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      Optiver

      Engaged Employer

      Optiver reviews

      3.8

      63% would recommend to a friend

      (574 total reviews)

      61% positive business outlook

      Ratings by demographic groups

      Optiver has an employee rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 574 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Optiver employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Financial Services industry (3.7 stars).

      Reviews by job title

      574 reviews
      4.0
      Dec 11, 2021

      I like working here

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Transparent and honest communication. The atmosphere of working for the same goal. There's generally a fair amount of trust and goodwill. No pressure to stick to long hours if you don't want to. Great high-frequency options data. I've seen some comments about the lack of gender diversity, but I think things have been changing for the better.

      Cons

      The statistical/mathematical modelling is somewhat lacking, and it might be challenging to grow in those aspects while working here. Some traders have an aggressive communication style, which can be draining and unhelpful, especially if you share it. Might be a common theme in the industry. We've got a few young pestiferous traders on the floor.

      5.0
      Nov 12, 2021

      Good Experience

      Derivatives trader
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Strong training program. Competitive and difficult to succeed when starting out, but the firm aims to keep all new hires and train them to success. Other firms value Optiver training, so its possible to move elsewhere even if you don't succeed at Optiver. Lots of pay upside relative to the rest of the industry. Profit sharing, even for non-trading roles. Strong technology. It can be frustrating to be a good trader at a firm with poor tech. Not a problem here. Casual, informal culture. Good work-life balance compared to other finance jobs. About par for the trading industry. 25 days vacation. International work opportunities available. Good teamwork culture. Smart employees.

      Cons

      Leadership is a bit stagnant. Every year the firm grows and it gets harder and harder to break into senior leadership roles. Mentorship is strong at the lower levels, but most growth is self-driven after that. No sabbatical policies. Stressful job. Most traders are built to handle stress well, but after a while it does make you want to take a break. No extended leave policy hurts there. Pay is almost entirely discretionary bonus. Difficult for management to coordinate compensation fairly across employees on different desks (with different opportunities) and different levels of seniority. Compensation can feel opaque and unfair (even if its obviously well above what you might expect at a different job). No remote flexibility for traders.

      1.0
      Nov 5, 2021

      Stress and Mess

      Software engineer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      -Good pay (they'll almost always beat any competitor) -Free breakfast and lunch which tastes good on most days -Free coffee until midday -Good resume booster ^ But honestly don't let these perks lure you ^

      Cons

      -Very high expectations and BS performance reviews means that you could be below average and get fired very quickly. I've seen smart and competent people shown the door. -Within the first few months I saw quite a few people disappear or leave. There was even someone that resigned due to mental health problems (more than likely caused by work related stress). If this place is so great why do people leave? Seriously ask yourself that before joining. -Projects are an absolute mess. As a dev you'll be project manager, tester, support which is on top of your usual dev work. -Limited career growth outside of finance and the tech is an outdated mess. Honestly try finding a C++ job outside of HFT that pays in the same ballpark. So make sure you plan an exit route. -Engineers are a pay grade below. Seriously a second year junior trader earns the same as a senior (l3) developer. -Individualist environment means people are always fighting for their bonus. -Got yelled at by a frustrated manager because I made an honest mistake and was a little slow to interpret something -Be weary of teams with low headcount where only new comers join and people just leave. -If you get an offer at a big tech company, take that option. The slightly extra $ you get is not worth the career risk. I'm glad I made the switch and got out early.

      Viewing 301 - 303 of 574 Reviews
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      Glassdoor has 825 Optiver reviews submitted anonymously by Optiver employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Optiver is right for you.