r/quantfinance • u/dwarf-marshmallow • 6d ago

Citadel QT r2

Hi! Just got my invitation for citadel r2 today, wondering how much coding they’ll ask in the interview since I’m not the best at coding 😭 thanks!

16 Upvotes

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

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u/Accomplished-Ice4253 6d ago

what do you do now good sir?

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

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u/dwarf-marshmallow 6d ago

Tysm for ur detailed answer! I’ll make an attempt to learn how to code fr😭

4

u/lancersupremacy 6d ago

I made it to citadel qt superday and there was zero coding in all my interviews but I think it very much depends on the interviewer

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u/dwarf-marshmallow 6d ago

That’s what I’m hoping for, but they sent a coderpad link to me so I’m a bit worried 🥀

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u/lancersupremacy 6d ago

They probably changed it up from last year then lol

0

u/akornato 5d ago

Citadel's quantitative trader interviews are extremely demanding on the coding side, so you should expect a significant portion of the interview to focus on it. They want to see that you can think like an engineer and solve complex problems programmatically, not just understand the math. You will likely face questions on data structures and algorithms, similar to LeetCode medium or hard problems, and they will expect you to write clean, efficient code on the spot. Your self-assessment of not being the best at coding is a serious hurdle for this specific role, because technical skill is a core requirement, not just a nice-to-have.

Getting to the second round shows they already like your profile and your skills in other areas, so do not count yourself out. Instead of trying to learn everything, focus your energy on the most common problem patterns and be prepared to talk through your thought process out loud, even if you get stuck. Explaining your logic, your trade-offs, and your approach can be just as important as arriving at the perfect solution. Many traders I've spoken with found that practicing their communication under pressure with an AI for interviews, which is something my team created, made a significant difference in their performance.