What can you expect from a job in financial markets?
When you hear 'dealing room' or 'trader', you might think of a hectic, high-pressure environment. But what's it really like to work in financial markets? Amber Van Eycken and Mirabel Bagnaro are happy to tell you about their experiences.
Amber: "A few months ago, I started working for KBC Financial Markets (FM) as a Trader, focusing on Scandinavian currencies. Having studied Business Engineering, specialising in Finance, and International Management, the job vacancy really appealed to me. I didn't expect the job of Trader to be open to young starters, but it is, and I'm happy I could grab the opportunity."
Mirabel: "I studied Electronics & ICT Engineering and am part of a team of quants who primarily provide pricing models and tooling for Financial Markets. I joined FM as a part of a broader initiative to become more data-driven. I chose this job because it is important for me to be able to use my technical skills. However, I didn't feel academic research or consultancy were a good fit for me.
This job is a great middle ground—technical but applied. I build things that are used in real workflows, so I see the results of my work. My thesis was in biomedical engineering and focused on heart health monitoring. Interestingly enough, many of the skills I used—like handling noisy, chaotic datasets—transferred well to market data. That unexpected overlap helped me feel more confident entering a new field like finance."
What are your main challenges as a young starter?
Mirabel: "There is a lot to learn. You are expected to learn through immersion, figure things out for yourself, and learn by doing. There's no manual. That being said, you can ask your colleagues anything. The learning curve is steep, but you're not expected to know everything on day one."
Amber: "Most of my colleagues are very experienced, which is great. They certainly share their knowledge with me but also expect me to develop my own views and form my own opinions. That adds to the challenge of getting settled in a job that takes time to learn in any case."
Mirabel: "My manager and other senior colleagues do check in to see how things are going or whether I need more support - but from the start, I've had a lot of independence in how I approach my work. They trust that I'm mature enough to come to them for help whenever needed. It's a motivating environment; everyone is genuinely interested in achieving the best outcome together."
Amber: "For me, it's similar. My manager has a chat with me regularly to see how I'm doing and to make expectations clear, but nobody is constantly looking over my shoulder. They trust me to speak up if need be."
What do you like most about your job?
Mirabel: "For me, it's the variation. My job involves a combination of coding, feature design, and project management. Every week is different, and I certainly have the room to shape my own path and take initiative.
What surprised me most was how quickly I was entrusted with real responsibilities. I already had deliverables the week after I joined. That level of ownership gives me the space to grow fast—and makes the work feel impactful from the start. I thrive in this environment."
Amber: "I feel privileged to learn from colleagues with so much experience. They were very welcoming from the beginning. I don't have as much variation in my tasks, but the financial markets are different every day. It's interesting to see how the day's news impacts my role as a trader. One of my tasks is to estimate how interest rates will evolve, which is quite a challenge."
What's KBC like as an employer?
Amber: "Before joining, I knew KBC to be a certified 'Top Employer'. So I expected a good environment, and I indeed feel well taken care of. KBC Financial Markets is a smaller entity within a large organisation, which has its advantages. I have the chance to get to know my colleagues in our own team activities."
Mirabel: "Indeed, KBC has a good reputation as an employer and does live up to that.
As a Czech, it was a welcome surprise to land in such an international environment. I was afraid that not knowing Dutch would be an obstacle, but it isn't for this role. In practice, our main business language is English. Although knowing Dutch isn't required for my job, I take Dutch lessons organised through KBC."
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Amber: "You should know that the world of financial markets is not like in the movies; it's not like in The Wolf of Wall Street. Although some days can be quite busy, being a trader is not as hectic as you might think."
Mirabel: "We don't have 18-hour days in high-pressure chaos. Of course, there are busier and calmer times based on what's happening in the world, but there's a strong culture of boundaries. You're encouraged to work efficiently and log off once your work is done.
To people with a STEM background, I would like to stress that you can use your skills in any number of settings. During my hiring process, I talked to people who saw beyond the skills I readily came with and who saw the bigger picture of what I could bring to the table. I hope for everyone with technical skills, drive, and curiosity to find such a working environment."
