How to hire an equity trader

How to hire an equity trader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step equity trader hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an equity trader job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new equity trader
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an equity trader do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The equity trader hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect equity trader also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of equity traders.

   Type of Equity Trader	Description	Hourly rate
   Equity Trader	Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents connect buyers and sellers in financial markets. They sell securities to individuals, advise companies in search of investors, and conduct trades.	$29-81
   Foreign Exchange Trader	The foreign exchange market is volatile and influenced by numerous factors. A foreign exchange trader considers these factors and utilizes them in their favor... Show more	$31-95
   Hedge Fund Trader	A Hedge Fund Trader specializes in developing investment strategies through market research and analysis. Although the extent of their duties depends on their company of employment, it typically includes managing and monitoring market portfolios, trading according to policies and regulations, reaching out to potential business partners through calls and correspondence, discussing terms, and keeping an eye on stock prices... Show more	$32-96

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Equities
   • Technical Analysis
   • Portfolio
   • Financial Markets
   • Risk Management
   • Securities
   • ETFs
   • Fundamental Analysis
   • NASD
   • Equity Trades
   • NYSE
   • Equity Markets
   • Bloomberg
   • Hedge Funds

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Design end-to-end index carve-out process to enable desk to risk manage and track PnL for global index trades.
   • Manage stock execution via NYSE automate system, NASDAQ automate system (INSTINET), and live NASDAQ market makers.
   • Manage business, sales, marketing, international negotiation and communication for a commodities business.
   • Trade NYSE equities utilizing in-house trading strategies and proprietary order placement utility software.
   • Research and trade exchange list equities base on fundamental and technical analysis of individual stock components.
   • Initiate positions in securities base on technical and fundamental analysis of specific stock, industry and market conditions.

   More equity trader duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the equity trader job description is a good way to get more applicants. An equity trader salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an equity trader in North Dakota may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level equity trader. Additionally, an equity trader with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average equity trader salary

   $101,759yearly

   $48.92 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level equity trader salary

   $61,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average equity trader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$134,372	$65
   2	Connecticut	$114,457	$55
   3	Texas	$100,835	$48
   4	California	$94,608	$45
   5	New Jersey	$94,533	$45
   6	Massachusetts	$94,528	$45
   7	Illinois	$89,368	$43
   8	Florida	$82,913	$40
   9	Washington	$82,234	$40
   10	North Carolina	$81,949	$39

   Average equity trader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	$143,871	$69.17
   2	Citi	$133,103	$63.99	49
   3	BNY Mellon	$132,550	$63.73	1
   4	Mirae Asset Securities	$129,233	$62.13
   5	Deutsche Bank	$124,156	$59.69	14
   6	Capital Group	$122,819	$59.05
   7	ING Financial Holdings Corporation	$122,218	$58.76
   8	Acadian Asset Management	$120,608	$57.98
   9	Natixis North America LLC	$119,127	$57.27
   10	XP Securities	$118,749	$57.09
   11	Northern Trust	$116,749	$56.13
   12	ICAP	$115,849	$55.70
   13	X-Change Financial Access	$115,501	$55.53
   14	Jefferies	$114,827	$55.21
   15	ARGONAUT GROUP INC	$113,231	$54.44
   16	SG Americas Securities Holdings, LLC	$108,364	$52.10
   17	Rbc Holding Co Ltd	$107,476	$51.67
   18	Hold Brothers Capital	$106,930	$51.41	1
   19	Seven Points Capital	$106,899	$51.39	7
   20	Jacobs Levy Equity Management	$106,664	$51.28

4. Writing an equity trader job description

   An equity trader job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an equity trader job description:

   Equity trader job description example

   Equity Trader Trainee (March 2023)
   
   ATTN: COVID-19 vaccination required; This is NOT a hybrid or remote position.
   
   All Trainees are required to report to our New York City office as part of the on-site training program. There are no hybrid or remote options. If you are offered a position in the training program, you will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination before entering the office.
   
   Training Program Description:
   
   Location: Union Square, NY
   
   Hours: Market Hours - 8:45am - 4:45pm
   
   The goal of the program is to give trainees the necessary tools to successfully trade in this fast paced, dynamic market environment. New traders will be trained under the supervision and instruction of experienced traders. The training starts in the classroom and quickly progresses to trading on our trading floor.
   
   The duration of the program is four months and it is unpaid. There is no guarantee of an offer of employment at the end of the training program.
   
   Chimera provides training at no cost to trainees, providing them with an excellent opportunity to learn to trade without risking their own capital.
   
   If offered a position in the training program, candidates will need to pass two exams: the SIE (Securities Industry Essentials) & the Series 57. Passing both exams is required in order to participate in the training program. Chimera will cover and/or reimburse the cost of both exams for candidates who successfully pass.
   
   This is an entrepreneurial, high-energy environment with plenty of personal, one-on-one attention.
   
   Requirements
   
   Training Program Participation Requirements
   
   BACHELORS DEGREE REQUIRED!
   
   3.0+ GPA preferred. We are looking for hard-working, self-motivated and outgoing individuals with strong quantitative and analytical skills. Applicants must be self-starters while also being able to learn as part of a team. This is a fast-paced and challenging training program that requires the ability to focus and maintain composure under intense pressure. No previous trading experience is necessary.
   
   Licensing requirements:
   
   Prior to being able to take the Series 57 exam, candidates will first need to pass the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam. The SIE exam is open to anyone 18 years of age to take without sponsorship by a firm. It is used to assess a candidate's basic knowledge of the securities industry and is a pre-requisite to most qualifying FINRA exams. The exam focuses on industry terminology, securities products, the structure and function of the markets, regulatory agencies and their functions, and regulated and prohibited practices.
   
   While not required, it is strongly encouraged that individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in trading take the SIE exam as soon as possible. Chimera will sponsor those offered a position in the training program for the Series 57 exam, only after the SIE has been passed. Participation in the training program is contingent upon successfully passing BOTH exams prior to the start date.
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find equity traders for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your equity trader job on Zippia to find and attract quality equity trader candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit equity traders, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new equity trader

   Once you've decided on a perfect equity trader candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new equity trader. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an equity trader?