Jane Street · Quant trader / software engineer · New grad / intern (also experienced hires)
Recruiter Screen
Light, warm, conversational
What they actually ask
The question shapes this round uses. Larpy does not read these out. It builds each one from your own resume, because the generic version is the one you have already rehearsed.
- “Tell me a bit about your background and what you're working on.”
- “Why Jane Street, and are you more drawn to trading or software engineering?”
- “What's a problem or project you found genuinely interesting recently?”
- “What are you looking for in your next role, and what's your timeline?”
What this round is judged on
- Curious, organized, and open-minded · genuine intellectual curiosity
- Motivation fit · clear reasons for Jane Street and trading vs SWE
- Problem-solving mindset · thinking over credentials
- Humble and pleasant to work with · easy to collaborate with
Where this round sits
Jane Street’s published process. Lime marks the stage this round runs.
- 01Applicationthis round
- 02Phone interviews (remote)
- 03In-person final round (onsite)
- 04Decision
What happens in each stage›
- Application
- Rolling basis, no deadline. No GPA or degree requirement; interns come from 70+ universities. Jane Street says you can expect to hear from a recruiter within a few days.
- Phone interviews (remote)
- One or more remote interviews to start. For trading these are conversational probability/logic and market conversations with an actual quant trader; for SWE they are live coding. The interviewer calls you (Zoom if connectivity is poor).
- In-person final round (onsite)
- The final stage is in person: multiple back-to-back interviews mixing probability, a market-making game, estimation, a light coding/data-analysis chat, and fit. Jane Street books and pays for travel and hotel; interviews run weekdays only, dress casual.
- Decision
- Jane Street says you should hear back within about a week after the final stage. Reapplication is explicitly allowed (recommended wait ~1 year).
Sources
Built from what Jane Street publishes about its own process and from real interview data. No leaked question lists. The questions you get are generated against your own resume, so they are not from anyone else's interview.
Two-stage process, conversation-not-a-quiz philosophy, any-language coding and OCaml guidance, logistics and reapplication
Trading two-stage structure, final-round content, desired traits, four principles, myth-busting on mental math and theorems
Trading interview syllabus, verbatim example probability/EV questions, market-making game prompts and quoting jargon, adverse selection
Company blurb, roles, 'smart people with curious minds from any background'
Official software-engineering mock interview walkthrough referenced by the interviewing page
Confirms Jane Street SWE levels (L1-L4) and titles including Quantitative Developer and Full-Stack Software Engineer
Sources last checked . Hiring loops change, so this date is the honest limit on everything above.
Other Jane Street rounds
- Fit / Why Jane Street
Low-key and genuine, not a McKinsey-style structured behavioral
- Probability & Expected Value (spoken)
Run by an actual quant trader
- Market-Making Game (spoken)
The signature Jane Street round
- Estimation & Problem Solving (spoken)
Fermi/estimation and open reasoning, plus a light data-analysis and general-interests chat
- Coding Phone Screen
Collaborative, discussion-heavy live coding in your own language and setup
- Onsite Coding
Harder onsite live coding, same collaboration-over-a-right-answer ethos