Software Engineer Interview Experience - Chicago, Illinois
August 15, 2025
Positive ExperienceNo Offer
Process
Initial submission of resume and a brief phone call with a recruiter.
Recruiters assess your background, motivation, and fit for the role and firm's culture.
Expect questions about experience in areas like real-time systems, trading/financial markets, and motivation to join Optiver.
Questions
Focus on:
- Coding proficiency
- System design (especially low-latency and fault-tolerant systems)
- Concurrency
- Potentially live-coding exercises
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 21 interview experiences for the Optiver Software Engineer role in Chicago, Illinois.
Success Rate
5%
Pass Rate
Optiver's interview process for their Software Engineer roles in Chicago, Illinois is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Positive71%
Neutral24%
Negative5%
Candidates reported having very good feelings for Optiver's Software Engineer interview process in Chicago, Illinois.
Optiver Work Experiences
5.0
Fast paced but with real impact
Software Engineer • Current Employee
October 2, 2025
Pros: It's a fast-paced company so may be stressful to some but every day is different and you can make a lot of impact which will be recognized and rewarded fairly
Cons: Stressful
Skills might not be super transferable
5.0
Interesting
Software Engineer • Former Employee
New York, NY
October 2, 2025
Pros: Interesting work environment with intellectuals.
Cons: Frustrating micro managing when underperforming.
5.0
Fast-paced, rewarding, and intellectually stimulating
Software Engineer • Former Employee
Amsterdam
July 13, 2025
Pros: Optiver offers an incredible environment for growth, with smart colleagues, a strong focus on collaboration, and a culture that values ownership and impact. The compensation is competitive, the benefits are excellent, and the company supports continuous learning and innovation.
Cons: The pace can be intense, and expectations are high. It's not a place for those who prefer a slow or highly structured corporate environment.
- 5.0Fast paced but with real impactSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeOctober 2, 2025Pros: It's a fast-paced company so may be stressful to some but every day is different and you can make a lot of impact which will be recognized and rewarded fairlyCons: Stressful Skills might not be super transferable
- 5.0InterestingSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeNew York, NYOctober 2, 2025Pros: Interesting work environment with intellectuals.Cons: Frustrating micro managing when underperforming.
- 5.0Fast-paced, rewarding, and intellectually stimulatingSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeAmsterdamJuly 13, 2025Pros: Optiver offers an incredible environment for growth, with smart colleagues, a strong focus on collaboration, and a culture that values ownership and impact. The compensation is competitive, the benefits are excellent, and the company supports continuous learning and innovation.Cons: The pace can be intense, and expectations are high. It's not a place for those who prefer a slow or highly structured corporate environment.
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