The questions most candidates neglect in quant trading job interviews
If you're looking for a job as a researcher or engineer in quant trading, you've likely practiced countless probability questions and leetcode tasks. If you're not giving as much attention and care to second stage of your interviews, you may be setting yourself up for failure.
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Peter Wagner, managing director of recruitment firm Affinity North, said in his Q1 market report that "once you pass the technical rounds, you’re not home free." In recent years, the non-technical, behavioural questions have "grown in importance" because "firms are more selective in this buyer’s market... you don’t want to make up your answers to behavioral questions on the spot."
We've seen at least 30 unique questions that hedge funds and electronic trading firms ask, based on submissions to Glassdoor in 2026. How do you prepare for such a wide array? Wagner said that you should "create a story bank of 6-8 experiences you can discuss and practice how to use those stories to demonstrate the desired characteristics." You'll need to practice these stories across multiple different questions to see how they fit, then test alternatives.
You'll also need to be aware of the culture of the firm you're interviewing with to know which questions to prepare for and which answers to strengthen. Hudson River Trading, for example, is thought to have a highly academic culture and is particularly interested in your choice of academic modules, so incorporating that into your story when applying there might benefit you more than a traditional hedge fund.
Common Behavioural Questions in Hedge Funds and Trading Firms in 2026
Why do you want to work at [Fund/Firm]?
Why are you interested in [Fund/Firm]?
How did you first learn about [Fund/Firm]
Why are you interested in this role?
Tell me about yourself.
Tell me about your previous work experience
Tell me about a personal project you are proud of.
What is your greatest weakness?
Specific Behavioural Questions at Hedge Funds in 2026
Describe a challenging technical problem that you solved [Citadel]
Why do you think some companies fail to deploy AI solutions? [Point72]
Tell me about a time you made a decision with incomplete information. [Point72]
Describe how you resolved a conflict with your manager [Two Sigma]
How do you manage stress and tight deadlines? [Two Sigma]
What areas of technology interest you the most? [Qube Research]
What would you do if you forgot your lecture notes before teaching a class? [D.E. Shaw]
Specific Behavioural Questions at Electronic Trading Firms in 2026
Discuss your experience of building relationships, and overcoming challenges. [Jane Street]
What do you do for fun? [Jane Street]
Why does trading interest you? [Jane Street]
What is the coolest topic you learned in class? [Hudson River Trading]
Tell me about a time you contributed to a process [Citadel Securities]
Why did you choose to use [rare technology] in your previous internship? [Citadel Securities]
How do you prioritize your workday? [Optiver]
Tell me about a time you faced change. How did you confront it? [Optiver]
Tell me about a time you sought feedback for something. How did you use it?
How do you select an AI agent [Optiver]
Tell me an example of how you use data to make decisions in your everyday life. [Optiver]
How would you resolve a technical issue caused by a co-worker? [SIG]
Do you play games? If so, what kind? [SIG]
How do you keep up to date with markets? [SIG]
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