Interview gaps candidates still miss
Candidates often ace coding puzzles but fail to discuss model limits, production failure modes, or how to document models for audits — gaps that cost interviews at quant trading firms argued. That mismatch explains why firms prize clear post‑mortem thinking and the ability to explain risk to non‑technical stakeholders.
eFinancialCareers’ roundup by Alex McMurray found "at least 30 unique questions" submitted to Glassdoor from hedge funds and electronic trading firms in 2026, signalling a broad behavioural-question bank hiring teams are drawing on. (efinancialcareers.com) Recruitment chiefs warn passing technical rounds is not enough — Peter Wagner is quoted saying "once you pass the technical rounds, you’re not home free," and Affinity North’s Q1 market report noted roughly a 25% year‑on‑year increase in buy‑side job postings that has sharpened employer selectivity. (efinancialcareers.com) The article lists firm‑specific behavioural prompts that probe deployment and decision‑making — for example, Point72’s question "Why do you think some companies fail to deploy AI solutions?" and Citadel’s request to "describe a challenging technical problem that you solved," both pulled from Glassdoor submissions. (efinancialcareers.com) Hudson River Trading is highlighted for a culture that emphasises academic choices when assessing candidates, while Jane Street and others surface softer personal‑fit prompts such as "What do you do for fun?" — illustrating firms vary interview focus by culture and role. (efinancialcareers.com) Regulatory and industry guidance has tightened expectations for model documentation and governance — the Bank of England’s SS1/23 set out five MRM principles published 17 May 2023 (effective 17 May 2024), and the FDIC issued supervisory model‑risk guidance in March 2024 — creating a backdrop where firms expect clear answers about documentation and auditability. (bankofengland.co.uk) Asset managers and trading teams publish post‑mortem playbooks: TD Asset Management’s post‑mortem guidance (published 28 Apr 2023) and industry incident‑review templates show firms track root causes and lessons formally, which explains why interviewers increasingly test candidates’ ability to recount systematic post‑mortems and communicate findings. (td.com)
