How to Land a Quant Internship at IMC Trading

Background

IMC Trading is a leading proprietary trading firm and market maker with a global presence. While outsiders may view IMC as a trading shop, it is very much a technology firm - priding itself on the meticulous design and development of software, hardware, advanced networks, and trading algorithms. It is this precise focus on technology that has contributed to its success in finding alpha in the financial markets. Furthermore, the firm's seat at the intersection of technology and finance gives rise to many interesting technical challenges that have attracted the likes of statisticians, mathematicians, and computer scientists.

In this article, we spoke with an incoming Quantitative Trading intern at IMC Trading in order to glean insights into the interview process at IMC. In doing so, we sought to understand the structure of IMC's interviews and how one could prepare to succeed in their upcoming interviews with this firm. Out of respect for IMC's process, we deviate from going into the exact details of what appeared but aim to provide a holistic overview that may give you a sense of what to expect in an such an interview.

Q&A with an IMC Trading Intern

How did you apply for this internship at IMC Trading?

I applied through an online application.

What do you think allowed you to pass the resume screen?

I had a software engineering internship and a part-time research assistant role as experience. I think IMC is pretty lenient and lets most people with at least one professional experience pass screening, at least for an intern.

What was the structure of the interview process?

• Round 1: Online Assessment
• Round 2: One-way Video Interview (HireVue)
• Round 3: Recruiter Technical Phone Screen
• Round 4: Trader Technical Video Round
• Round 5: Virtual Final Rounds (2 technicals and 1 behavioral)

How did you prepare for the interview rounds?

I self-studied stat110 on edx to get a foundation on probability, then just practiced as many problems as I could from Joshi, Green book, the stat110 text book, etc., alongside doing mock interviews to get more comfortable and confident.

What advice would you give students looking to land an internship at IMC Trading?

First off, apply. I know tons of people who think they're not smart enough/bad credentials and just don't apply. For a trader internship, just make sure you have a firm understanding of discrete probability. If you can communicate your thoughts well, that alone should be enough to get you to the final round. For the final round your intuition and analysis skills are tested, so I'm not sure if you can prepare for it but try your best to communicate your ideas.

What are some misconceptions you had about interviewing at IMC Trading?

You don't need to be a 5 time IMO gold medalist just to pass resume screening. Do your best and if you've done your due diligence and you're a good fit, you'll get in.

Closing Remarks

Thanks for reading this article! We hope this Q&A provided an overview of what you can expect when applying for a Quantitative Trading internship at IMC Trading. If you, or someone else you know, would like to share their experience applying for quant roles, feel free to reach out to us at info@openquant.co.

If you're interested in reading more about quantitative finance careers and education, check out the other articles on our Quant Blog. Finally, if you're currently looking to land a job or internship in quantitative finance, check out our home page to find the quant role that's a right fit for you.