Moving Over From Top Tech

[lseactuary]

I work on the business/product side of a top tech firm and am looking for a new challenge. I started researching prop trading firms for junior trader type roles and they have open roles I seem to fit the criteria for. I applied to a couple, scored interviews, aced the competency and experience ques but completely bombed the brainteasers as I was not prepared.

Can someone point me in the right direction for what books/apps/etc I can learn the brainteasers from? It is becoming my main roadblocker from moving forwards. Or am I just not intelligent enough as I should be able to ace these naturally?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Tom Maloney]

How do you know it's the brainteaser questions that are your roadblock? Maybe if we all show the interviewers the error in their ways, they'll stop asking these types of questions:
Google's infamous brain-teaser interview questions don't predict performance

 

[lseactuary]

How do you know it's the brainteaser questions that are your roadblock? Maybe if we all show the interviewers the error in their ways, they'll stop asking these types of questions:
Google's infamous brain-teaser interview questions don't predict performance

That is the feedback they gave. In one pro trading place the interview started was entirely brainteasers and after 3 questions the guy literally gave up asking and rejected me on the spot.

 

[Tom Maloney]

That is the feedback they gave. In one pro trading place the interview started was entirely brainteasers and after 3 questions the guy literally gave up asking and rejected me on the spot.

I would walk away from that place and not think twice about it. Do you want to work for a guy who doesn't know how to interview?

 

[BeepImaJeep]

For what it's worth, I disagree with the other guy. He doesn't know what he's talking about.

OP here's what you are looking for. You can most certainly prepare for it and there's a reasonable chance you'll be asked a question that you have seen before.

Amazon.com: Heard on the Street: Quantitative Questions from Wall Street Job Interviews (9780970055293): Timothy Falcon Crack: Books.

It's pretty much the bible for prop trading interviews. Its also helpful to look on Glassdoor for the companies you are interview for. Questions tend to be similar.

However, here's a warning. While these prop shops may interview a lot of people, there's practically no trader/junior that I know from a business/tech background, especially at the more reputable firms.

 

[lseactuary]

For what it's worth, I disagree with the other guy. He doesn't know what he's talking about.

OP here's what you are looking for. You can most certainly prepare for it and there's a reasonable chance you'll be asked a question that you have seen before.

Amazon.com: Heard on the Street: Quantitative Questions from Wall Street Job Interviews (9780970055293): Timothy Falcon Crack: Books.

It's pretty much the bible for prop trading interviews. Its also helpful to look on Glassdoor for the companies you are interview for. Questions tend to be similar.

However, here's a warning. While these prop shops may interview a lot of people, there's practically no trader/junior that I know from a business/tech background, especially at the more reputable firms.

Thanks for the link!

For the last comment - is that because people with a business/tech/product background don't make good traders or they prefer hiring a different type of person? What would I need to do to work at such a firm?

I trade my own money for fun using a couple of strategies I tweaked/demo'd and have a stats/finance/actuarial degree from a 'target'. Getting the interview is less a problem vs getting through the brainteasers hence I posted. Would love to hear your thoughts if I am shooting in the dark though.

Perhaps Strats or something would be more suitable?

 

[BeepImaJeep]

Do people with business/tech/product make good traders? That's hard to say. There isn't a lot of precedence, especially recently. The skill sets used are not really overlapping, but it's not like the ivy-league undergrads that are coming directly from college that you are competing against have anything special over you.

Do they have a hiring bias? I don't think so. I'd like to think it's fairly meritocratic. However, for whatever reason, there isn't a lot of racial/gender/background diversity.

Ace the brainteasers/math. It's by far the most influential factor. Good luck.

 

[lseactuary]

Do people with business/tech/product make good traders? That's hard to say. There isn't a lot of precedence, especially recently. The skill sets used are not really overlapping, but it's not like the ivy-league undergrads that are coming directly from college that you are competing against have anything special over you.

Do they have a hiring bias? I don't think so. I'd like to think it's fairly meritocratic. However, for whatever reason, there isn't a lot of racial/gender/background diversity.

Ace the brainteasers/math. It's by far the most influential factor. Good luck.

Understood and appreciate the heads up!

 

[meadow]

Are they brainteasers or just logic/probability questions?

 

[lseactuary]

Are they brainteasers or just logic/probability questions?

Both