Ex-HRT quant Olivia breaks down why most people never crack quant trading, the resume bar candidates miss, and why smart isn't enough.
From a perfect AMC 8 score to a $400K offer at 22 to getting fired within a year, she gives the real, unfiltered picture of what it takes and why even she couldn't sustain it long-term.
Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Olivia_Ex-quant&video=cmnXNkby2SE
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I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer.
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👉 Olivia's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/su-min-l-011515118?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_android
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⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:06 Perfect AMC 8 Score Despite No English
02:05 Korean Math System vs. US Curriculum
04:15 Moving to America at Age 10
06:11 Learning English and Building a Mindset
07:59 Competition Math Comes Easy in the US
08:50 Path to Perfect AMC 8 and AIME
11:32 High School Peak vs. Later Decline
17:00 How High Schoolers Discover Quant Trading
18:50 College Admissions Process and Caltech Decision
20:55 Software Engineering Accelerator
21:47 Does GPA Really Matter for Quant?
24:37 High School Network vs. College Network
27:38Understanding the Quant Recruiting Cycle
32:13 Which Firms She Interviewed and Prepped For
37:43 Inside the HRT Interview Process
40:54 7-day Engineering Resource
41:24Getting the HRT Offer and Reaction
42:21 HRT Total Compensation Breakdown
43:25 Olivia's Parents Reaction
45:16 Quant Salaries
45:42 The HRT Working Experience
47:12 Highest Quant Salary
48:25 Day-to-Day Life on a Quant Salary
51:20 What Quants Actually Spend Money On
55:25 Getting Fired From HRT After One Year
58:04 Immediate Reaction to Losing the Job
1:00:14 Understanding the Non-Compete Payout
1:01:55 What She Did During 18 Months Off
1:05:18 Deciding to Pivot Into Big Tech
1:06:30 Comparing Instagram Culture to HRT
1:07:55 Instagram Compensation and the Salary Cut
1:10:08 Getting Laid Off From Instagram
1:11:17 Chasing Fulfillment Over High Compensation
1:14:12 Reflecting on Two Job Losses in Five Years
1:15:41 Advice to Her 13-Year-Old Self