Kept it short and tried to connect my experience to things that seemed relevant to the company.
Structure your answer as a concise narrative that connects your past experiences to the role's requirements, emphasizing adaptability and comfort with ambiguity. Highlight specific projects where you navigated unclear problems, and tie them to the skills Optiver values in data scientists.
Pro tip: Quantify your impact wherever possible (e.g., 'reduced latency by 30%') and explicitly mention how you thrived in ambiguous situations, as Optiver is a trading firm that values quick, data-driven decisions under uncertainty.
Start with a one-sentence summary of your current role and years of experience, setting the stage for your narrative.
Mention relevant degrees, certifications, or early projects that built your foundation in data science, focusing on analytical and problem-solving skills.
Describe 2-3 significant projects, emphasizing the problem, your approach, and measurable outcomes. Choose examples that showcase adaptability to new domains or ambiguous requirements.
Explicitly link your background to Optiver's needs, such as experience with real-time data, financial modeling, or working in fast-paced environments.
Summarize what you've been working on recently and express enthusiasm for applying your skills to challenges in trading and market making.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.
This one tripped me up a little because I hadn't gone deep enough on their public content beforehand.
Show that you've done your homework by referencing specific, verifiable aspects of Obviant's culture (e.g., engineering blog, values page, employee interviews). Connect those cultural elements to your own working style and past experiences, emphasizing how they enable you to thrive in ambiguous, cross-functional environments. Be genuine and specific—avoid generic praise that could apply to any company.
Pro tip: Mention a cultural nuance that isn't obvious from the careers page, like how the company handles technical debt or cross-team decision-making, to show you've engaged with their engineering culture beyond surface-level marketing.
Before the interview, dig into Obviant's website, engineering blog, social media, and employee reviews to find concrete cultural traits (e.g., 'blameless postmortems,' 'open-source contributions,' 'cross-functional guilds').
Choose 2-3 cultural aspects that genuinely resonate with you and explain why, using brief anecdotes from your past work that demonstrate alignment.
Tie the cultural elements to the role's emphasis on adaptability and cross-functional alignment, showing how you've thrived in similar environments and can contribute to Obviant's culture.
End by asking a thoughtful question about an aspect of the culture you're curious about, showing you're evaluating fit and eager to learn more.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.
Standard question but the follow-ups made it less standard.
Show that you have a clear long-term direction while remaining flexible and excited about the role. Connect your growth goals to the company's mission and the specific opportunities this role offers, emphasizing how you'll contribute and grow.
Pro tip: Avoid sounding overly rigid or like you'll outgrow the role quickly; instead, frame your long-term vision as evolving with the company and industry, and show enthusiasm for the immediate impact you can make.
Briefly state your overarching career goal, such as becoming a technical leader or deepening expertise in a specific area. Keep it aligned with software engineering and the company's domain.
Explain how this specific role at Obviant provides the experiences, skills, and challenges needed to progress toward that vision. Mention aspects of the role that excite you.
Acknowledge that plans can change and express openness to evolving opportunities. Emphasize your ability to thrive in ambiguous situations and learn quickly.
Describe how your growth will also benefit the company, such as taking on more responsibility, mentoring others, or driving innovation. Show that you're invested in the company's success.
Conclude by reiterating your excitement for the role and your commitment to making an immediate impact while growing with the company.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.