How to prepare for Quant profile? (Highest paying profile) | Quadeye Interview Experience

Summary

The video features Path, who successfully cracked the quant profile at Quad-i and Graviton, discussing his placement journey and preparation strategies. He emphasizes the importance of consistent practice, coding contests, and targeted preparation. Path highlights using platforms like Codeforces, InterviewBit, and resources such as probability and combinatorics books to strengthen his skills. He also shares how he divided his preparation into two phases: general coding and targeted quant practice. Path's passion for mathematics played a key role in his success, making his insights valuable for anyone aiming to prepare for quant roles.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of practicing multiple approaches to problem-solving in preparation for interviews.
• 💻 Path, the interviewee, successfully secured a quant profile at both Quadeye and Graviton, sharing insights into his preparation.
• 📚 For his internship preparation, Path regularly participated in coding contests on Codeforces and used platforms like InterviewBit.
• 🤖 He also relied on books such as '50 Problems in Probability' and 'Applied Combinatorics' for quant preparation, emphasizing a strong foundation in probability, combinatorics, and algorithms.
• 🔢 Path divided his preparation into two phases: general contest practice for two months, and more targeted preparation focused on quant-specific topics in the final two months.
• 🏅 The coding round for quant roles included both traditional coding questions and quant-specific questions, mainly focusing on probability, mathematics, and combinatorics.
• 📊 Interviews for quant roles primarily centered around mathematical topics like probability and combinatorics, with less focus on core CS subjects compared to software engineering roles.
• 🎯 Path stresses the importance of structured preparation for quant interviews, highlighting that general aptitude and diverse problem-solving approaches are crucial.
• 📈 A strong CPI (academic score) plays a significant role in getting shortlisted for quant interviews, although strong interview performance can compensate for a lower CPI.
• 🧠 Personal interest in mathematics helped set Path apart during the quant interview process, even if he wasn't the strongest in the subject.

Q & A

What platforms did the interviewee use to practice coding for his internship preparation?

The interviewee practiced coding on platforms like Codeforces, InterviewBit, and used resources such as CP algorithms for standard algorithm execution.

What specific strategies did the interviewee use to prepare for the quant profile?

The interviewee prepared for the quant profile by using a website called Brainstellar for quant-specific questions, participating in contests on Codeforces, practicing on LeetCode, and referring to books focused on quantitative topics like combinatorics and probability.

What was the interviewee's approach to dividing his preparation time before the placement season?

The interviewee divided his preparation into two phases. In the first two months, he focused on competitive programming, while in the final two months, he switched to more target-specific practice, focusing on quant-related problems and the specific companies coming for placements.

Which books did the interviewee recommend for quant profile preparation?

The interviewee recommended books like '50 Problems in Probability,' 'A Guide to Quantitative Finance Interviews,' and 'Applied Combinatorics' by Alan Tucker for preparing for quant roles.

What are some differences between preparing for software roles and quant roles, according to the interviewee?

For software roles, the interviewee primarily used online platforms and coding contests for practice, while for quant roles, he had to refer to books and focus more on mathematics, probability, and combinatorics, as quant profiles require a deeper understanding of these topics.

How did the interviewee manage his time between coding contests and quant preparation?

The interviewee consistently participated in coding contests on Codeforces and allocated specific months for quant-specific practice. He focused on general coding for the first two months and then shifted to more targeted quant preparation for the last two months.

What role did the interviewee’s CPI and JEE rank play in the selection process?

The interviewee mentioned that his CPI of 8.78 was sufficient to clear cutoffs but noted that for quant roles, companies usually prefer candidates with higher CPIs and JEE ranks. Although these factors are important, performing well in the interviews can help compensate for a lower CPI.

What was the structure of the coding rounds in quant profile interviews?

The coding rounds were divided into two sections: one for competitive programming questions and another for quant-related questions, focusing on mathematics, probability, and combinatorics.

What advice did the interviewee give for candidates preparing for quant roles?

The interviewee emphasized the importance of extra effort and focused preparation for quant roles. He suggested that candidates should not rely solely on last-minute practice and highlighted the value of maintaining a consistent interest in mathematics.

What did the interviewee identify as one of the most significant factors in his success?

The interviewee credited his strong interest in mathematics as one of the biggest factors that set him apart from other candidates, even though he acknowledged he was not the best at it.