TradingPods

The Trader Career Map

A visual guide to every major trading path, common transitions, and typical career arcs.

Entry Points

Where traders commonly start

Independent Trading

Start with your own capital

COMMON START

Prop Firms

Low-cost entry, trade firm capital

COMMON START

Institutional Roles

Risk, ops, research positions

COMMON START

Mid-Career Paths

After building track record and capital

Institutional Pods

Multi-manager funds (Citadel, Millennium)

← From: Independent (with track record)
← From: Institutional roles (internal promotion)

Hedge Funds

Join or launch your own fund

← From: Independent (with capital & network)
← From: Pods (seeking ownership)

Business Pivots

Building beyond pure trading

Starting a Brokerage

Build infrastructure business

← From: Experienced traders pivoting to business
← From: Institutional roles (ops/tech background)

Common Career Transitions

Prop Firm → Independent
Built track record, want 100% of profits
Very Common
Independent → Institutional Pod
Want larger capital allocation & infrastructure
Common
Pod → Own Hedge Fund
Seeking ownership and equity upside
Less Common
Institutional Role → Trading
Internal transition after learning infrastructure
Happens
Any Path → Brokerage
Pivot from trading to infrastructure business
Rare

Where do you fit on this map?

Take our Path Finder quiz to see which paths align with your experience, goals, and situation.

Start Path Finder

TradingPods is an information-only platform. This map shows common paths and transitions — not prescriptive advice.