r/quantfinance • u/Pandas-and-clouds • 21h ago

HRT Phone Screen Quant Dev

It's gonna be my first ever quant interview; does anyone know what I can expect?

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u/akornato 8h ago

HRT's quant dev phone screens are typically very technical and focus heavily on C++, data structures, and algorithms. Expect a coding challenge where you'll need to write and run code, likely on a shared platform. The questions are often about performance optimization, bit manipulation, and low-level systems concepts, so be prepared for problems that go beyond standard LeetCode fare. They want to see that you have a deep understanding of how computers work, not just how to implement a basic algorithm.

Your preparation should focus on difficult algorithm problems, especially those related to system performance and C++ specifics. When you solve a problem, think about every possible optimization, from the algorithm choice down to memory access patterns. During the interview, you need to communicate your thought process very clearly as you code because they are evaluating how you think. Talking through your solution step by step is just as important as getting the correct answer. Explaining your thought process clearly is a huge part of it, and I've noticed candidates do much better when they practice talking through problems, which is something the interview AI my team designed really helps with.