These are exciting times at Old Mission! Over the past year we’ve launched a new direct-to-institutional-client business, have expanded our office footprints in Chicago and New York and have continued to staff up to support our growth. In the last twelve months we’ve expanded the team significantly and we’re currently looking to fill multiple newly-created roles across our teams of traders, technologists and operational support staff.
Although COVID has made it more difficult to get to know some of these new teammates on a more personal level, we’ve attempted to replicate a lot of what makes Old Mission unique as best we can through virtual events. As we continue to navigate this new norm and as vaccines become more readily available, we’re excited about the prospect of getting more of our colleagues into the office for face-to-face interactions with teammates and candidates alike. Respecting social distancing and mask wearing mandates continue to be a priority for us as we’re keen to keep our in-office staff as healthy as safe as possible.
We’re thankful for the technology that has allowed us to meaningfully interact with those outside of our office walls. While our recruiting team and our interviewees have made the most of a challenging situation, one thing that’s especially difficult to convey over a screen is our culture. Many candidates have asked us what makes Old Mission different from the competition and ultimately we feel it’s our values. We want to share those that are most important to us:
Collaboration – We’ve long believed that “learning while doing” is the best way to build skills and a successful career in the financial markets. That’s why our people are given important jobs from day one — we wouldn’t have hired them if we didn’t think they could handle it. Joining a team at Old Mission means you’ll most likely be a part of a desk that is comprised of some mix of traders, developers, engineers or quants. Our senior professionals share their wisdom and experience while encouraging more junior team members to voice their ideas and help keep our thinking fresh. The markets move so fast that there is no room for complacency at Old Mission; it takes teamwork to achieve our lofty goals.
Quality – Making markets today is no easy task, requiring us to go head-to-head with some of the most innovative companies in the world. Competing at the level we do demands an immense proficiency in technology, trading and risk management. To do that well we need individuals who bring the intellectual horsepower necessary to meet the challenges of today as well as tomorrow. We strive for excellence and have a strong work ethic. Across all functions, it’s attention to detail that differentiates our output. Our employees know their craft and showcase it in such a way that there’s no room for sloppiness.
Trustworthiness – While we’re not a small company any longer, we’ve worked hard to maintain the ethos we had when we launched over a decade ago. Our senior-most staff sit on the trading desk, oftentimes shoulder-to-shoulder with our newest recruits. Passing along industry knowledge is key as well as modeling the ethical manner in which all of Old Mission is expected to operate. Projects are assigned to new hires pretty quickly after their arrival and taking ownership of the task at hand is second nature to our people. They hold themselves accountable and recognize the value of their teammates by not taking advantage of one another.
Continuous Improvement – We tackle big problems, and that takes time. “Rome wasn’t built in day.” Being a privately-held firm is hugely helpful in this regard – we’re not beholden to external pressures on when results must flow through to the bottom line. While we’re nimble and have a bias toward action, we also give our team members the space needed to solve important issues without sacrificing quality. Change and evolution are a constant in our world and those that work at Old Mission are always innovating. Day after day, it’s the incremental gains that give our team members a sense of fulfillment.
Drive to Win – We want to win and beat the competition. It’s known and understood that in this industry, results matter. Our team perseveres and we push ourselves and one another to accomplish goals and set new ones once older goals are reached. We compete not only against some amazing competitors but also against who we were yesterday.
If this sounds like the type of environment in which you’d do well, or if you know someone who would, then don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Erica Marquez Avitia, Old Mission COO