
SIG software engineering candidates report timed coding assessments, resume-focused recruiter screens, live coding, and low-level object-oriented design rather than only large-scale system design.
$120K
Avg. Base Comp
$220K
Avg. Total Comp
4 rounds
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
SIG software engineering candidates most consistently describe a process built around timed implementation, clear explanation, and code-level design. Reported online assessments include either four questions in roughly 70 minutes or two easy coding problems; several candidates emphasize a difficulty increase or tight pacing. A later live coding exercise may allow only about 30 minutes, so prioritize a complete, correct solution before spending remaining time on optimization.
Technical discussion can go beyond algorithms. Candidates report being asked to explain and implement behavior similar to C++ vector::push_back(), including possible inefficiencies and improvements. One coding prompt involved finding ticker symbols in headlines. Prepare to narrate requirements, trade-offs, and the code you write instead of treating the solution as a silent exercise.
The design portion is often described as low-level object-oriented design, not a broad distributed-systems architecture discussion. Grocery-store checkout and library-system prompts were reported, with follow-ups on class structure, implementation choices, and syntax. Recruiter and manager conversations may also cover resume projects, motivation for SIG, work preferences, behavioral scenarios, and mental math performed aloud without a calculator. Evidence on the exact route varies by candidate, so expect some stage variation.
Synthesized from 4 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Susquehanna International Group, Llp (Sig) process.
The most memorable part of the process was the final system design interview, mostly because one of the interviewers came across as pretty condescending. The questions themselves were reasonable, though, and the overall process was not designed to trick me.
I started with a HackerRank online assessment containing four coding questions that increased in difficulty. The first couple were extremely basic, almost FizzBuzz-level, while the later problems required more substantial algorithmic thinking. The areas that could come up included graphs, dynamic programming, greedy approaches, and breadth-first search. The assessment was roughly 70 minutes, so the main challenge was managing time well enough to reach the harder questions. Nothing about it was specific to quantitative finance.
After passing the assessment, I had a recruiter phone screen. This stage could be fairly detailed about my resume, including my background, interest in SIG, and what motivates me. I also had to be comfortable explaining my experience directly rather than forcing every answer into a STAR story. The screen was around 30 minutes and included four mental math questions that had to be solved without a calculator while talking through my reasoning aloud.
I then moved on to SIG’s Discovery Day. It included a basic behavioral conversation and a technical coding interview. Both felt straightforward, with no unexpected twists or sense that the interviewers were intentionally making things harder. The final stage covered system design and conversations about potential team matches. Aside from the attitude of one system design interviewer, the process was predictable and technically fair. I ultimately did not receive an offer. My biggest takeaway is to prepare for a four-question assessment with a sharp difficulty jump, know every part of your resume well, and practice narrating mental math clearly under pressure.
Prep tip from this candidate
Practice completing four increasingly difficult coding problems in about 70 minutes, especially graph, dynamic programming, greedy, and BFS problems. Also rehearse solving mental math without a calculator while explaining each step aloud, and be ready for detailed questions about your resume and motivation for joining SIG.
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Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Susquehanna International Group, Llp (Sig)
In which case would you use a bagging algorithm versus a boosting algorithm
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Simple Movie Database | |
| 2nd Highest Salary | |
| Employee Salaries | |
| Merge Sorted Lists | |
| Subscription Overlap | |
| Closest SAT Scores | |
| Empty Neighborhoods | |
| Top Three Salaries | |
| Monthly Customer Report | |
| Rolling Bank Transactions | |
| Find the Missing Number | |
| String Shift | |
| Comments Histogram | |
| Prime to N | |
| Maximum Profit | |
| Like Tracker | |
| Find the First Non-Repeating Character in a String | |
| P-value to a Layman | |
| Hurdles In Data Projects | |
| Google Maps Improvement | |
| Cumulative Distribution | |
| Rectangle Overlap | |
| Over-Budget Projects | |
| Slacking Employees Salaries | |
| Top 3 Users | |
| Size of Joins | |
| Total Spent on Products | |
| Sum to N | |
| Over 100 Dollars |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates report either a four-question HackerRank or CodeSignal assessment completed in about 70 minutes, with questions becoming harder, or a two-problem assessment. Reported topics include graphs, dynamic programming, greedy methods, and BFS; the main preparation need is finishing enough work under the clock.
Candidates report 30-minute recruiter conversations covering background, project contributions, motivation for SIG, work preferences, and behavioral questions. One account also included four mental-math questions solved aloud without a calculator, so be ready to explain reasoning directly.
Candidates report live or CodeSignal-based coding interviews lasting about 30 to 90 minutes. Examples included parsing ticker symbols in headlines and discussing how to implement and optimize behavior like C++ `vector::push_back()`; interviewers may ask for both working code and a clear explanation.
Candidates who reached later stages report another coding component plus low-level object-oriented design, sometimes alongside manager or team-matching conversations. Grocery checkout and library-system designs were cited; expect follow-ups on classes, code organization, implementation details, and syntax rather than only system-scale architecture.