Merrill Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

It started with an aptitude test that had basic quant questions and then some java programs to find the output. This was followed by a technical round with questions on P&C, java programs, and SQL. Finally, there was an HR round with some average aptitude questions and questions about knowledge of hedge funds. The overall difficulty was average.

I found the job posting on LinkedIn and reached out to the recruiter because I didn't get an initial response. This worked, and I was then screened by the recruiter and their manager. After that, I had a phone screen with someone from the hiring department who quizzed me on Javascript trivia. I didn't think I did well on that, but it apparently led to a 5-hour in-person interview with the department. I felt it was too long and that they were really looking for a UI person with strong Javascript and CSS skills, which wasn't clear from the job description. Despite that, I answered their questions, some high-level, some specific, and some I didn't know. They also tested my ability to debug JS and CSS with FireBug on the spot. I thought I did well with the Director, but not with the technical team, and ultimately didn't receive an offer. I'm confident I'd do much better now.

It was mostly technical questions about OO concepts and C++ basics. The OO questions were pretty basic, but you gotta know everything about the 4 main pillars. Had to solve a question on the board presenting it.