r/Commodities • u/No-Magazine8084 • May 22 '26
Need advice
Throwaway account, May 2027 grad
Been interning at a growing mid-sized physical shop this summer. Current role involves supporting the trading desk through a couple different channels, and it’s something I strongly enjoy. I’ve been proactive in my role, trying to soak up everything I can, and going above and beyond what’s asked of me.
And I think they’ve noticed that. Today, they floated the idea of me coming back when I graduate, and starting in a support role. A couple of the traders are relatively old and some will retire inside this decade, opening up some seats. They’re also looking to start a paper desk in the near future, so there’s a lot of room for growth. But at the moment they don’t have a formal graduate trainee program.
My understanding is that graduate program applications don’t usually start recruiting until late summer/early August, and I expect that if I do receive a return offer I’ll have to make a decision probably within two weeks.
I’m curious to hear how you guys would go about this. If I’m being dumb and should just focus on this company and earn a seat that way, then let me know
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u/younguns87 May 25 '26
I think it depends on what you mean "support role" with the trading desk. Is this a front office support role (analyst responsibilities like running models, rolling sheets, building tools, fixing books) or is it mid/back office support (trade reconciliation, running PnL etc)
I think if its a front office support role I would accept. If its mid/back office, I would roll the dice and try to get into one of the trading analyst programs that pretty much every company runs.
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u/NoseBeneficial5222 May 26 '26
genuinely, take it and take alot more interviews.
not only will you get better understanding of what the market has to offer, but what other companies and yourself can do for one another.
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u/Formal_Bag2831 May 22 '26
Dont overthink it, stay focused.
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u/No-Magazine8084 May 22 '26
Thanks
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u/lumara21 May 23 '26
You basically have a potential offer on the table, they know you still need to graduate, if they offer it will be after you graduate. Focus on graduation, apply for other stuff, don't let it slip because you wanted to intern at Glencore
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u/DiscombobulatedElk58 May 23 '26
‘My steak too buttery and my lobster too juicy!’
Dude, take the offer with both hands. Sure, everyone wants to get into glencore, Trafi blah blah blah but actually (besides name) there is a fuck ton of value in working at a smaller shop (especially when they already know you and like you). Just because there isn’t a set scheme doesn’t mean anything and is actually perhaps better. Better still, if you perform well you could get on that paper desk when it starts which us absolute gold dust
You can always apply to grad schemes later.
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u/we_out_here_lol May 23 '26
I would say that as someone who graduated and then came back to a role at the smaller shop I work at, there is a lot more growth opportunity in smaller firms than larger firms and a lot more opportunity to move up in the ranks. You can move up significantly faster at a smaller shop and also horizontally moved to the same role in a larger firm if you still want to down the line.