Table 1Transition record

commodity tradertoforeign exchange trader

A commodity trader already meets 71% of what the foreign exchange trader role asks for. The move turns on 3 required skills not yet in the profile.

From commodity trader

71%

Overlap1

To foreign exchange trader

19 Skills carried over

3 Required, not held

29.9 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 29.9

This move: 29.9 of 100 · adjacent

1 Share of the foreign exchange trader role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the commodity trader profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 19 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A foreign exchange trader role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a commodity trader background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held operate financial instruments management skills
already held forecast economic trends information skills
already held international trade business, administration and law
already held analyse economic trends information skills
already held commercial law business, administration and law
already held maintain records of financial transactions information skills

All 19 carried skills, including the 10 the foreign exchange trader role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 10 missing skills fall into 3 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 business, administration and law 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held foreign valuta required

optional, not held accounting optional
optional, not held securities optional
optional, not held stock market optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held trade foreign currencies required

optional, not held advise on financial matters optional
optional, not held trade securities optional

03 information skills 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held manage financial risk required

optional, not held monitor stock market optional
optional, not held perform stock valuation optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a foreign exchange trader role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 19 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held analyse economic trends skill
already held analyse financial risk skill
already held analyse market financial trends skill
already held commercial law knowledge
already held economics knowledge
already held financial jurisdiction knowledge
already held financial markets knowledge
already held forecast economic trends skill
already held handle financial transactions skill
already held perform financial risk management in international trade skill
already held actuarial science knowledge
already held banking activities knowledge
already held financial products knowledge
already held international commercial transactions rules knowledge
already held international trade knowledge
already held maintain records of financial transactions skill
already held operate financial instruments skill
already held statistics knowledge
already held trace financial transactions skill

7 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held accounting optional
optional, not held advise on financial matters optional
optional, not held monitor stock market optional
optional, not held perform stock valuation optional
optional, not held securities optional
optional, not held stock market optional
optional, not held trade securities optional

8 held skills the foreign exchange trader role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role financial forecasting knowledge
not needed by the target role international business knowledge
not needed by the target role negotiate buying conditions skill
not needed by the target role negotiate price skill
not needed by the target role negotiate sale of commodities skill
not needed by the target role negotiate sales contracts skill
not needed by the target role negotiate with stakeholders skill
not needed by the target role trading software knowledge

4 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held foreign valuta required
optional, not held accounting optional
optional, not held securities optional
optional, not held stock market optional

Index

Other moves recorded from commodity trader

Full index of moves from commodity trader

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.