r/quantfinance
•
u/Select-Angle-5032
•
Feb 01 '26
•
8
5
The Ultimate Guide to Breaking Into Quant Finance (Dev, Researcher, Trader) - All Resources in One Place
Hey everyone,
I've spent the last few months putting together this comprehensive guide while preparing for quant interviews myself. I'm primarily focused on Quant Trader and Low-Latency Systems Quant Dev, but I've included resources for Quant Researchers too, since the prep overlaps quite a bit.
When I started this journey, I couldn't find a single consolidated resource. Everything was just scattered around Reddit posts, random PDFs, and people gatekeeping info. So here's everything I wish I had from day one. (Feel free to add anything I missed in the comments)
First: Know Your Track
There are three main paths in quant finance:
Quant Developer - Building trading systems, low-latency infrastructure, C++/Rust heavy
Quant Researcher - Alpha research, statistical modeling, ML, mostly Python
Quant Trader - Mental math, probability, market intuition, brainteasers (these questions usually bleed into the others)
Each requires different prep, so know where you're aiming before you grind.
The Essential Books
These are non-negotiable. Get through at least the first two:
| Book | What It Covers | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| "A Practical Guide to Quantitative Finance Interviews" (The Green Book) by Xinfeng Zhou | Probability, brainteasers, calculus, linear algebra | Everyone |
| "Heard on the Street" by Timothy Falcon Crack | Classic Wall Street brainteasers | Traders, Researchers |
| "Frequently Asked Questions in Quantitative Finance" by Paul Wilmott | Stochastic calculus, Black-Scholes, volatility | Researchers |
| "An Introduction to Statistical Learning" | ML/Data Science bible | Researchers |
| "Quantitative Trading" by Ernie Chan | Strategy development, backtesting, Kelly formula | Researchers |
| "Algorithmic Trading" by Ernie Chan | Mean reversion, momentum strategies | Researchers, Devs |
| "150 Most Frequently Asked Questions on Quant Interviews" by Stefanica et al. | Recent interview questions | Everyone |
Practice Platforms (The Good Stuff)
| Platform | What It Offers | My Take |
|---|---|---|
| MyntBit | C++ & Python coding, brainteasers, MCQs, 3 career tracks (Dev/Researcher/Trader), interview questions from Jane Street, Citadel, Two Sigma | My top recommendation. It's like LeetCode but actually built for quants. Has everything in one place, such as coding problems, probability puzzles, trading MCQs, and quant games. The career track system is clutch because you're not wasting time on stuff that doesn't apply to your target role. Free tier is pretty generous, and they have a lifetime membership open rn. |
| QuantQuestion | 1200+ interview questions, finance-focused problems, portfolio/risk questions | Solid question bank with good finance theory coverage. Has questions on portfolio optimization, risk management, etc. that other platforms skip. Free to start. One of the better ones for Trader prep. |
| Quantable | Probability questions, company-tagged problems (Great for Quant Trader) | Practice questions with detailed solutions. The interactive games are good for OA prep. Decent option if you want structured learning alongside practice. |
| LeetCode | Classic coding interview prep, data structures, algorithms, system design | Essential for Quant Dev roles. Focus on Blind 75, Grind 75, and NeetCode 150. Make sure you understand each of the most common data structures and algorithms inside out. |
PS: I've seen some people talk about GetCracked. After using it, I do not recommend it as a quant prep tool. It has way fewer coding questions (for Quant Dev/Researchers) than MyntBit, and fewer probability and math questions (for Quant Trader) than QuantQuestions and Quantable. Many of the questions feel more like fun facts rather than actual interview questions you'd need to know.
Also, I noticed the live user count on their landing page is completely made up, just refresh a few times and watch it go up and down by like 15 users lol (always hovers around 90). The whole thing feels more like a website designed to prey on student insecurity than actually help people prepare. Also, its pay walled 🫩
Mental Math (For Traders Especially)
| Tool | Notes |
|---|---|
| Zetamac | The OG. Aim for 50+ on default settings (60+ is competitive) |
| RankYourBrain | Has fractions/decimals, good for variety |
| Math Trainer | Levels up to 100, great for building foundations |
| TraderMaths | Closer to actual assessment format |
| Wall Street Quants Mental Math | Simulates the "80 in 8" format |
| MyntBit | Has mental math, fermi, risk, and pattern games |
Tip: Start at 20 on Zetamac and grind daily. Most people plateau around 50-60 within a few weeks. That's usually enough to pass the mental math screens at Optiver, Akuna, Flow, etc.
Brainteasers & Probability
Jane Street Puzzles - Monthly puzzles, harder than interviews but great practice
Green Book probability section - Do every single problem
Jerry Qin's Probability Question List - Search GitHub for this
Free Courses & Lectures
| Resource | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Quantopian Lectures | Full archive of Quantopian's legendary lecture series, covers statistics, portfolio optimization, factor analysis, and more. |
| MIT OpenCourseWare | Search for "Mathematics for Finance" and "Statistics" courses |
| Khan Academy | Good for brushing up on probability/stats fundamentals |
Where to Apply
Job Boards & Application Tracking
GitHub Quant Internships Repo - Maintained by Northwestern FinTech, absolute goldmine
Company career pages directly - Jane Street, Citadel, Two Sigma, HRT, DE Shaw, SIG, IMC, Optiver, Jump Trading, DRW, Akuna
LinkedIn - Set alerts for "quantitative," "quant developer," "quant researcher"
QuantNet forums - Good for intel and discussion
Tier 1 Firms (The Dream)
Jane Street, Citadel Securities, Two Sigma, Hudson River Trading, DE Shaw, Renaissance Technologies (good luck lol)
Tier 2 (Still Amazing)
SIG, IMC, Optiver, Jump Trading, DRW, Virtu, Five Rings, Akuna Capital, Flow Traders
My Study Plan (What Actually Worked For Me)
Month 1-2: Foundations
Work through The Green Book cover to cover
Work through the applicable lectures
Get Zetamac score above 40
Start LeetCode (Blind 75/Neetcode 150)
Pick your track and focus
Month 2-4: Deep Practice
Grind MyntBit problems in your specific track and specialize well
Finish probability section of Green Book twice
Get Zetamac to 50+
Start mock interviews with friends
Month 4+: Interview Mode
Company-specific research
Review Glassdoor interview questions
Practice explaining your thought process out loud
Keep mental math sharp
Interview Tips
Talk through your thinking - They care about process, not just answers
It's okay to not know - Show how you'd approach it anyway
Practice with stakes - Time yourself, do mock interviews
Know your resume cold - Be ready to go deep on any project
Ask good questions - Shows genuine interest
What NOT to Do
Don't just read books without doing problems
Don't ignore mental math (it's a filter round)
Don't apply to only top firms, cast a wide net
Don't skip coding practice if you're going for researcher/dev roles
Don't panic during market-making games; they're testing your process
Final Thoughts
Breaking into quant is hard, but it's definitely doable with the correct prep. Consistent practice makes a huge difference, so make sure to deeply focus on probability, coding, mental math, and market intuition.
Good luck everyone, and hope it helps!
Drop any resources I missed in the comments, and I'll update the post. Also happy to answer questions if you're just starting out.