Resume

Options Trader Resume Example & Writing Guide

Use this Options Trader resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.

Traders are the people who make money for their companies by buying and selling financial assets such as currencies, stocks, bonds, and commodities. They’re the ones who’ll tell you what the price of gold will be next year or how much oil will cost in three months.

As a trader, you’re part analyst and part strategist—you need to be able to assess the market and determine where you can make the most money. You also need to be able to communicate effectively with clients and other members of your team. And finally, you need to be comfortable managing risk, especially since traders are often held responsible for the performance of their entire firm.

In order to land your dream job as a trader, you need a resume that shows hiring managers how you can help make their company money. Here are some tips to follow plus an example resume for reference when writing yours.

Mary Thompson
Los Angeles, CA | (123) 456-7891 | [email protected]
Summary

Seasoned options trader with over 10 years of experience in the industry. Proven track record of generating profits through market analysis, risk management, and trade execution. Seeking an opportunity to work with a reputable firm and help contribute to its success.

Education
San Francisco State University Jun '10
B.S. in Business Administration
Experience
Company A, Options Trader Jan '17 – Current
  • Managed a $1B+ portfolio of options trades for the firm’s clients, including equities, futures and FX.
  • Traded both listed and OTC equity options as well as interest rate derivatives (Futures & Swaps).
  • Developed strategies to meet client objectives such as capital preservation or growth through option trading.
  • Maintained knowledge of market conditions and trends in order to make informed decisions regarding trade entry/exit points.
  • Communicated with clients on trade execution status via phone and email daily, providing updates throughout the day when necessary.
Company B, Options Trader Jan '12 – Dec '16
  • Worked with clients to develop options strategies based on their risk tolerance and goals, resulting in a 75% increase in client satisfaction
  • Developed option trading models using Excel spreadsheets for analysis of potential trades before executing them
  • Conducted research on companies’ fundamentals and earnings reports to determine the best strategy for each trade
  • Traded both long-term (buy-and-hold) positions as well as short-term swing trades (~1 week hold time)
  • Managed margin accounts totaling $500K; used stop losses and limit orders to mitigate risk exposure
Company C, Stockbroker Jan '09 – Dec '11
  • Analyzed client portfolios and recommended changes to asset allocation.
  • Conducted research on individual securities and made recommendations to clients.
  • Monitored market conditions and advised clients on buying and selling strategies.
Certifications
  • Series 3 License
  • Series 7 License
  • Series 63 License
Skills

Industry Knowledge: Financial Markets, Interest Rates, Currencies, Commodities, Futures, Forward Contracts
Technical Skills: Bloomberg, Reuters, FactSet, MoneyAM, eSignal
Soft Skills: Communication, Leadership, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Teamwork, Time Management

How to Write an Options Trader Resume

Here’s how to write an options trader resume of your own.

Write Compelling Bullet Points

Bullet points are the most important part of your resume because they’re the first thing recruiters and hiring managers will read. And they’re the best way to showcase your experience and qualifications.

But many job seekers make the mistake of using generic bullet points that don’t really tell a story or provide any context about their experience.

Instead, you should use your bullet points to tell a story about your experience. And that story should be as specific as possible. For example, rather than saying you “managed risk,” you could say you “managed risk by identifying and mitigating risk in emerging markets, resulting in a 15% decrease in risk-adjusted returns over the past year.”

Identify and Include Relevant Keywords

When you apply for a job as a options trader, your resume is likely to go through an applicant tracking system (ATS). This system looks for certain keywords related to the job opening. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right terms, your application might not make it past the initial screening.

One way to make sure your resume includes the right keywords is to focus on including them throughout the document. Here are some commonly used keywords for options traders:

  • Options
  • Futures Trading
  • Financial Markets
  • Trading
  • Risk Management
  • Equities
  • Technical Analysis
  • Trading Strategies
  • Financial Risk
  • Derivatives
  • Portfolio Management
  • Fixed Income
  • Financial Derivatives
  • Investment Strategies
  • Risk Analysis
  • Investment Banking
  • Banking
  • Financial Analysis
  • Sales
  • Economics
  • Investments
  • Market Research
  • Marketing Strategy
  • Forex Trading
  • Business Strategy
  • Microsoft Access
  • Project Management
  • Management
  • Negotiation
  • Business Planning

Showcase Your Technical Skills

As an options trader, it is essential that you are proficient in the use of technology to execute your trades. This might include experience with specific software programs or platforms, or knowledge of market data and analysis methods. Recruiters are looking for options traders who are comfortable with using technology to make quick, informed decisions. So if you have experience with any of these things, be sure to list them on your resume.

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