IMC is a proprietary market maker with a fast, volatile recruiting process. The pipeline opens with an online assessment whose trader format changes by cycle (cognitive games, SHL or a numerical test) and a one-way recorded video interview, then trader-led market-making game scenarios for the trading track and a coding+systems gauntlet for engineers. Two behavioral questions follow you everywhere: 'Why IMC?' and 'Why trading?'
IMC's process branches by track. Software Engineers get a 120-minute HackerRank with 2 hard algorithmic problems drawn from a recurring bank; Quant Traders take a 15-question probability, EV, and combinatorics screen; Quant Researchers take an 11-question math, statistics, and probability test. A one-way recorded video interview is scored as part of the OA, and the trading track adds a live trader-led market-making game. The two timed quant tests below are faithful, fully solved instantiations of the reported screens. Note: some 2026 trader applicants receive a different first screen titled "IMC Trader Assessment" — shape-pattern recognition plus a long personality questionnaire — instead of the math screen (candidate-reported, July 2026).
A 15-question timed screen mixing geometric probability, expected value, combinatorics, and number sense, with both multiple choice and numeric entry. Verified answer key (three reported candidate answers were wrong and have been corrected).
Candidate-reported July 2026: applicants to the role titled "IMC Trader Assessment" received a shape-pattern recognition test (Raven's-matrices style sequences) plus an unusually long personality questionnaire — no probability or EV math at this stage. The math screen above still applies to other trader tracks and regions, so prepare for both: drill the pattern test with matrix-reasoning practice, answer the personality section consistently (they screen for repeat contradictions), and keep the probability set warm for the next round.
The interactive cognitive screen at the front of the 2026 trader funnel. Exactly two item types: tap-to-fill figure sequences (paint the next state of a hexagram / pinwheel grid / triangular star / nested squares / quartered circle / pentagram in solid green or purple dots) and drag-the-line node chains (extend a green line through code-labelled circles following an alphanumeric progression). Our replica reproduces both formats screen-for-screen, with every graded chain generated from a stated rule and checked against it, in a timed 12-item run or untimed practice with every rule explained.
A forced-choice (ipsative) personality questionnaire served through SHL alongside the cognitive assessment in the 2026 trader funnel: 76 triads of first-person statements — pick which one describes you best, then the better of the remaining two, fully ranking each triad. There are no right answers, and near-identical statements repeat on purpose as a consistency check — contradicting yourself across repeats is what actually flags a profile. Our replica reproduces the exact flow (triad -> remaining pair, one-step Back, progress %, repetition banner) from a 42-page candidate capture, and ends with a dimension mirror plus consistency readout instead of a fake score.
An 11-question math, statistics, and probability test: variance of a density, Bayes, conditional expectation, limiting distributions, plus GMAT-style data-sufficiency and chart or regression reading. Fully transcribed and solved.
The SWE/NG OA is 120 minutes, 2 hard algorithm problems drawn from a recurring bank (BFS/DFS, prefix-sum + binary search, amortized stacks, grid 0-1 BFS). Optimize or TLE. The recurring problems below are auto-graded.
Some candidates report an HR call soon after the OA (one quant trader invite came about 3 days later). HR says the round has no technical questions: expect a self-introduction, admin items, why IMC, why QR or trading, a deep dive on two resume projects, behavioral questions and your other processes. QR candidates report a result within 1 to 2 weeks. The HR stage page has the full list of reported topics.
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56 firmsEvery stageMust-do problems
Recorded Video Interview
One-way · HireVue · scored as part of the OARound guide →
A one-way timed video interview. Reports differ on its content: QuantVault reports describe 6-9 segments on HireVue (~15 min think-time, 1-2 min answers) on motivation + behavioral topics (why IMC / why trading, 'explain your favorite project to a non-technical person', 'a failure and how you bounced back', handling pressure), while more recent outside reports describe about 3 prompts, typically two on motivation and one probability question, on SparkHire or HireVue, sometimes due within 48 hours. QuantVault reports say it is scored as part of the OA.
10 to 45 min · phone / Zoom · before or soon after the OARound guide →
Early step, every track: logistics, 'tell me about yourself', IMC's signature 'Why IMC?' and 'Why trading?' (asked again later), often a light coin-flip-with-an-edge brain-teaser (EV, bankroll).
Recent QR and QT reports: it can follow the OA (one quant trader invite came about 3 days later); HR told that candidate: no technical questions. QR hears back in 1 to 2 weeks.
Candidates report admin (graduation date, visa or sponsorship, notice period, expected salary, work mode), why IMC, QR and trading, and a deep dive on two resume research projects.
Behaviorals: a hard-to-hear opinion, an advisor changing your approach, a research project end to end, conflict, failure, competition, team role; other firms, choosing between offers.
QR: applying machine learning in finance (concrete results, deep learning, Sharpe or P&L). A quant trader intern screen had a card suit-guessing bet, framed on risk appetite, not math.
45–60 min · video · math / stats / coding / MLRound guide →
The QR technical round: probability and statistics, a coding problem (often 2-D DP or Combination Sum), and, for the ML-QR variant, ML fundamentals (information gain, decision trees, classification, regression-vs-transformer trade-offs) plus an ML coding task and a Monte-Carlo / optimization segment. Derivations expected, not just answers.
2-hr sessions · live coding + systems deep-diveRound guide →
The engineering onsite: live coding (often 2-hour sessions) plus a deep systems/OS round: CPU, TLB, segfaults, signals & signal masks, C++ internals, Linux debugging, REST/asyncio. Chicago/Amsterdam systems-engineer onsites can simulate a server-outage triage with many candidates. The Python-developer variant swaps in a 3-5 hr take-home with a README and library-choice justification.
Every firm has a curated interview-questions playlist — a ready-to-drill set of problems matched to how that firm interviews, each with a full worked solution.
IMC is a proprietary market maker with a fast, volatile recruiting process. The pipeline opens with an online assessment whose trader format changes by cycle (cognitive games, SHL or a numerical test) and a one-way recorded video interview, then trader-led market-making game scenarios for the trading track and a coding+systems gauntlet for engineers. Two behavioral questions follow you everywhere: 'Why IMC?' and 'Why trading?' The loop runs 7 stages: Online Assessment, Recorded Video Interview, HR / Recruiter Phone Screen, Trader / Market-Making Game Round (QT), Technical Round (QR / Quant), Onsite Coding + Systems (SWE / Quant-Perf), Superday / Virtual Onsite.
How many rounds does IMC Trading have?
7 stages in total, starting with the Online Assessment and ending with the Superday / Virtual Onsite.
How do I prepare for the IMC Trading interview?
Work the stage notes above, then drill the IMC Trading interview-questions set and the IMC Trading online-assessment practice — each problem has a full worked solution.
