Opportunity at every turn

A place like no other

There are few sights like that of a trade floor – 450 desks, thousands of monitors, dozens of highly trained teams optimizing the flow of energy around the world. The scene was burned into my memory when I saw it for the first time on my interview day, and getting to be a part of it for the past two years has been a dream come true.

I joined Shell as a trainee in the Trader Development Program (TDP). The program takes in people with the temperament and capacity to excel in trading, and pairs them with Shell’s experts in a series of rotations that are tailored to develop the skills the trainee ought to possess before taking on the highly demanding role of trading. This process takes 1-3 years, depending on one’s level of experience coming in.

Learning from the best

I’ve found that Shell Trading is an organization comprised of people who are not only incredibly sharp, but also very good-hearted. It's a rare combination, and one that makes the floor a special place to work.

The level of specialized knowledge and experience the senior traders, analysts, and leaders possess is venerable, and they are keen to share their lessons. This makes Shell an incredibly growth-friendly environment, and I learn things each week that I’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

Most people on the floor have a good sense of humor, and we enjoy our time together each day. A good joke or movie reference never goes unappreciated.

The day of a trader

Trading energy is an inherently fascinating job, and one that calls on all your abilities. I have experienced this first-hand over the past eight months in my physical natural gas trading rotation. When winter storms cause a tenfold spike in prices, you have to stay levelheaded and perform under immense pressure. When buying or selling gas in highly illiquid markets, you have to lean on your negotiating skills and the relationships you’ve developed with counterparties to secure fair prices. When market-moving headlines come out, you have to quickly evaluate the situations, think on your feet, and decide how to readjust your positions using the imperfect information at hand.

There is something happening every minute of the trading day, and the market will demand 100% of what you can bring to the table. It's far from easy, but if that's what you love to do, there's no comparison.

Strength in diversity

While highly competitive and selective, trading is a naturally inclusive and diverse business. Because our profits come from spotting opportunities, building relationships, and being correct about the market, there is a strong natural demand for people that can bring different educational and professional backgrounds, personalities, life experiences, and ways of thinking to the team. Few traders have taken the same path to where they are today, and that diversity is one of Shell’s greatest strengths.