Optiver

Role: Quantitative (Trader/Researcher) - Futurefocus Program

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: February 2025

Interview Type: Internship/New Grad (pre-penultimate programs)

Result: Selected (implied)

Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Rounds: 3 (Online Assessments, Screening Interview, Technical Interview)

Topics Asked: Arithmetic, Sequences, Probability (Expected Value), Zap-N, Personality, Behavioral, Brainteasers, Market Making Game.

Experience:

This experience details the preparation and interview process for Optiver's "futurefocus" program.

Online Assessments:
The OA included several tests:

• 80 in 8 arithmetic test (80 questions in 8 minutes). The candidate "kinda bombed it" despite practicing.
• Sequences test.
• Probability test.
• Zap-N (described as "flipping burgers, srsly?").
• Personality test.

The advice for OAs was to practice, as many smart people are rejected due to lack of preparation.

Screening Interview:
A mix of behavioral and technical questions. Behavioral questions were mostly about the resume and personality traits. Technical questions were simple brainteasers and applications of expected value, described as "nothing too hard."

Technical Interview:
This round involved more difficult technical questions, including brainteasers and probability problems. A relatively simple market-making game was also part of this round, where the candidate had to calculate expected values on the fly. The candidate emphasized making sure the interviewer understood their thought process constantly, which they believed helped them get through despite messing up a few technicals.

Overall advice included practicing OAs, knowing probability (especially conditional probability and expected value), and speaking clearly and concisely in interviews, explaining the thought process.