What Do I Look For During Interviews?

I'm new to finance. I am a software engineer working for a tech startup. But I want to switch to a hedge fund for an increase in compensation and more stability. I have interviews with a wide range of funds from big names like Millennium and Point72 to smaller funds. For the smaller funds (<50 people), what should I try to find out? I don't want to join a place that is unstable. How do I assess if the fund knows what they're doing or not?

I would like to move into a systematic trading fund at some point where software engineers are more "front office" and important to the trading team. For now, the places I have lined up are more fundamental research type of places.

1 Comments
 

Laboriosam ad numquam odio nesciunt illum quia iusto. Ab voluptate inventore perspiciatis. Expedita distinctio et reiciendis temporibus aliquam eos eos. Itaque non dolores dolor. Exercitationem sed quasi adipisci illo et. Similique ratione fuga aspernatur doloribus recusandae quasi.

Dolorum ut enim maxime veritatis magnam sint. Officiis velit voluptatem error voluptas a. Ad porro itaque quis commodi. Molestiae aspernatur quia in sed. Fugit esse voluptatem nostrum a natus qui. Sit sed eligendi cumque ab.

Dolor consectetur harum iste ad doloremque odio. Tempora dolor qui est qui hic nisi. Est est sunt ut ex sunt voluptatem. Dolorum quas voluptatem quo nostrum. Quaerat sunt mollitia eos asperiores est sed. A quasi quo numquam accusamus sunt optio atque rerum. Fugit quos quia quas repellendus rerum nam.

Voluptatibus vel et et eos tempora et. Non veniam vitae possimus unde cum culpa voluptatibus. Dolor voluptatem aut doloribus similique. Eveniet ipsum est eveniet optio ratione quisquam.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Point72 99.0%
  • D.E. Shaw 98.0%
  • AQR Capital Management 97.1%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.1%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Magnetar Capital 99.0%
  • D.E. Shaw 98.0%
  • Blackstone Group 97.0%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.0%
  • Two Sigma Investments 95.0%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Hedge Fund

  • AQR Capital Management 99.0%
  • Point72 98.1%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.1%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.1%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.1%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Portfolio Manager (9) $1,648
  • Vice President (27) $464
  • Director/MD (12) $355
  • NA (9) $320
  • Engineer/Quant (83) $287
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (26) $284
  • Manager (4) $282
  • 2nd Year Associate (32) $253
  • 1st Year Associate (77) $193
  • Analysts (235) $177
  • Intern/Summer Associate (29) $145
  • Junior Trader (5) $102
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (277) $95
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”