Vantaggi
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.
Svantaggi
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.