Optiver, Peak 6, etc

[FCXoptions]

This weekend I was at an event at the CME and several firms that sponsored it had employees and/or recruiters come to talk with us. Optiver had a guy from Harvard, Peak 6 had a guy from MIT, and there were several other firms there. Do these firms pretty much exclusively look for candidates from those top tier target schools? Most of the guys I talked with basically said if you are reasonably fast at basic math calculations and are a quick learner then you have good odds of getting on regardless of the school...obviously that meant very little to me considering they were from those top schools.

I also talked with Eldorado and Akuna, I really enjoyed talking with both.

 

[nazzdack]

----event at the CME....
----Optiver had a guy from Harvard....
----Peak 6 had a guy from MIT....
----several other firms there.
----exclusively look for candidates from those top tier target schools?
----reasonably fast at basic math calculations....
----quick learner....
----good odds of getting on regardless of the school....
----Eldorado and Akuna....

1) Do you attend DePaul?
2) Besides "academic pedigree" and scoring "off the charts" on standardized math tests, they all tend to want programming ability too.
3) I don't know if Optiver still administers "The 3" math tests to applicants. I scored too low on the first to be considered any further. Do a search here for the math simulators to practice the test and see how high you might score.
4) Be willing to apply anywhere & everywhere and hope for the best.

 

[FCXoptions]

1) Do you attend DePaul?
2) Besides "academic pedigree" and scoring "off the charts" on standardized math tests, they all tend to want programming ability too.
3) I don't know if Optiver still administers "The 3" math tests to applicants. I scored too low on the first to be considered any further. Do a search here for the math simulators to practice the test and see how high you might score.
4) Be willing to apply anywhere & everywhere and hope for the best.

No, I go to school in TN. I was in this trading competition the CME puts on for students and placed in the top 10% so they had a big event for all the teams.

Programming was definitely mentioned by many of the firms but not all of them said they viewed it as necessary to get a position. I think I do need to work on learning to program though. I just don't have the time currently, but hopefully this summer I might be able to dedicate a little time everyday after work to start learning.

Optiver did mention the math tests. He said basic math to see how fast you are, some statistics, and then a test on sequences I believe was the last one.

I definitely am willing to apply everywhere. I should graduate next summer, so I am going to start working on applying to firms now.