Trader Interview Questions

Trader Interview Questions

In a trader interview, the interviewer likely wants to see that you are knowledgeable about financial markets and have strong opinions about them. Further, you can expect hypothetical questions that test your sales skills and showcase your personality. Speak persuasively and with conviction about the latest news in stocks.

Top Trader Interview Questions & How To Answer

Question 1

Question #1: Pitch me a stock that you would buy or sell now.

How to answer
How to answer: This is an opportunity to demonstrate your sales skills and tell a convincing story about a stock. Choose a company you know well, and be prepared for follow-up questions. Defend your case without wavering.
Question 2

Question #2: What is the riskiest decision you have ever made?

How to answer
How to answer: While trading is a role that requires risk taking, you can use this question to prove that you are thoughtful and well-researched when evaluating risk. Talk through your reasoning, why you determined this was an appropriate risk to take, and what the outcome was. The interviewer might also want to see you confidently stand by your decisions.
Question 3

Question #3. Tell me about something that happened recently in the financial markets and your opinion of it.

How to answer
How to answer: This question is twofold. A successful answer would first prove that you have a genuine interest in stocks and keep up to date with market news, which changes daily. Stay informed by reading reputable financial newspapers regularly. Second, this question allows you to share your unique point of view. Try to show the interviewer that you see value where others may not.

8,659 trader interview questions shared by candidates

a few general question like where do you see yourself in 5 years, why did you apply on the job (cie). A few question on stock market; what is the dow jone, how many points is the dow jone now, what is an option what is a short trade etc
avatar

Customer Service - Trader

Interviewed at Banque Nationale du Canada/National Bank of Canada

3.9
Sep 8, 2015

a few general question like where do you see yourself in 5 years, why did you apply on the job (cie). A few question on stock market; what is the dow jone, how many points is the dow jone now, what is an option what is a short trade etc

Most unexpected to me was they ACTUALLY asked the "how many lightbulbs in John Hancock Center" -- it's so ridiculous and unrelated to trading that I had trouble believing this was a possible question when I read reviews, and I actually managed to be unprepared. Note that the webcam interview also asks you to cut/paste URLs that you used to figure the answers out, so it's just a logic/reasoning process. I figured out lumens per square foot, how many SF in the building, how many lumens per bulb, etc. But I didn't do a thorough job of pasting the website addresses in, and the number I came up with was probably way off. They could probably sense my incredulous attitude, because midway through I wondered if I really want to work for a place that throws this kind of crazy out as a measure of a trader, instead of measuring something more relevant like -- oh, I don't know -- maybe my TRADE LOG and SUCCESS RECORD? Or whether my proprietary self-developed methodology could be turned into a profitable algorithm to contribute to the firm's profits? Maybe it was just a test of patience, and in this case I failed.
avatar

Junior Trader

Interviewed at Simplex

4.2
Nov 9, 2012

Most unexpected to me was they ACTUALLY asked the "how many lightbulbs in John Hancock Center" -- it's so ridiculous and unrelated to trading that I had trouble believing this was a possible question when I read reviews, and I actually managed to be unprepared. Note that the webcam interview also asks you to cut/paste URLs that you used to figure the answers out, so it's just a logic/reasoning process. I figured out lumens per square foot, how many SF in the building, how many lumens per bulb, etc. But I didn't do a thorough job of pasting the website addresses in, and the number I came up with was probably way off. They could probably sense my incredulous attitude, because midway through I wondered if I really want to work for a place that throws this kind of crazy out as a measure of a trader, instead of measuring something more relevant like -- oh, I don't know -- maybe my TRADE LOG and SUCCESS RECORD? Or whether my proprietary self-developed methodology could be turned into a profitable algorithm to contribute to the firm's profits? Maybe it was just a test of patience, and in this case I failed.

Viewing 7051 - 7060 interview questions

Glassdoor has 8,659 interview questions and reports from Trader interviews. Prepare for your interview. Get hired. Love your job.