From students to future traders: Career Kickstarter Trading Q&A
Optiver’s Career Kickstarter: Trading is an exclusive, one-week program designed to give talented university STEM students an immersive introduction to the fast-paced world of trading. This unique opportunity combines interactive lectures, hands-on workshops, and networking events to provide a comprehensive overview of trading fundamentals and market-making strategies.
In this blog, we hear directly from four former program participants in about their experiences. They share what they learned, how the program prepared them for their upcoming roles, and their advice for future participants considering applying.
What were your overall impressions of the program?
Timothy: I came into the program with an open mind and no set expectations. However, the extra activities and overall organisation really stood out. On our first day, for instance, they turned our lecture room into an escape room. It also included shared meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—which made getting to know one another a lot easier. In trading, collaboration and the exchange of ideas are essential, and this was reflected in the sociable atmosphere encouraged by everyone involved. The trainers were genuinely enthusiastic about our presence, always approachable, and ready to address any questions. So for me the most pleasantly surprising element was the supportive and dynamic culture at Optiver.
Joep: To be honest, I didn’t have any set expectations of the program. I hoped it would be a fun and challenging week. And it definitely was. The combination of theory sessions, trading games, designing your own trading algorithm, and Q&A with traders made the week as exciting as it was challenging. The other people who got selected—just as the employees of Optiver—were easy-going and sociable. This definitely made the program exceed my expectations.
Martijn: Before starting the program, I expected it to be a very intense experience focused on learning as much as possible in a short time frame. This is exactly what the program was like. The friendly nature of the work relationships at Optiver stood out to me. Colleagues seem to really enjoy working together, and the attitude towards the Career Kickstarter participants was immediately inclusive and supportive.
What was the highlight of the program?
Joep: For me, the trading games were the highlight of the program. Sudden reveals of information or the actions of others required you to react and adapt quickly. To perform well, decisions really had to be made in a split second, which felt like the real world of trading. Finding the right balance between speed and accuracy was challenging, but a lot of fun.
Martijn: The most enjoyable experience of the week was definitely the time we got to shadow a trader at the trading floor for a full hour. Because this was towards the end of the week, we were able to have a relatively in-depth conversation about the work as a trader. Seeing the work being done in-person was a great experience—I was in awe of the trader’s speed transitioning between different tasks. Seeing him go from explaining the items on screen and the concepts behind them to talking to external parties in a split second showed me the high skill level that traders achieve in their field, which is something I look forward to achieving myself as well.
Timothy: One aspect of the program I truly enjoyed was developing a trading algorithm. Given a timeframe of around fifteen hours, we had the freedom to explore and program unique ideas. However, even with this substantial amount of time, we still had to make tradeoffs within our algorithms. The experience was especially exciting due to the real-time simulation of our algorithms trading on the exchange, which provided immediate feedback on our adjustments. Even after the program concluded, I found myself still contemplating potential improvements.
What did you learn during the program that will set you up for success in your future trading role?
Paco: A lot! Prior to the week, I didn’t have much experience with trading. During the lectures, we learned a lot of theory about trading, like pricing derivatives, hedging, and what Optiver does within the industry. Besides the theoretical knowledge, the trading games helped me gain trading instinct and improve decision-making skills in a fast-paced setting under pressure. The Optibook programming exercise was really helpful in understanding what Optiver specifically does. You had to try to make profit on a randomly generated market with your own trading algorithm. You could implement the things you learned during the lectures, come up with your own strategies, and develop your programming skills along the way, which comes in very handy in a future trading role.
Joep: The theory sessions provided me with a strong understanding of the fundamentals behind options, which will be invaluable in my future role as a trader. The trading games also taught me how to stay focused and not be discouraged by a series of unsuccessful trades.
Timothy: I’ve become more analytical in assessing probabilities and better at pinpointing the key elements of a problem when time is short. Practicing in high-pressure scenarios has made me more well-rounded and better equipped to handle similar situations in the future.
Martijn: The culture of encouraging discourse, coming up with your own ideas, and challenging the ideas of others really shone through during the week. Even though as Career Kickstarter participants we had significantly less knowledge about the field, we were still encouraged to strike up conversations about topics that we found interesting or challenging. This culture is very beneficial in the learning process and will definitely be in the back of my mind during both the training phase for the trader role, as well as during the job itself.
What do you look forward to most in your new role?
Joep: As a student thinking about my future role as a trader, I’m particularly excited about the dynamic environment of the financial markets. After all, most of the things that happen in the world affect these markets. I look forward to the constant stream of challenges and opportunities that I surely will face at Optiver. Lastly, I’m sure that I will be able to learn a lot from the other traders and employees of Optiver that have been around for some time.
Martijn: I feel like the job at Optiver will allow me to keep up the high-paced learning that I’m used to, while really going in-depth and becoming one of the best in a complex field. I’m looking forward to joining a company where entrepreneurship is encouraged, ideas are openly shared and discussed, and where some of the smartest people come together to learn from each other and solve really complex problems.
I’m looking forward to joining a company where entrepreneurship is encouraged, ideas are openly shared and discussed, and where some of the smartest people come together to learn from each other and solve really complex problems.
Paco: I’m eager to deepen my knowledge of the trading environment and gain the expertise needed to be a strong team member. The collaborative and quantitative environment at Optiver is something I’m really looking forward to.
Timothy: Given how much I enjoyed developing a trading algorithm during Career Kickstarter, I’m particularly excited about doing simulated trading when I start my trading internship next year. I’m eager to learn how new information influences the market and how to adapt to these changes. Observing others’ varied approaches to trading will also be valuable.
What advice do you have for future participants? Would you recommend it and why?
Joep: Firstly, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Without trying things, you won’t find out what works or not. Especially in the trading games, experiment and discover which approaches work best for you. Secondly, even though it might feel like there’s a lot at stake during the week, try not to let that pressure negatively affect your participation. It’s best to have fun and learn as much as possible.
The application process itself is a valuable learning experience. Even if you don’t get selected, you’ll gain insights that can improve your chances in the future. If you do get selected, you’ll experience a fun and educational week with great compensation. Personally, before I applied, I wasn’t sure if trading was for me, but the week clarified that and provided valuable insights into what trading at Optiver entails.
Martijn: To make the most of the program, be open and proactive. See the week as an opportunity to explore and learn about the concepts you’re interested in. The advice my sister gave me—to approach it as a fun and educational experience where you can ask any questions—really helped me. I strongly recommend applying to this program. Although the selection process is competitive, the experience is valuable regardless of the outcome. It’s a chance to gain practical insights and expand your knowledge.
Paco: Enjoy the learning process and make the most of the practical exercises. This week starts from the basics of trading, making it ideal for newcomers. While it’s tempting to focus on the number of participants, the key is to immerse yourself fully in the experience. For anyone eager to learn and grow in the field I would recommend applying and see what happens.
