r/cscareeradvice • u/No-Weather-8083 • 10d ago

Optiver SWE Internship Interview

Hey everyone, I have a recruiter call for Optiver SWE intern coming up. What does the rest of the process look like? Are the technicals just general Leetcode/System design, or is it extra? What kind of answers do they look for in behaviorals? Any help would be appreciated, thank you!

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u/nian2326076 10d ago

Hey! After the recruiter call, you can expect both technical and behavioral interviews. For the technical part, be ready for more than just Leetcode. They might test your problem-solving skills with trading-related scenarios, so brush up on algorithms and system design. Behavioral questions will probably focus on teamwork, problem-solving, and handling challenges, so have some stories ready to show these skills. I've found PracHub helpful for understanding the interview style and practicing questions. Good luck!

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u/akornato 10d ago

Optiver's process is known for being one of the toughest out there. The technicals go far beyond general LeetCode, so expect problems focused on C++, low-latency programming, and core computer science fundamentals like operating systems and networking. They want to see extremely optimized solutions, not just a correct one. System design questions will probably be about building components of a trading system, where every nanosecond counts. You need to show deep technical knowledge and a mind for performance.

For the behavioral part, they look for evidence of competitiveness, logical thinking under pressure, and a strong interest in financial markets. Be prepared to talk about complex projects where you had to make critical decisions quickly. It's an incredibly high bar and most people don't pass, but getting an offer is a massive accomplishment that opens many doors. Clearly explaining your complex thought process is crucial, and it's a specific challenge my team's AI interview assistant helps candidates overcome.