Market making

Optiver interview guide

Best known for its numerical screen: a mental arithmetic test of eighty questions in eight minutes, with wrong answers penalised, followed by further online tests and a trading exercise.

TraderResearcherSoftware engineer

How the process usually runs

  1. 1

    Online assessment

    A timed mental arithmetic test is the most reported gate, often alongside probability, number-sequence and reasoning tests on a per-question clock.

    Practise: 80 in 8 · The 80 in 8 guide

  2. 2

    Further numerical tests

    Candidates describe fast probability questions where guessing costs points, sequence spotting, and reading order books for profitable trades.

    Practise: Beat the odds · Number sequences · Bid book

  3. 3

    Ranking, estimation and cognitive tests

    Later stages are reported to include ranking statements by likelihood, giving interval estimates that are scored for tightness, and short cognitive games.

    Practise: Likelihood ranking · Interval estimation · Task switching

  4. 4

    Technical interviews

    Probability, mental maths and market questions asked live, with the pace kept high.

    Practise: Probability lessons

  5. 5

    Trading game and final round

    A market-making exercise: quote, get traded, manage the position. The final round is usually in an office.

    Practise: Market simulator

What to revise

Weighted most heavily in reports: speed and accuracy in arithmetic, probability under time pressure, order books. The topics below are where the 389 questions in the bank reported at Optiver come from.

Questions reported at Optiver

Practise Optiver questionsBrowse all 389

A summary of what candidates publicly report, not information from Optiver. Processes change by year, role and office. QuantMax is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or recruiting for Optiver.

Optiver interview guide · QuantMax