Great!
Even if you're from Mechanical, Chemical, or Production in
NIT, you can get into HFT—but you'll need to build a solid, focused
skillset to compete with top-tier CS grads from IITs/NITs. Most HFT
firms hire based on skills, not branch.
✅ Here's Exactly What You Need to Prepare:
1. 🔁 Master Competitive Programming (CP)
HFT interviews often mirror ICPC-style problems: tight constraints,
efficient algorithms, optimal code.
Platforms:
Codeforces – Target: 1800+ rating
AtCoder – Regular contests
LeetCode – 250+ hard-level problems
HackerRank/CodeChef – For consistency
Topics to Master:
Sorting, searching
Binary search
Bit manipulation
Graphs (DFS, BFS, Dijkstra, DSU)
DP (0/1 Knapsack, LIS, Digit DP)
Segment Trees / Fenwick Trees
Number theory (GCD, modular arithmetic)
Geometry basics (for firms like Jane Street)
⏳ Timeframe: 6–12 months of consistent practice.
2. 💻 Strong Command over Programming (especially C++)
Learn C++ STL, templates, memory optimization
Practice low-level memory management (important for speed-
sensitive systems)
Write fast, clean code under pressure
Optional but valuable: Learn basics of Rust, Python, or Java.
3. 📊 Maths and Statistics
HFT is not just about speed, it's also about predictive models and
probabilities.
Learn:
Probability theory
Combinatorics
Expected value
Game theory basics
Time-series analysis (for quant-focused roles)
Linear algebra & optimization
🧠 Use: MIT OpenCourseWare, Khan Academy, or YouTube
4. Operating Systems & Systems Programming
Especially useful if you're applying for Quant Developer roles.
Focus on:
Process/thread management
Memory hierarchy, caching
Multithreading and concurrency
Network protocols (TCP/IP basics)
Writing efficient I/O (e.g., scanf vs cin vs fast I/O)
🔧 Use: “Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces”, CSAPP (Computer
Systems: A Programmer's Perspective)
5. 📈 Finance Basics (Optional but Helpful)
You don’t need a finance degree, but understanding market
mechanics helps.
Learn:
What is a market order, limit order, bid-ask spread
Basics of arbitrage, liquidity, latency
Order books, slippage, execution algorithms
📘 Use: “Trading and Exchanges” by Larry Harris or Investopedia
6. 🧪 Projects / Internships / Open Source (Bonus)
Build a mock trading engine
Do low-latency simulations
Implement a simple strategy (e.g., moving average crossover) in
Python
Contribute to open-source CP or HFT tools on GitHub
7. 🎯 Apply to the Right Firms
Some firms that hire from NITs, regardless of branch, if you're
skilled:
Quadeye
Graviton
iRageCapital
AlphaGrep
Aureus Analytics
Tower Research (difficult, but possible)
Jane Street, HRT, etc. (super tough—need CP + math at top-
tier)
Your Suggested Path (as an NIT Mech/Chem/Production student)
Year Goal
1st Year Master C++, basic DSA, start CP, learn Linux
2nd Year Deepen CP, reach 1800+ Codeforces, learn OS/Net, math
3rd Year Intern at quant/HFT/startups, build GitHub profile
Final Year Apply off-campus + on-campus HFT/quant roles
🚀 Bonus Tips:
Join coding clubs in your NIT
Participate in ICPC, Codeforces contests, or Google Kick Start
Network with people working in HFT via LinkedIn
Keep resume CP + system + math-heavy
