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I'd been rejected or ignored six times and was tired of asking safe stuff like 'what does success look like in this role.' So I turned it around and asked the manager why he left his last job.
Prepare 3-4 thoughtful questions that demonstrate your interest in Optiver's data science work and your ability to collaborate across teams. Focus on questions that show you understand the role's impact on trading, risk, and technology, and how data scientists partner with traders, engineers, and researchers. Avoid generic questions; instead, ask about specific challenges, team dynamics, and success metrics.
Pro tip: Ask about a recent project or challenge the team faced and how they overcame it—this shows you're already thinking like a team member and gives you insight into their culture and priorities.
Before the interview, study Optiver's business, recent news, and the data science team's projects. Identify areas where cross-functional collaboration is critical, such as between data scientists and traders.
Craft questions that explore how data scientists work with other teams (e.g., trading, engineering, risk) to solve problems and drive impact. This aligns with the 'Cross-functional Alignment' category.
Ask open-ended questions that invite the interviewer to share their experiences and insights, such as 'What does success look like for a data scientist in the first six months?'
Pay close attention to the answers and ask follow-up questions to demonstrate active listening and deepen the conversation.
Thank the interviewer and reiterate your interest in the role, tying your questions back to your skills and excitement about contributing to Optiver's collaborative environment.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.