Futures First info Services Interview Questions, Process, and Tips

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: No CGPA criteria. One must be interested in finance, especially trading.

Round: Test
Experience: There are two stages of written tests.

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: The company gave a form to be filled by all the candidates just before the start of interviews. A few questions will be based on the answers one provides in the form. The form contained fields for all the academic information and around 20 short HR questions to be answered in 2-3 lines each. Again arithmetic ability is tested extensively in this round also. One should also be good with guesstimates. Examples include questions like 58*32, 5th root of .32768. Be confident of your answer.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: This was mostly an HR based interview. Questions based on CV (POR and intern especially) were also asked. Prepare for some basic HR questions. Show some enthusiasm while answering questions.

Skill Tips: These skills are tested extensively in the second written test and also in the interview. Math ability of the student plays a very important role in the selection process. CAT preparation would be good enough for the second written test. If you are serious about the company, start learning vedic maths or work on your arithmetic skills. Go through Investopedia for some finance related funda. Also, Futures First will start an online game called “Trade Moghul” sometime in August, so if you play that game and end up in the top 100 countrywide, you directly get an interview call.
Skills: Strong arithmetic skills, quantitative aptitude
College Name: IIT KHARAGPUR

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: CGPA cutoff

Round: Test
Experience: Type : Written
Tips: The first test needs no special material to prepare. You need to be quick in solving the simple mathematical problems. There is no negative marking in this test.
Duration: Duration : 5 min + 30 min minute

Round: Interview
Experience: There was no HR round as such. But we were given a sheet to fill, containing all HR questions, prior to the personal interviews. There were interview questions based on the answers I gave in this sheet.

Round: Interview
Experience: Both the interviews were Stress Interviews. There was not much of a difference in the two rounds. I had guesstimates, in both rounds. There was also a small session of Quant questions.
Tips: I have got a lot of interview fundaes from seniors and also saw many videos regarding it.

General Tips: Even if you are aspiring for one among the core or the non-core job, you need to have basic fundaes regarding the other. You never know, where you gonna end up.
Skill Tips: I prepared for CAT which helped me get better at quant and DI. I studied GATE book for core preparation. There was no preparation for non-core in particular. I went through the basics of trading (required for FUTURES FIRST) just 2 days before the interview.
College Name: IIT MADRAS

Round: Test
Tips: No need of any preparation. Just speed math
Duration: 50 minutes

Round: Interview
Experience: Yes. First one was a stress interview. They wanted to see how I reacted when put under stress. Second was about finance, trading, the job and the like. The interviewer explained what the job entails, I was sure I got the job
Tips: Try taking part in Trade Moghul if you are really interested in trading. A lot of banks don't offer trading positions, so if you are interested in trading profile, it's a good place.

General Tips: In fact there are different skill sets each company expects. So try to emphasize the right skill set in your resume. Get this done by at least Septembert end.
College Name: IIT MADRAS

Round: Test
Experience: I did well in speed matth part but i felt I could have done better in analytical aptitude. They have questions like od man out in picture format which i didn't expect.
Tips: Practice speed math 1 day before. You can get some tests online (just google). There are cutoffs for each section, so dont neglect any section.
Ideal time - Speed math 5-7 min
aptitude 20-25 min
Duration: 30 minutes
Total Questions: 50

Round: Trade moghul usly(online simulation of trading)
Experience: We were asked to take part in trade moghul, Company's trading competition for one week on a crude oil. I have started playing it as it is part of selection process but later i have enjoyed it and took part for almost 6-7 hrs a day.
Tips: Just enjoy making profit or loss. The values will be real time but money is not. So play for fun. They take it seriously. They dont mind if you make profit or loss. They jus want to check your patience.

Round: Interview
Experience: I have had 4 rounds of interview. First one is rapid round. In this they will ask you questions very fast that you cannot settle and make up your mind and then answer. They ask even normal stuff like capitals of countries, Presidents of countries and some speed math which you have to answer instantly
2-4 rounds: These 3 rounds are stress rounds where they say you are useless and will not have a career if you join this company and they say you are not good at this and that and try to put you in pressure. In pressure they test how your mind works and how smart you think. For example they ask you to see around in room then change topic and ask you to close eyes and ask how many switches are there in room. They give you some situation and will test you how you behave in those conditions. We all know that no interviewer ,how bad the interview is ,will not say you are not good and will not say you will be a failure. So for all the words they say I was just saying to myself that they are just trying to make me feel the pressure and I have also started to enjoy with them. I would definitely say that this was my most enjoyed interview.
Tips: Just be yourself. Dont act and keep saying to yourself that they are just saying bad things to make you feel the pressure. Play trade moghul as it reflects your intrest in trading

General Tips: Be cool. They are not here to test your english ability. They need people with good math skill and who works under pressure
Skills: Speed Math
College Name: IIT MADRAS
Motivation: Individual performance is directly proportional to the bonus you get.

Round: Test
Experience: 1st test had only mathematical calculations, since it was only 6 minute test so I did not wasted my time in selecting the questions, I went on and solved the first 25 out of 40. 2nd test had math and DI questions for 30 minutes; I tried to do selected questions this time. Preparations for CAT helped me lot in doing this test. The company had an absolute cutoff in both the tests.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: “Why trading and not aerospace?” the very first question fired on me, I gave a positive answer stating why I find finance more interesting instead of saying anything negative about aerospace. What is 77^3, 141^2 etc some of the verbal calculative questions asked in between, although these are very uncomfortable questions I tried to kept my composure and gave an approximate answer to these questions which was acceptable. Some simple puzzles were asked. After some time the interviewer started pitching for me and telling me stuffs about the company, this is where I was almost sure of an offer. There was no 2nd of interview for me.

General Tips: At the beginning of the 7th sem I had made up my mind that I don’t want to do MS or Phd but I was still confused between MBA and job. So I decided to prepare for both, which later on I realized that there was a lot common in the preparation of the two. After deciding this, the next question that came to my mind was ‘what kind of job I want?’ To answer this question I needed to develop basic market knowledge about the various sectors and the companies in those sectors which I did by regularly updating myself through newspapers, internet, business magazines etc. At least a month before the placements I was sure that I
would apply only for consulting and finance profiles, since there were more than 5 companies on a single day so having a preference helped me focus better and do well in the interviews.

Resumes: It is the very first test of your creativity by any company and is equally important like any interview. I tried to add some spikes in my resume which is required for both consultancies as well as finance. I started making my resume in September and after hundreds of changes and feedbacks from the seniors (which is most important) and it took me more than a month, so start with resume as early as possible.

PPTs: The most important thing that you learn in ppts is the details of the work profile which you won't find anywhere else. It is the best place to get an answer to all the questions in your mind. So I would suggest you to try and attend as many ppts as possible not because of the compulsion in attendance but for its
benefits. In any ppt make sure that the company tells you the breakup of the compensation package as there are many hidden expenses included in the package.

Preparation: This is the most important input in getting a good job. This basically includes 3 things,

Group Discussions: We used to make a group of 8-10 within our department and sometimes in my wing and discussed on any topic for 15-20 minutes. It would be just like a bulla session but in English and an element of formality involved in it. After the GDs the participants gave the feedback to each other which was most important. For GDs try to keep yourself updated with the current affairs coz most of the times the topics are related to recent happenings. And one more thing don’t feel shy or left out, say whatever you want to say even if you think that the discussion is chaotic.

Case Studies: Make a group of 3-4 people one would be the interviewer, an interviewee and the rest to just watch and would give the feedback at the end. Take up any case from the numerous case books available on the LAN and conduct such sessions. How ever tough or easy the case may be you always learn how to structure the problems and the basic knowledge which is applicable in most of the cases. Do solve lot of puzzles, this will further add to your logical thinking. This can be best done while you go to the canteen every night because a discussion can add a lot dimensions to it.

Personal Interviews: The basic mantra for a PI is to show a positive body language, be cheerful and speak confidently. This basically involves the HR questions and questions related to the stuffs written in your resume. This round is conducted by every company irrespective of whether it is a core or a non core company. I prepared myself for general questions and also participated in various one on one interviews with my friends, initially I thought that such interviews with friends won’t be a formal one but I was wrong, it helped me a lot later on.

Workshops: There would be numerous workshops conducted by the companies and the SPO. Don't miss
out on any of them as it is the most easy and effective way to learn.
College Name: IIT Kanpur

Round: Test
Experience: Basic Mathematics questions testing speed and accuracy.
Duration: 6 minutes
Total Questions: 40

Round: Test
Experience: CAT type questions, each question had some trick.
Tips: Prepare for CAT.
Duration: 30 minutes
Total Questions: 35

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: It was 20-25 minute round. 3-4 general puzzles were given. Questions about current affairs in the finance sector were asked.

College Name: IIT KANPUR

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: Selection or shortlisting criteria is based on performance in the overall selection process. Not specific about the resume.

Round: Test
Duration: 5 minutes
Total Questions: 30

Round: Interview
Experience: Main topic covered : Personal details and immediate responses.

General Tips: Practice aptitude and logical reasoning
Solve puzzles but do remember the written tests are only for filtering.
Quick and convincing responses are appropriate in the HR round.



The importance in getting selected (in ascending order) : Extra, co-curricular activities ,Technical Skills example coding etc. ,Acadamic Achievements, PoRs, Projects, Internships, CGPA
Skill Tips: Practice aptitude and logical reasoning. Solve puzzles but do remember the written tests are only for filtering. Quick and convincing responses are appropriate in the HR round.
College Name: IIT MADRAS

Round: Test
Experience: Questions based on simple math were asked.
Duration: 5 minutes
Total Questions: 30

Round: Test
Experience: CAT type questions were asked.
Duration: 15 minutes

Round: Interview
Experience: There were two rounds to the interview. Resume based and simple math questions were asked.

General Tips: In ascending order importance, for getting shortlisted:1) PoRs2) Extra, co-curricular activities3) Projects4) Technical Skills example coding etc.5) Academic Achievements6) Internships7) CGPA
College Name: IIT MADRAS

General Tips: If you are serious about the company, start following the markets, if possible do some online trading. Take up the Financial Engineering course offered by the Industrial Engineering Department in the Autumn Semester. Read the first chapter of John Hull Book thoroughly the night before the interviews.
Start preparing for the Quant questions early on, as they will not be easy. Also, to clear the first round of test, you need pretty decent Arithmetic skills, so start practicing some quick methods to solve multiplication problems.
Also, Futures First will start an online game called "Trade Moghul" sometime in August, so if you play that game and be in the Top 500 countrywide, you directly get an Interview call, basically you skip the first two tests and sit for the interviews directly.
However, be cautious, they come prepared with the record of all your transactions in the game, and will ask you about your strategies used to play the game.
Last piece of advice : the job is very demanding with the work timings being 11 AM to 10 PM and also extremely risky. The rate of firing of the company is pretty high, with less than 50 % of recruits making it to the second year of employment.
However the benefits moneywise are no doubt tremendous, with the Bonus package increasing exponentially each year.
So if you think you want to enter this competitive sector, only then sit for the interviews, otherwise, pursue a career someplace safe.
Skills: Quantitative ability, Mathematical aptitude, Ability to take stress
College Name: IIT KHARAGPUR

Round: Test
Experience: First was 5 mins 30 questions and second was cat type.
Tips: Google Futures first interview or something to get details
Duration: 5 minutes
Total Questions: 30

Round: Interview
Experience: Normal HR questions were only asked and i was not put under stress because of test marks.

Round: Interview
Experience: Basic questions were asked you can google for list of questions.

General Tips: Good test scores specially the first i think i might have scored full.

Be honest during an interview, they know when you are honest, and they appreciate it if you are.

CAT preparation specifically fast reading and comprehension help during placement tests.

Play bridge other mind sports it helps keep thinking straight and concentration.
College Name: IIT Madras