There are tens of commodity trading careers sites, from huge public trading houses to smaller private niche players – do you know where to apply? This post will help you.
Apply Online to The Best Commodity Trading Careers Sites
Once you have a solid CV/Resume and understand the Application Process, it is time to determine where to apply. Find below your target company, write a gripping Cover Letter, and prepare for your Interview.
The most difficult trading jobs to break into (but also the most prestigious trading jobs) are among the Main Traders, Oil 6 Supermajors, and the Banks. You can find a good overview of commodity trading firms by tier at 99commodities.
Keep reading -and remember that commodity trading careers are long-term projects with excellent returns. You are investing in yourself. A trader is a strategic asset – as long as he remains profitable.
The World’s Largest Commodity Traders
The top players in commodities trading careers have a heavily commercial & supply chain focus – since traditionally don’t own as many assets as producers. Although most of the main traders remain as private partnerships, Glencore went public in 2011. If you are looking for the top traders – you’ve found them.
If you plan to break in as a graduate trader, Glencore (offering graduate programs) and Trafigura (especially the International Trading Program) have the best commodity trading graduate programs.
Generally speaking, the big traders recruit experienced traders and industry veterans. This means that if you have no experience in trading or commodities, it might be easier to start elsewhere (eg ABDC or Oil Supermajors) and later switch here.
The “ABCD” traders
The ABCD traders form a well-defined group of highly professional massive commodity traders. They are heavily invested and active in agricultural products, yet some of them also trade metals and energy products.
Compared to the main traders above, the ABDC traders are more of an industrial corporation with massive trading desks.
The best perk of their commodity trading career approach is that one will learn the business with an industrial focus.
ABCD commodity traders get to experience first-class trading mentoring and career progression. Check out this informative interview with Ivo Sarjanovic and Martijn Bron, two ex-Cargill traders.
The “NOW” traders:
This group of Asian traders broke into the game in the last decades and has kept gaining market share. Noble, who has been struggling financially for a few years, is more of a generalist (such as Glencore or Trafigura), while Olam and Wilmar lean more towards the ABCD model.
Agri Traders
- COFCO Careers
- ED&F Man Careers
- Cefetra Careers
- Meelunie Careers
- Roquette Careers
- Tate & Lyle Careers
- Viterra Careers
- Tradin Organic Careers
Other Traders
Smaller traders have also an intense presence in markets such as sugar and energy. However, also a great place to start commodity trading careers.
- Hartree Careers
- Engenhart (ECTP) Careers
- Peabody Energy Careers
- Mabanaft Careers
- Danske Commodities Careers
- Outlook Energy Careers
- Castleton Commodities International Careers
- Norlys Energy Trading Careers
- Nitor Energy Careers
- Energi Danmark Careers
- InCommodities Careers
- MFT Energy Careers
- STX Careers
- ACT Commodities Careers
- Convex Energy Careers
- Northpool Trading Careers
Oil 6 Supermajors (World’s Largest Oil Companies)
Household names such as Shell, ExxonMobil, BP, or Total also have trading divisions – and they are MASSIVE trading desks. Somehow more corporate than the average trader, these in-company trading desks might resemble a purchasing or supply chain department in some cases.
If you plan to apply to any of the below companies, have a look at our selection of recommended readings, in particular the books by Daniel Yergin.
Note, that as with many other companies, the best way to break into the trading desk is to start with a Supply Chain or Operations rotational program (unless the company offers specific graduate trader development programs).
- Shell Careers (and Shell Trader Development Programs)
- ExxonMobil Trading UK Careers
- Chevron Trading Careers
- Total Careers
- BP Supply & Trading Careers
- ConocoPhillips Trading Careers
National Oil Company’s (NOC) Trading Arms
The energy markets are huge, and are relatively fragmented. In this sense, the NOCs (ie National Oil Companies) offer trading opportunities as well.
- SEFE (formerly Gazprom) Trading Careers
- Petronas Trading Careers
- Petrobras Careers
- China National Petroleum Company Careers
- Lukoil Trading Careers
- Saudi Aramco Careers
- PetroChina Careers
- Pemex Careers
- Rosneft Careers
- Equinor (former Statoil) Careers
Other Large Oil Refiners
In addition to the massive NOCs above, smaller players are also good starting points and have excellent trading desks.
- Marathon Petroleum Corporation Careers
- Valero Careers
- Eni Careers
- Repsol Careers
- Galp Careers
- Orlen Careers
- OMV Careers
- MOL Group Careers
Utilities, Gas & Power, Energy Producers
Oil companies focus on crude oil and oil products. Energy companies focus on gas, power, and coal. The below companies have huge trading desks. Some might offer trading development positions to cover vacancies.
- EDF Energy Careers
- RWE Careers
- E.ON Careers
- Vattenfall Careers
- Statkraft Careers
- Norsk Hydro Careers
- Iberdrola Careers
- Naturgy Careers
- Orsted Careers
- ScottishPower Careers
- Axpo Careers
- Alpiq Careers
- Centrica Careers
- Uniper Careers
- Eneco Careers
- Energia Group Careers
- BayWa Careers
Chemical Manufacturers
- BASF Careers
- Dow Careers
- INEOS Careers
- LyondellBasell Careers
- Linde Careers
- Air Liquide Careers
- AkzoNobel Careers
- Beiersdorf Careers
- Yara Careers
- DuPont Careers
- Bayer Careers
- Borealis Careers
- Sasol Careers
- dsm-firmenich Careers
Miners
Miners are some of the largest players in commodity markets.
- Anglo American Careers
- BHP Billiton Careers
- Rio Tinto Careers
- Sibanye-Stillwater Careers
- Teck Careers
- De Beers Careers
- Codelco Careers
- RHI Magnesita Careers
Metal Traders
Coffee Traders
Typically smaller in size, large coffee traders are a mix of coffee trading arms at regular commodity trading firms as well as independent coffee trading firms.
RELATED: Who Moves The Coffee Markets? Meet The World’s Largest Green Coffee Traders
- Neumann Kaffee Gruppe Careers
- Ecom Trading Careers
- Olam Careers
- Volcafe / ED&F Man Careers
- LDC Careers
- Sucafina Careers
- Mercon Careers
- Daarnhouwer Careers
Cocoa Traders
- Arasco Food
- Agroforce
- Barry Callebaut Careers
- Natra Careers
- Touton Careers
- INDCRESA
- Kemofina Careers
Dairy Traders
- Interfood Careers
- Fonterra Careers
- Lactalis Careers
- FrieslandCampina Careers
- Land O’Lakes Careers
- Arla Careers
Banks With Commodity Trading/Research Divisions
Banks are increasingly staying away from commodity trading. This means that although they remain a great base to start as a commodity markets analyst or derivatives trader, you won’t generally end up in front-end commodity trading desks here.
Many of the best traders value candidates with experience at prominent banks, although if you want to gain real-world commodities experience it is better to start elsewhere.
- Goldman Sachs Careers
- JPMorgan Chase & Co. Careers
- Bank of America Careers
- Citi Careers
- Barclays Careers
- Morgan Stanley Careers
- BNP Paribas Careers
- HSBC Careers
- DNB Careers
- Macquarie Careers
Independent Traders / Market makers
Manufacturers that hire traders
Commodity Trading Headhunters
Once in, you will notice that you are valuable. Your knowledge is your asset. After all, there are not that many candidates with good knowledge of the Nickel markets, or the ARA/MED gasoil spread.
Remember, once you break into the industry, your value increases according to your understanding and connections in the industry. And since the industry is very small (few traders), you become valuable quite soon and it gets better year after year.
Conversely, if you leave the industry, you run the risk of losing your connections and quickly becoming out of touch with the market.
Headhunters know it, and will put you in touch (confidentially!) with potential employers looking for a profile like you. Maintain a good relationship with them, cause they’ll also be able to help you assess your market value and give commodity trading career advice.
More Application Resources
Remember that we have additional content about how to crack the application process, and prepare your CV & cover letter, as well as additional prep material for your interviews.
If want to get jobs at big commodity trading houses, prepare and learn as much as you can about markets and commodity trading before you apply.
Landing jobs in commodity trading is hard. Prepare you well, and you’ll be one step closer.
