Chimera Securities Interview Questions (2026) - 17 Entries

Chimera Securities Interview Questions

17 total interview insight submissions

Interview Experience (81%)

The Interview Experience is a score from 1 star (very negative) to 5 stars (very positive) generated based on the Interview Insights at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. If you hover over the various sections of the donut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few interview insights). Simply put, as a company gets more reviews, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to its simple average and away from the average of the entire dataset.

3.6

Very Negative
Negative
Neutral
Positive
Very Positive

Interview Difficulty (78%)

The Interview Difficulty is a score ranging from very difficult (red) to very easy (green) generated based on the Interview Insights at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. The higher the number, the more difficult the interviews on average. If you hover over the various sections of the doughnut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few interview insights). Simply put, as a company gets more insights, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to its simple average and away from the average of the entire data set.

2.6

Very Easy
Easy
Average
Difficult
Very Difficult

% Interns - FT Offers (45%)

The % of Interns Getting a Full Time Offer chart is meant to provide a realistic estimate of the hiring practices of the company based on the reviews at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. If you hover over the various sections of the doughnut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few reviews). Simply put, as a company gets more reviews, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to the simple company average and away from the average of the entire data set.

35%

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100%

Interviews at Chimera Securities

Get Prepared

Year

Job Title

Group/Division

Location

Experience

Difficulty

Junior Trader

Year 2014

Job Title Junior Trader

Group/Division Generalist

Location New York

Experience

Neutral

Difficulty

Average

Other

Year 2014

Job Title Other

Group/Division Prop Trading

Location New York

Experience

Positive

Difficulty

Difficult

Trader

Year 2014

Job Title Trader

Group/Division Prop Trading

Location New York

Experience

Neutral

Difficulty

Average

Junior Trader

Year 2014

Job Title Junior Trader

Group/Division Prop Trading

Location New York

Experience

Neutral

Difficulty

Average

Intern

Year 2014

Job Title Intern

Group/Division Prop Trading

Location New York

Experience

Neutral

Difficulty

Average

Junior Trader

Year 2013

Job Title Junior Trader

Group/Division Prop Trading

Location New York

Experience

Positive

Difficulty

Easy

Intern

Year 2012

Job Title Intern

Group/Division

Location New York

Experience

Neutral

Difficulty

Easy

Interview Questions & Answers - Chimera Securities Examples

Entry Level Equity Trader Interview - Trading

Anonymous interview candidate in New York

Interviewed: October 2025

Date Submitted: Nov 11, 2025

Outcome

Declined Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

2-3 months

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Interview

Applied online through handshake. First went through a 15 minute screening call with HR person asked very basic questions: Are you currently working, when did you graduate, why do you want to be a trader. Then they shared some info about the company and position. It's an extremely low base comp role. After screening call was invited for virtual teams interview with two traders at the firm. This interview lasted 30 minutes, and was entirely behavioral. Tell me about yourself, strengths, weaknesses, biggest risk you have ever taken, what type of trader do you think you would be. Following this, was invited for final round to interview in person at the NYC office (union square) with the head trader. It ended up being with the head trader and one of the other traders. Mainly behavioral with some basic technical questions just about understanding equity markets. Asked if I had any prior experience trading, if I was okay with the low comp in the role, as well as what skills do I have that would make me a good trader. This interview lasted about 40 minutes and was then given a tour of the office, which is basically a large trading floor and a small lounge/kitchen. The environment is extremely relaxed with everyone in casual clothes. The interview invite in person will say that the office is relaxed so casual clothing is fine, but obviously wear a suit regardless. Everyone I spoke to and interviewed with was definitely nice but did not get a very hard working cutthroat vibe from the place.

Interview Questions

Was asked what I wanted from my early career and if I was okay with not making much money early on to learn the equity trading space.

They said that their current first year traders range from having $100 of bandwidth to trade daily and $2000, which to me seemed low. Asked if I am risk averse and would be comfortable in the trading environment and moving up in terms of responsibility and access to more trading capital.

Sample Answer

trader Interview - Trading

Anonymous interview candidate in Jupiter

Interviewed: September 2024

Date Submitted: Nov 05, 2024

Outcome

No Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

Less than 1 month

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Interview

Good questions were asked. Mainly behavior question regarding your background and why company. Some example questions are Why voloridge, are you familiar with what we do, when do you graduate. Why should we hire you. Are you willing to relocate. Tells me a lot about the company.

Interview Questions

Why do you want to be a trader

Sample Answer

Equity Trader Trainee Program Interview - Prop Trading

Anonymous interview candidate in New York

Interviewed: March 2023

Date Submitted: Jul 13, 2023

Outcome

No Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

Less than 1 month

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Interview

I met the recruiters in my university's career fair. They asked me to apply online. So I applied online for their September 2023 training program. First I received a 15-minute phone interview, in which they asked me following questions:

1) Why do you want to do trading/become a trader?
2) Why do you want to join chimera securites?
3) [I forgot question number 3]
4) Are you okay with not being paid?
Then they said, if selected, their will be two more rounds of interview in-person, in their office. I think I did really well in the first interview, but they still rejected me.

Interview Questions

I didn't face any unexpected questions, they asked all basic questions like: Why do you want to do trading? Why chimera securities?, etc.

Sample Answer

Trader Trainee Interview - Prop Trading

Anonymous employee in New York

Interviewed: September 2019

Date Submitted: Oct 21, 2019

Outcome

Accepted Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

1-2 months

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Group Interview

Interview

I applied online and got a phone interview a week after. Then I was invited to their office 2 times for onsite interview.

Interview Questions

Mostly fit questions, temperament questions, and experience questions. I was asked to answer following questions: Why Trading? Why chimera? Have you applied to other companies? Do you have trading experience before? What platform did you use to trade? How did you get interested in trading? What do you do outside of work? What are the challenges to be a trader? Why do you think you will be a good trader? What is the non-financially riskiest thing you have done in the past? What type of trader do you think you will be?

Sample Answer

Equity Trader Trainee Interview - Prop Trading

Anonymous employee in New York

Interviewed: November 2017

Date Submitted: Oct 20, 2019

Outcome

Accepted Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

1-2 months

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Interview

Started off by applying online through a LinkedIn job posting and followed up with an email to the poster. She then reached out a couple days later asking to set up a phone screening interview. After that there were two in person interviews - first with a trader and then with the head trader.

Interview Questions

1.) You have two ropes and a lighter. Each rope has the following property: If you light one end of the rope, it will take one hour to burn to the other end. They don't necessarily burn at a uniform rate. How can you measure a period of 45 minutes?

2.) There was a big conversation on why do you think most prop traders fail (

Sample Answer

Equity Trader Interview - Sales and Trading

Anonymous employee in New York

Interviewed: October 2018

Date Submitted: Nov 06, 2018

Outcome

Accepted Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

1-2 months

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Interview

Started off with application online. Got a phone call from the HR director. She started off with some basic behavior questions.

Then when I said I would like to move forward, after the directive if the 4 month unpaid part, she set up a formal phone interview- went over training and applicable stuff during the internship side.

Set up a technical interview with a trader there.

Interview Questions

Expected Value questions from a die. I don’t remember the exact questions- more or less: what’s the EV if rolling 2 odd numbers with 2 die... not hard, but stuff like that.

Another was describe your strategy as if I were an entry level trader. Makes you simplify sophisticated concepts. More or less behavioral since they want to know how you’re thinking about your strategy and style.

They also ask some questions about current market conditions specific to equities since they only trade equities- they also have some option traders, but entry level traders aren’t allowed to trade equities.

Sample Answer

Equity Trainee Interview

Anonymous interview candidate in New York

Interviewed: October 2017

Date Submitted: Oct 27, 2017

Outcome

No Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

1-2 months

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Interview

I did a twenty minute interview with the HR hiring representative. It was a brief overview. In addition, met with a trader one on one.

Interview Questions

What was the greatest risk you ever took?
What do you know about technical analysis?
Why do you want to be a trader?
What is you academic background, how do you think it is applicable to trading?
Are you comfortable with a unpaid four month internship and the chance you might not be hired as a full time trader?
Although you don't trade currently, what type of trader do you think you would be?
Do you currently trade at the moment?
What type of competitive background do you have? How do you think this is applicable to trading?

Sample Answer

Prop Trader Interview - Prop Trading

Anonymous employee in New York

Interviewed: August 2015

Date Submitted: Nov 06, 2016

Outcome

Accepted Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

1-2 months

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Interview

It's about three interviews-- phone and then two in-person interviews.

First phone is to just check interest and then others are with traders.

Interview Questions

Pretty basic overall interview process. They want you to demonstrate a strong interest in trading because first four months are unpaid and so you have to be committed to the program. Then they try to get to know you because a lot of the process is just trying to gauge if you'll be a good fit in the company culture. It's a pretty tight knit group of about 100 traders and it's like a professional fraternity-- in the least douchy sounding way possible. They don't ask too difficult of technical questions. They want to make sure you can handle pressure so they ask you a couple brain teasers.

Sample Answer

Trading Interview - Sales and Trading

Anonymous interview candidate in New York

Interviewed: June 2013

Date Submitted: Jan 16, 2015

Outcome

Declined Offer

Interview Source

College / University / On Campus Recruiting

Length of Process

Less than 1 month

Application

Phone Interview

Interview

Applied during junior year. The interviewing process typically begins with a phone screen. The phone interview is entirely behavioral. There is a large emphasis on why trading and why Chimera. Not difficult. Later stage will have you meet with the head of trading and a director, this is more technical but easy to handle if you have a good accounting/finance background.

Interview Questions

Will you be able to take the series 56 within the next few weeks and commit to training? My school schedule is "xyz" I can commit to the exam as soon as I complete the training program. Additionally I have studied xyz to prepare.

Sample Answer

Junior Trader Interview - Equity Capital Markets

Anonymous interview candidate in New York

Interviewed: April 2014

Date Submitted: Dec 16, 2014

Outcome

No Offer

Interview Source

Applied Online

Length of Process

2-3 months

Application

Phone Interview

1 on 1 Interview

Interview

After submitting your resume, Chimera will email you asking to set up your first phone interview. Don't sweat the first phone call because it usually last for 5 minutes. One of the receptionist are just calling to ask you when you would like to schedule your first real phone interview. Then, you will receive a second phone interview. Here, you will be asked why you are passionate about trading, have you ever traded before (doesn't matter if you have or not), 3 strengths of a trader, and a chance to ask questions. If they like you, they will have another trader conduct a phone interview with you. Including the first phone call by the receptionist, I would expect to go through 3 to 4 phone interviews before being called to interview at their main office. Between each phone call, you should expect a 1-2 week delay (Chimera is very slow / inefficient at conducting interviews).

Finally, if they are interested enough you will have a final interview at their office. They once again ask you why you are passionate about the market and what you consider to be 3 strengths of any trader (Ex. 1) minimize and control risk 2) control emotions 3) hard work ethic). However, be prepared to answer mathematical questions. For example, I was asked if there were 20 socks in a drawer (10 black and 10 white), how many socks would need to be pulled out (1 sock at a time) to guarantee there will be at least one pair? ANS- 3 socks. Or, how many socks would need to be pulled out to guarantee at least one pair of black socks? ANS- 12, because theoretically the first 10 socks could be white.

This is more than enough information regarding Chimera's interview process.

Interview Questions

3 Strengths of a Trader?

Why are you interested in trading?

-Convey that you are passionate.

I have 3 cups. One cup has $10,000 inside of it. If I offered you $1,000 up front, would you take the money or take a chance at winning $10,000 by picking out of one of the cups?

-I would take a chance at picking the $10,000 inside of a cup, because my expected outcome (based on probability) is higher than taking $1,000. I have a 1/3rd chance at sellecting the correct cup, which translates into an expected winnings of approximately $3,333. This is greater than receiving $1,000.

Sample Answer

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