Kunal Singh: During the pre-final year of my engineering, I realized that I'm not much inclined towards the coding stuff and started looking out for alternate career options. After evaluating, I realized that being good with numbers, reasoning, data interpretation, and a decent command over the language, I have an excellent chance to get into one of the top business schools in the country. I started the preparation and eventually got admitted to the best college in India for International Trade, and that's when my inclination towards Trade began. It is a very niche domain with unbelievable opportunities. We got to learn the nitty-gritty of International Trade with the superb faculties who have a vast experience in the field of Trade. In IIFT, we have the option to take two majors and one minor. I took International Trade and Marketing as majors and Finance as minors but being more inclined towards the trading domain, I chose to build a career in it.
MA: From choosing the subjects in college to now working in the field, how does this transition feel?
Kunal Singh: The subjects we were taught in college were very thoroughly thought about by the best faculties in the business. The curriculum was designed precisely, taking into consideration of what we'll be facing in real life. Even though there is a massive difference in what we learn through a textbook and what we face during our work, the learning has given us a head start in the field of Trade and is very helpful.
MA: Can you tell us about your job role?
Kunal Singh: Currently, I'm working as a Trader in Archer Daniels Midland Company, where we trade commodities from around the world. I am into the edible oil business. Since India is heavily dependent on imports for their consumable oil requirements, we import the oil from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine, Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and many other countries. We look out for import opportunities and directly contribute to the PNL of the company. We have our clients in India, who then purchase the oil from us for further processing and selling with their brand names, and so eventually, we serve every individual through our work.
MA: What do you think are the qualities that are needed for someone who wants to excel in this field?
Kunal Singh: The essential quality of working in this field is the willingness to learn. The market is very dynamic, and therefore learning is continuous. Also, taking initiatives, being proactive, and risk-taking capabilities will help an individual in this field.
MA: What skills should these people develop to grab their dream roles/jobs?
Kunal Singh: Being good with numbers, data interpretation, fundamental and technical analysis are the necessary skills required to excel in the domain of trading. People with a legitimate interest in macroeconomic events worldwide will have the edge over the others.
About the Author
Kunal Singh (Trader at Archer Daniels Midland Company, MBA, IIFT Delhi 2017-19)
Kunal Singh is an MBA graduate from IIFT, the batch of 2017-19. Currently, He is working as a Trader in one of the world's largest commodity trading firm, Archer Daniels Midland Company. Before getting into an MBA, He has done B. Tech in Computer Science, after which he worked as a Software developer for one year.
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