How to Get Hired at imc

IMC is a global proprietary trading firm and market maker, active across equities, derivatives, bonds, currencies, and commodities. Founded in Amsterdam, they operate out of major financial hubs worldwide and are known for hiring some of the sharpest minds in trading, technology, and quantitative research.

As of early July 2026, IMC has 162 open roles across departments, which signals genuine and active hiring. Roles span software engineering, quantitative research, trading, infrastructure, and business operations. The firm moves fast and expects candidates to keep up, so preparation matters more here than at most employers.

IMC is not your typical IT services or product company. They are a technology-first trading business where engineers and researchers directly shape how global markets function every day. That context shapes everything about who they hire and how they evaluate candidates.

IMC's hiring process is rigorous and runs in several stages. Details vary by role and team, but here is what candidates commonly report across engineering, quant, and trading tracks.

Stage 1: Application and resume screen. Your resume is reviewed for academic background (strong results in maths, CS, physics, or engineering are a common filter), relevant experience, and any exposure to trading or finance technology. A resume closely matched to the specific role description clears this stage faster.

Stage 2: Online assessment. Most tech and quant roles include a timed coding or aptitude test. Expect algorithmic problems, probability questions, or both depending on your track. Speed and accuracy both count here.

Stage 3: Technical phone or video interview(s). One or more rounds focused on your core subject matter. Engineers face coding problems and system design discussions. Quant candidates face probability puzzles, statistics, and sometimes market microstructure questions. These rounds are run by people doing the actual work, not just recruiters.

Stage 4: Final rounds (on-site or virtual). A full-day or multi-session loop covering deep technical topics, a trading simulation or case study for some roles, and a behavioural round. Decisions typically come within a few weeks of completing this stage.

The total timeline from application to offer is commonly reported as four to eight weeks, though it can stretch longer for senior or specialist roles.

IMC hires for intellectual firepower above almost everything else. A few consistent themes come up across roles and levels.

Strong foundations in maths and logic. Whether you are applying for engineering or research, comfort with probability, statistics, and algorithmic thinking is non-negotiable. They test this directly in every stage, not just on paper.

Clean, efficient code. For engineering roles, writing correct and well-structured code under time pressure is central. Familiarity with C++ or Python is commonly cited as useful. Knowing why certain choices are faster or more memory-efficient sets you apart from candidates who just know the syntax.

Speed and accuracy under pressure. Trading environments move in milliseconds. Candidates who can think clearly and compute quickly under time constraints consistently stand out in IMC interviews.

Genuine curiosity about markets. Prior trading experience is not required, but showing that you understand what a market maker does and why it matters signals the right mindset. Reading up before your first round makes a real difference.

Clear communication and teamwork. IMC is collaborative. The ability to explain your reasoning step by step, and to build on a colleague's idea, is valued alongside raw technical skill.

Preparation for IMC is intensive, but the path is clear if you follow it consistently.

Sharpen your probability and maths. Classic quant interview prep resources, widely discussed in online communities, cover expected value, conditional probability, and combinatorics. These topics appear in both quant-specific and general rounds at IMC.

Practice timed coding problems. Use competitive programming platforms to get comfortable with algorithmic problems under pressure. Focus on data structures, recursion, dynamic programming, and graph problems. Aim for both correctness and speed in every session.

Understand market making basics. You do not need a finance degree, but reading about bid-ask spreads, order books, and how a market maker manages risk will help in case discussions and show genuine interest in the business.

Do mock interviews with a timer. IMC rounds are fast and interactive. Practicing aloud with a peer or in a mock setting trains you to think through problems verbally and respond to follow-up questions without freezing.

Tailor each application carefully. With 162 open roles at IMC right now, covering very different functions, read each job description closely and match your resume language to what that specific team is asking for. A generic resume rarely clears the first screen here.

If tracking all 162 open roles manually feels like a full-time job, knok checks 150+ job sites nightly, applies to jobs matching your resume, and messages HR for you so you never miss a relevant opening.

IMC describes itself as a place where smart people solve hard problems together. A few things stand out from what employees and candidates consistently share.

Flat and direct culture. Hierarchy is not a dominant feature at IMC. People are expected to speak up, challenge ideas, and contribute regardless of title or years of experience. Juniors regularly work alongside senior traders and engineers on live problems.

Performance matters, and so does intellectual honesty. IMC is results-driven, but they also care about clean thinking and transparent reasoning. Projecting false confidence or taking shortcuts tends to go badly in interviews and on the job.

Long-term mindset. Despite operating in a fast-moving industry, IMC invests heavily in people and technology over multi-year horizons. They are not known for high churn among strong performers.

Diversity of background and discipline. Engineers, physicists, mathematicians, and economists all work alongside traders at IMC. The culture rewards depth of thinking from any discipline, not just a specific degree or pedigree. This is genuinely good news for Indian candidates from strong engineering colleges who may not have a finance background.

High standards, consistently applied. IMC's reputation is built on being selective. That selectivity is applied equally across experience levels and geographies. Coming in well-prepared is the clearest signal that you take the opportunity seriously.