Best time to apply for Quant Trading internships
Hi
I am planning for apply for summer 2021 Quant trading internship at JSC, Optiver etc. Most of these firms are already accepting applications for 2021 summer but they don't seem to have any particular deadlines.
I can apply now but there is a lot of material I am planning to study between now and start of summer which is important such as mental math, probability, EV, combinatorics, programming etc. The problem is, if I apply now, I am not ready for the interview. I want to apply when I am fully ready.
When do final year students normally apply for summer internships ? If I apply around Apr/May next year, am I leaving it too late ?
Thanks
Just apply now
The way I understand it is that many shops recruit on a rolling basis until summer classes are full. This means a lot of places will just keep hosting Superdays and giving offers throughout the end of the year and maybe into Jan/Feb of 2021. Keep in mind most people who recruit for these jobs are STEM students who otherwise be headed to a FAANG-like company. The recruitment process is a little delayed but I have hardly ever heard of these places taking people in March/April.
I would apply asap. They give out the first round for tests, in general, quickly (couple days to a week) then give you around a week to complete it. But, you are doing yourself a disservice waiting a while.
Thanks guys. From these replies, it seems like I am probably going to miss the boat if I don't apply now.
But the problem I have is, there is a ton of material I have planned to study in the next few months
that is very much focused at JSC/Optiver etc and knowing what their interview process is like,
I don't think I stand a chance without the preparation I have planned to do.
So I probably need to allocate more time than I had planned so I can get ready quicker than I had planned.
FWIW, my background is that I have BEng telecomms & computer networks (2008) and after working in the industry since my degree,
I have decided to switch career. After spending last few months studying maths (from scratch) and researching about interview process,
I plan to go these resources
A first course in probability, Heard on the street, Into to (and Intermediate) counting & probability, some python, cracking the coding interview, AIME problems on counting and probability, Secrets Of Mental Math
Based on my research, I think that's the minimum I have to study to stand a chance in these interviews but I am open to suggestions :)
So the worst case will be, I wont be ready in time and most of the summer positions will be filled by the time I am ready in which case I will have to go straight for full time roles, but I understand some of these firms might be biased against full time candidates who have not been their interns.
Thanks
If you graduated in 2008, there is no realistic chance that you can even get an interview at these places. I suggest either trading on your own or applying to a lower tier place like peak6 as a systems engineer and looking to lateral into trading.
Wait, you graduated from undergrad in 2008? Are you in a like a masters/phd program? Depending on the school you go to, I don't think JSC just hands out first rounds for their internship role, so I would apply ASAP if that's the company you would want to go to. Moreover, places like these have lots of rounds of interviews (think 4/5/6), which spans potentially over a month. So, you could be studying while interviewing. As someone who will be a decade or so older than the other candidates, I don't think you should take it this slow. Most counting & probability principles (relevant to interviews) can be learned in a day and you have some sort of CS degree (so Python should be quick as well). I interned at one of the two firms that you mentioned, and you have to understand that not all interns are doing this much prep. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and take a chance. Moreover, if you apply late to Optiver, I'm pretty sure you can't apply again for a period of time. Goodluck
Omnis tenetur et qui possimus quis. Laborum tempora fugiat et non itaque nostrum quaerat nulla.
Commodi doloribus quae sequi ut perferendis. Similique qui voluptate laudantium dolorem. Aut vel consequatur sit cupiditate. Illo ea consequatur voluptatem sapiente mollitia fugiat voluptas ea.
Vero libero possimus nisi quia nisi. Incidunt in voluptatem nostrum qui. Reprehenderit sint excepturi pariatur omnis. Harum ipsum omnis consequuntur impedit consequuntur voluptates.
Non molestiae amet a asperiores. Sequi nulla nemo sunt dolores qui cum animi. Illum totam quas asperiores officiis quis voluptatem et. Consectetur id culpa dolores iure.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...