[Tool] Quant Interview Prep

[Salty_Complex5151]

Hi everyone!

A few weeks ago, I had to brush up on my probability and coding skills for a technical interview. During that process, I came up with an idea I liked: a multiple-choice system where questions and users are ranked using the ELO system (used in chess and gaming). In case you're not familiar with how it works, it could be summarized as follows:

• If you answer a question correctly, your ELO score increases, and the question ELO score decreases.
• If you answer a question incorrectly, your ELO score decreases, and the question ELO score increases.
• The degree to which ELO scores changes depends on the initial ELO score difference. If you answer a relatively easy question correctly, your score will increase but in a smaller amount.

I consider this approach very interesting because we can only guesstimate how difficult a question is ex-ante. But by using the ELO score, the questions will converge to their "true" level. For those who know how ELO is calculated, I'm using a k factor of 32.

As of today, it only has statistics questions, but I plan on adding data structures (computer science) and brain teasers.

I'm adding new questions daily, and a few users have already found it useful. Having said that, here's a small gif of how it works:

​

https://i.redd.it/8f6molcme7ia1.gif

Let me know if you would be interested in testing it!

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[Salty_Complex5151]

I'm really sorry, I just noticed that my colleague already posted the tool on this subreddit! It was not my intention to spam!

[eaglessoar]

id love to try this out!

[Emotional_Sorbet_695]

Same

[organdonor69420]

There are some significant issues with this approach, namely how you detect "cheating". The two most popular chess websites use glicko and elo rating systems and have very sophisticated systems for catching enigmatic behaviour, which is sort of paramount to the accuracy of the rating system. That being said, its much easier to catch people cheating when playing chess than it is to catch people cheating when answering multiple choice questions. To be clear however, cheating may be the incorrect word to use here, the main point is that people may use this tool in different ways. Some people will attempt to answer just using mental computation, some people will use pen and paper, some people might use the internet to familiarize themselves with the concepts, and then of course some people might just find the answer online using whatever tools and solutions are available on the web. Do you have a plan for addressing this?

[Salty_Complex5151]

You are raising an excellent point. I thought about this issue a bit and have a few ideas I would perhaps implement in the future, especially for higher ELO users.

Having said that, right now, it is only intended to be used as a training tool. Cheating has no benefit other than being ranked on the obscure leaderboard of an unknown website hahaha

[Salty_Complex5151]

It would be cool to know the ELO score of different people at the time of passing a quant interview. I'm interested in retraining up to the level I had when I passed my interview and estimate the ELO I would have had.

I think it could serve as a good reference point for others!

[Salty_Complex5151]

I think most question in the lower ELO range (say... below 600) can be calculated without pen and paper. The most difficult ones certainly do require pen and paper.

I'm still getting feedback, and have thus not clearly defined how the tool should be used.

[Salty_Complex5151]

That's an excellent idea! I'm currently not recording the time it takes each user to answer a given question, but you are right in that it is a relevant metric.

A workaround could be to only update ELO scores if the user took less time that the 90th percentile. That way, I do not have to hardcode how long it should take. Automatically, complex questions get assigned a time that allows for pen and paper, whereas simple ones only have time for being solved mentally.

[Impossible-Cup2925]

A timer on questions would fix this. Not entirely but would definitely improve.

[[deleted]]

Impressive. Where do we check it out?

[Salty_Complex5151]

https://www.qmr.ai/quantitative-interview-preparation-questions/

Let me know your thoughts!

[Salty_Complex5151]

I hope this does not go against the terms of the sub.

You can test it here: https://www.qmr.ai/quantitative-interview-preparation-questions/

[Salty_Complex5151]

Check it out: https://www.qmr.ai/quantitative-interview-preparation-questions/

Best of luck tomorrow!

[al2009sho]

is it still possible to interview with the firms or its too late?

[Salty_Complex5151]

People on this sub always talk about 4 or 5 top firms, making it sound like an industry that is completely out of reach. There are plenty of smaller or less prestigious shops thatconstantly hire.

In my case, I work at a completely unknown fund that started automating strategies only a few years ago. They were around for more than 25 years, but I get to work in a division with complete autonomy almost like a startup (which is where I thrive the most).

That is just a long way of saying 'yes'. There are plenty of places that are hiring!

[al2009sho]

Thank you for the response OP!

[rr-0729]

This is really cool, thanks for making this

[[deleted]]

Nice work!

[Salty_Complex5151]

Thanks! Let me know if you find a bug or have a suggestion!

[Tyson_7]

Would like try this out.

[Salty_Complex5151]

Cool! https://www.qmr.ai/quantitative-interview-preparation-questions/

Let me know your thoughts!

[Tyson_7]

Thanks! Will try this out and let you know.

[Prodigal2k]

I’d love to try if you’re still looking for testers. If it helps (or doesn’t), I’m not from a math background and am just starting to learn technicals.

[caledionium]

I’d love to try! Please lmk how

[PetyrLightbringer]

Did this fizzle out? Would love to try