Susquehanna International Group Final Round Interview

Hi guys, I've just passed the 2nd round interviews for SIG (Trading Internship), and I was wondering if anyone has any insights or advice for the final round interviews there. I heard that this is going to be an on-site interview at the firm. Will this be any different from the previous interviews I had? (i.e. 99% math questions, no fit questions)

If so, what kind of math problems should I expect? Will it be similar to previous rounds or just excruciatingly difficult?

Thanks for the input.

 
Best Response

I interviewed there for a position a while ago. Im sure the content will be a little different for an internship, but my general format was rotating around the trading floor having casual interviews with different teams, then interviews with HR and potential managers. I also had a group problem solving session where you work through brain teasers with the other applicants.

Its pretty casual there. Their training program for trading is pretty cool, they make all their trainees play some >200hours of texas hold'em before they even see a bloomberg terminal. Very liberal place. Dress code is full casual.

No one on one math questions like there were on the first two rounds of interviews, just the group problem solving. Could be different for an internship though. Hope this helps

 

I wore a suit for the internship final round (trading), perhaps was a little overdressed. Had a 1 hour, 2 on 1 interview that covered some fit/background questions, but was mostly brainteasers. Difficult, but less difficult than what I'd experienced at some other places (Jane Street, Chopper, and some bank). I went about a problem the wrong way and refused to concede that I was wrong for a while, this was a terrible move. It probably led them to believe that I was far too stubborn. No offer, but I didn't fee like I deserved one.

 

i had a first round interview and got dinged.

first round is HR and all fit other than brainteasers/probability problems at the end.

i didn't expect that at all cause i've been interviewing entirely with banking and have never had that come up.

got dinged because i bombed the probability problem.

 

Hello, I am not sure if you got the gig at SIG PE or not but wanted to reach out to you. What was the phone interview like. Was it just mainly finance/hr fit questions or did they ask more prob questions just like they do for the trading side. Thanks. Dawggy.

 

SIG ER isn't as reputable as SIG trading from what I know - completely separate, and since SIG is only known for its excellence in trading (but correct me if im wrong), it's only reasonable that ER gets discounted a bit

I don't accept sacrifices and I don't make them. ... If ever the pleasure of one has to be bought by the pain of the other, there better be no trade at all. A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud.
 

The offer does seem quite low according to industry standards, so I guess they are not really pushing/profiting their research activities and are just not interested in paying up to attract the best candidates.

On the upside, I would imagine that the working hours -and stress levels- will not be away from 9-5, unlike BB research jobs.

It all comes down to what other choices you have. If this is the only option, take it, try it, and look for an early move if you are not happy. Appart from moving to hedge funds, research analysts usually end up working in the industry they cover: corporate finance, investor relations, etc

 

I think the answer to this question is in the difference between an options market-making firm and a traditional S&T division of a bank. They are fundamentally doing very different things, so your function in ER would be drastically different depending on the position you sign with. In truth, ER isn't quite as important in options market-making as one might think.

 

ER at SIG isn't valued the same way as trading by the management. It's tough to be in research when you can tell it's not their main focus. I wouldn't expect big raises in ER either, but I don't know that area very well.

Exit opportunities vary. I would think moving laterally to a BB would be possible, but only if you're not locked in with a non-compete (which they make people sign before the market maker class, so I don't know if there is a non-compete for ER)

 

Great place to be. Brilliant people. Know a guy who used to lead the team there, guy was an all star. SGE is a great place to work if you have the opportunity. Relaxed atmosphere when it comes to pitching investment theses. They sit around a table and shoot the shit. The compensation is also great.

 

thanks for the reply triple play. I graduated this may (2007) and currently work for a small valuation firm. so i wouldn't even say its a boutique since there is no deal flow just purely valuations. i guess my level of experience is comparable to undergrad?

 

they did start their group in '05 i believe. They have a number of young bankers. I believe you will fit what they are looking for as far as the analyst level. I dont think they hire too much out of undergrad, thats why I asked but Im not totally sure about that. Obviously trading is the strong point and as far as I know they have a huge capital base, much bigger than most lower MM firms. The Asia group just got on the cover of the 900m Giant Interactive IPO recently, albeit a small co-manager role but that is still a pretty sweet deal for a lower MM bank. But they have the ability as the business gains experience to be a significant player in the low-to-middle market capital markets activity. I believe HR does first round phone interviews and from what I understand, expect alot of probability / logic questions and some basic fit questions. After that, I would assume you would interview with the bankers but I dunno. Good luck.

 

I was wondering what the analyst pay is for IBD at Susquehanna? I had a friend who started working there and said they don't pay "great" early on, but it gets much better after a few years. So does that mean they don't pay typical starting analyst pay, but it gets better, or do they still pay comparable to other banks?

 

triple play, thanks for the response. sorry for the slow reply.

if anyone else know more about this firm and the answers to sucker_for_seers questions it would be great to hear.

 
WegmansTuna:
Very quantitative interview. You will be solely judged based on how you answer the probability/brainteasers. Review those types of questions.

yup. a couple of brainteasers. they like jocks.

The world has changed. And we must change with it.

------------ I'm making it up as I go along.
 
  • they LOVE poker (they will love you if you played competitive poker)
  • they LOVE competition junkies. tournament chess, sports, etc.

definitely talk those two things up in the behavioral questions. there is very little bullshit. she pretty much reads questions off a sheet.

my phone interview a year or so ago was 10-15 mins of behavioral and 15 mins of dice, cards, brainteasers.

 

I thought Jane Street was worse though. Not sure why they would ask mental math questions over the phone and ask that you not to use a calculator or paper. Might as well just skip those and move onto something more useful. How much can you learn from a person by asking them what 159 x 54 is?

 

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