by simply trying to work on something consistently. This is where you can leverage your non-traditional background. For example, if you are in environmental science, you can pick a project that uses quantitative methods to address an environmental problem.
  4. Pick an industry: Not mandatory, but can help you improve clarity in your applications. Quantitative roles are needed in various industries, from financial services to health care to sustainability to supply chain to food security. The clearer you are, the easier the application becomes.
  5. Seek internship or apprenticeship - if you are still in school, an internship can help you get your foot in the door. If you are not in school, you can still get some sort of apprenticeship. Or even volunteer.
  6. Get a mentor - it's easy to start the journey alone. But it's hard to get far without the guidance from experienced people. A mentor can help in that regard.