This fall, one of the most dramatic cases I coached was a student interviewing for Akuna Quant roles. He had a U.S. master’s degree, projects mainly in data science, applied to several Quant/Trading/Strategy positions, but wasn’t particularly familiar with high-frequency–style questions.
From OA through all three VO rounds, he hit multiple choke points — and with Programhelp’s real-time voice guidance to keep his logic on track, he ultimately pulled off a complete comeback and secured the offer.
Below is the full timeline. High information density, full coverage of question types, and very realistic to the actual interview experience. You can prepare directly using this rhythm.
Application Stage: Timing & Role Choices
Akuna’s peak application window is August–October.
My student applied for:
- Quant Trader
- Junior Quant Researcher
- Quant Dev (as backup)
Recommendation:
If you have a CS/Python-heavy background, lean toward QR/QD.
If you have math/stats + decent coding, Trader is also worth shooting for.
Student background:
- U.S. MS in Statistics
- Two data science internships
- Medium-level LeetCode
- Limited understanding of trading/derivatives
This background is not “strong” by Akuna standards.
OA (Coding Assessment)
Akuna’s OA this year remained fast-paced with light math/logic components.
Format:
- Two coding problems
- One probability/expectation/ combinatorics logic question
- All timed, interface similar to HackerRank
- Not extremely hard, but requires clean thinking & concise implementation
The student got stuck on the second math/combination question.
With our remote, invisible assistance, I provided key voice nudges:
- “Look at the constraints — no need to enumerate up to n².”
- “Compress equivalent cases into states; don’t brute force.”
In the end, both coding problems were AC’d, and the probability question was answered with the correct closed-form.
Passing the OA usually means HR will schedule VO.
VO Round 1 (Quant Trader Round): Logic + Mental Math + Light Coding
This round is fast and stressful for many candidates.
Covers:
Mental Math
Typical tasks: relative pricing, return rates, quick approximations.
One question required giving a result within 5 seconds.
The student froze for two seconds, so I gave a quick prompt:
- “Break it down — use approximation and give a range first.”
He regained rhythm immediately.
Market Making Scenarios
Example questions:
- “If the spread narrows to X, how do you adjust inventory?”
- “Volatility spikes — do you widen spread, adjust size, or shift quoting behavior?”
His answers were initially too textbook.
I nudged him to anchor in trading motives:
- “Start with risk — talk delta exposure, then inventory, then spread logic.”
Light Coding (Python)
Small array/string/sweep tasks.
Speed > engineering polish.
The interviewer’s evaluation was positive:
“Good structure of thinking.”
He received the Round 2 invite the same day.
VO Round 2 (Quant Research Round): Probability + Brainteasers + Modeling Logic
The difficulty jumps clearly in this round.
Covers:
Conditional Probability / Bayes
Example: misclassification rates + observed outcomes → posterior probability.
The student initially took the wrong path, so I reminded him:
- “Start from the prior — don’t manipulate the conditional directly.”
- “Write down P(A|B) explicitly first.”
That put him back on track.
Stochastic Intuition
Example:
- Identify drift or bias in a random walk where some states have higher stickiness.
This tests logic, not formulas.
Brainteaser
A variation of a “balls-in-box” invariants problem.
He overcomplicated it; I prompted:
- “Look for invariants.”
Mini Modeling
Example: approximating a piecewise payoff with a linear model.
Evaluates modeling intuition.
He was nervous throughout, but the interviewer remained receptive.
Round 3 invite arrived the same evening.
VO Round 3 (Culture + Trading Sense)
Often seen as “easy,” but actually a common rejection round.
Akuna focuses on trading logic + emotional stability.
Typical questions:
- “How do you maintain decision quality under pressure?”
- “Do you rely more on statistics or pattern recognition?”
- “Why high-frequency? How do you think about risk-adjusted return?”
I coached him quietly on:
- Anchoring every answer to a specific project or internship
- Prioritizing risk-first reasoning
- Keeping the tone relaxed and human, not robotic
He even ended up discussing a “simple position management function” idea with the interviewer — the vibe was solid.
Next day, HR emailed:
Congratulations.
Why Did He Succeed? Key Takeaways
1. Fast, accurate coding
Akuna values “write fast and write right.”
2. Mathematical intuition amplified through guidance
Several times in Round 2 he drifted; my cues helped restore structure, letting the interviewer see clarity rather than confusion.
3. Trading sense backed by real examples
We reframed his data projects into trading decision contexts — extremely effective.
How Programhelp Supports VO
Here’s how we guided him through all three VO rounds:
- Remote voice assistance only — no screen sharing, no artifacts, no detectable traces
- Directional correction, not giving answers
- Support includes:
- structural hints
- formula entry points
- simplifying logic
- keeping explanations concise
- preventing overthinking or blank-outs
All voice cues are short, natural, and unobtrusive.
Connection is stable, clean, and interviewers never notice anything abnormal.
We’ve already helped dozens of candidates clear Akuna, Optiver, Jump, and Jane Street VO this season.
The workflow is highly refined.
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