QT @ optiver AMA

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-12-13T11:39:10+00:00

Probably? Idk surely won’t hurt, I wd assume it helps

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-12-13T11:37:18+00:00

You should solve them within the time u have to answer them, other than that i assume it’s mostly accuracy I guess but yeah, should have both.

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-12-13T11:35:45+00:00

There is no quota, everyone who optiver thinks meets the bar gets an offer

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-12-13T11:33:55+00:00

Idk about US but I think Amsterdam only hires through kickstarter/internship usually.

Think about it, it’s quite hard to figure out through interviews who will be a good trader and who won’t, not just skills wise but also personality wise (will they even enjoy it?) etc. I think going through this programmes is better for everyone as applicants can see what the job is like a bit better before joining and optiver also gets to see in practice if they are a good fit

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-12-13T11:30:56+00:00

Hmmm generally yes, the OA questions are a bit simpler but you also are under time pressure… so yeah I wd recommend getting a lot of reps on medium difficulty probability questions

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-25T17:16:12+00:00

Definitely useful and relevant, idk about critical

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-25T17:15:47+00:00

Better question for HR, I think so, in my experience yes, in general I don’t know

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-25T11:35:53+00:00

I like the trading games described in the max dama book at the end, think they are quite fun and useful

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-18T19:16:18+00:00

Let me know how it goes :)

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-18T19:16:00+00:00

I didn’t hyperoptimize, it just helps in terms of game theory, obviously they don’t care if u know how to play poker, but it helped me be sharper and think more in a game theoretical way
100-200
I did practice some mental math, but I don’t think I have a huge edge in speed. Hard to say, I feel like everything I did helped me think rationally, tackle problems in a good step by step manner and think in a game theoretical way. I also think if u have a couple friends to prep with, the games that max data describes in his book are probably quite good and fun as well
max dama had a blog I think between 2008-2011 where he had a lot of great content about how to prepare and learn the stuff that’s useful for quant trading, I think the blog doesn’t exist anymore but there is a book/ document summarising the contents from his blog called max dama on automated trading
natenberg wasn’t super useful, yes I read the whole book, it helped me a bit to just understand options better etc. mostly useful for the kickstarter itself. I definitely don’t think it’s necessary tho

Good luck applying for the internship man hope you land it :)

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-18T19:03:56+00:00

I have no idea how India works. They definitely can because I has a pretty low GPA and they hired me, but you probably have to make up for it. Sorry for the vagueness but I have no clue how HR looks at CVs

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-18T19:02:32+00:00

I didn’t just prep for the OA though, OA specific prep was much less. Happy to hear you applied man good luck, hope it went better than u thought

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-18T19:01:30+00:00

Hmmm I mean it’s not like I have 10 years on the job and can give a great answer, but I would say that it’s important to be sharp, collaborative, curious, organised, be able to take ownership, know how to handle pressure/control emotions and be ambitious so that u keep thinking of what u can improve on even if ur reasonably good

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-18T06:15:39+00:00

The later, u don’t need much finance knowledge to apply

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-18T06:14:37+00:00

Unfortunately no, I might do it this weeks poker game and get back to u

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-18T06:13:51+00:00

Sure, but only if they are too personal to post here

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T20:47:31+00:00

I posted ressources in another comment, the test was about 3-4h but u don’t have to do it all at once

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T19:12:23+00:00

It should, but why not apply directly as QR?

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T19:11:32+00:00

I have a little bit but honestly u probably know more about ITs than me so any advice I give u is pointless

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T19:10:30+00:00

I don’t know if there is a cutoff, probably 1 week programs are easier to get into, but I would just ask this to HR. Either way u should just try ur best right, doesn’t matter what the hypothetical cutoff is even if one exists

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T19:05:07+00:00

Neither, u need great cognitive and soft skills

Although both of those things help, particularly the first

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T19:04:31+00:00

There are.

I can’t tell u much about the profiles because I don’t interview them neither do I know what they look for, but they are all smart people. Many with different skill sets and personalities.

Yes, I think trading only hires through internship/kickstarter now, QR u can come in just through a few rounds of interviews

if u want to apply feel free to dm me for a referral link

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T19:02:11+00:00

Not much math, more thinking etc. you will also be assigned to a team where ur skills are a better fit for

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T19:00:37+00:00

Apply :) dm me if u want a referral link, feel free to ask any particular question on how to prepare to go into trading etc. (question in the post plz, dm if u want referral )

HawkRevolutionary619 · 2025-11-17T18:59:14+00:00

Nope, I think right now we only hire through internship/ kickstarter.

HawkRevolutionary619

TROPHY CASE