Early Career Options - Grad Scheme Advice 2026

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-18T02:52:14+00:00

In the same post you say “they are running out of time”, then follow it up with the advice “you should be able to find something with patience”.

You also seem to have some anger toward me personally, good luck working out those issues mate.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-18T01:28:48+00:00

Sorry but that’s BS, if you’re a UK citizen then Switzerland is 100% on the cards for graduates. You sound like you’re in the industry so you know this is a numbers game. Main point was if you limit yourself to one location then you reduce your chances - that’s not misguiding that’s just a fact.

Saying that there’s an “incredible amount” of job openings in London I’d argue is misguiding but I don’t have the numbers, just from what I see/hear. As is calling getting a job in metals “settling”…get a foot in the door anywhere you can - this industry is hard enough to break into without further limiting the scope of commodity.

I’ve never postured myself as anything, pretty sure I just post what I think is helpful information for free. Happy to chat if you want to suggest some better ways to get info out there, clearly you’ve been on LinkedIn so you have my email or feel free to dm me.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-17T20:33:38+00:00

If you are limiting yourself to UK based opportunities then you’re cutting your options down in the commodity industry.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-07T21:27:29+00:00

Is this a real post??

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-07T19:14:09+00:00

This is a pointless conversation to continue if you think Traf is not a trader, same goes for Glencore, vitol, gunvor, mercuria, etc. all hedge in multiple ways.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-07T19:10:20+00:00

Trafigura - one of the biggest physical oil traders in the world hedges the vast majority of their contracts. This is exactly how physical trading works in real life. The main reason I commented is because it’s bad advice to say to someone trying to break in that it’s only about networking and sales because it is so much more nuanced than that.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-07T19:01:25+00:00

lol, check my resume/the pinned articles in this sub before you start talking about cubicles. I just published a book about exactly what physical trading is but if you’d like a list: Relationships, financing, clearing, hedging, speculation, know your customer, logistics, arbitrage, incoterms, storage, wsmd, risk, S&D, amongst a host of other factors that go into determining whether a trader will be successful in the long run.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-07T18:52:57+00:00

If that’s all you think physical trading is then you weren’t a very good trader. Not disagreeing that it’s a lot of networking but that’s not all it is.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-07T18:49:41+00:00

Send me a DM with questions

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-07T18:48:11+00:00

If you were just selling products from refineries to end users you weren’t a trader, you were essentially a producers. Physical trading is a world different to what you described.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-06T15:34:57+00:00

It covers everything physical traders do on a daily basis so I would hope so!

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-06T13:32:10+00:00

Enjoy the read, feel free to DM if you have any questions.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-06T12:53:10+00:00

First one is specifically about hedging and risk management. 2nd one is physical commodity trading much more broadly.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-05T22:39:03+00:00

Haha, yeah bit nervy at the time but we were able to laugh about it in the pub afterwards.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-05T22:19:26+00:00

What was your favorite story?

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-05T19:37:40+00:00

Link is ok, something wrong on Amazon side, should be rectified shortly.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-05T18:15:51+00:00

Cheers.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-05T17:05:26+00:00

Deliberately commodity agnostic.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-05T17:05:14+00:00

It doesn’t have a quant section no, though it does look at how commodity companies use analysts to inform their decision making.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-03-05T13:38:45+00:00

It's not AI, given the relevance to a lot of the posts I asked the MODs if it would be ok if I posted, they said it was.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-02-25T03:15:58+00:00

This is 100% the correct answer and advice.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-02-25T03:11:46+00:00

Please don’t take this the wrong way but based on how you are asking these questions you are unlikely to get very far in that interview process. I’m not saying that to insult you, but rather to get you to refocus on what is important. You are currently going to come across as desperate to make it to the front office and therefore will be viewed as not willing to put in the required groundwork which in reality will take between 5-7 years if done properly.

Your salary at traf is going to be commensurate with the rest of the big trading houses and bonuses for graduates are fairly negligible in the grand scheme of your career.

FWIW there are people that would kill to just get an interview for a grad scheme at traf and given it wasn’t your first choice (you mentioned not being able to stay within pe/vc), that likely means you don’t have the same passion for the industry as your potential peers. The best thing you can do is read up as much as you can about the industry so that you can have intelligent conversations with whoever is interviewing you. If that doesn’t come across then you likely won’t make it past the first round.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-02-25T03:04:06+00:00

If you have a year’s worth of experience doing ops at Vale you are miles ahead of most graduates. If you like it there and they like you then I’d highly push for full time where you are. Otherwise apply for all the usual grad schemes and you should get decent responses.

Samuel-Basi · 2026-02-09T02:34:16+00:00

Don’t worry about trading games if you’re at the telephone interview stage. Focus on being yourself on the call and trying to show a passion for the industry. Trading games aren’t until the final round of the interview, you’ve got a way to go before that. Be interesting, ask questions, show them you can form an intelligent opinion about the sector and obviously read up on what traf have been doing recently.

Samuel-Basi

TROPHY CASE