FORESIGHT(2025) | Placement at Nomura | Sanyam Agrawal

1. Brief introduction and description of offered role

Hey! I’m Sanyam — a final-year dual degree student in Civil and Financial Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. I somehow ended up landing a placement at Nomura as a Quant Analyst (Model Validation Group) during the 2024–25 placement season.

Yeah, I know — sounds all fancy and brainy, right? But let me set the record straight: I’m no topper. I’m the kind of guy who usually chills at the back of the lecture hall, sometimes half-lost, sometimes half-asleep. Others who got selected were 9-pointers. I managed to sneak in with an 8.

And yet, it worked out. Maybe luck played a part. Maybe things just fell into place at the right time.

2) How did you get into Nomura? What was the selection procedure?

I had just landed in Kolkata, heading back to KGP, when I got a text from my roommate: “Interview Shortlist — Tera Nomura hai” — Twelve hours before the interview.

The first step was a resume shortlist. Somehow, mine made the cut — probably a mix of relevant projects, internships, and the stars aligning.

Then came the offline test — yep, pen and paper. Nomura’s pretty old-school like that. And it wasn’t your typical aptitude paper. This one was math-heavy:

• Probability, permutations, combinatorics
• Number theory, linear algebra, differential equations
• A mix of coding logic and standard finance problems

I wasn’t fully prepped, but the JEE aftertaste and some scattered quant prep helped me stay afloat. Cleared it.

Then came the interviews — two rounds, both technical.

First round:

• Focused on probability, expectations, brain teasers, and logic-based coding
• I messed up one question completely, but explained my thought process anyway. I think that saved me.

Second round:

• The intense one — proper CV grilling
• Questions on Brownian motion, stochastic processes, and basic quant finance concepts

3) How to prepare for them?

Here’s what helped me:

• Maths:- Get comfortable with probability, expectations, linear algebra, and differential equations. Not just formulas, but how to apply them in tricky situations. If you’ve done Olympiads or grinded through JEE, you already have a solid base.
• Coding logic:- You don’t need to be a CP god, but know your basics — loops, conditionals, logic puzzles, and how to approach problems step by step. Python works fine — just be confident in one language. Bonus: it can help in other interviews too.
• Quant finance basics:- Know the surface-level ideas around Brownian motion, Black-Scholes, options, VAR Calculation, etc. You’re not expected to be a quant PhD, but showing curiosity and clarity goes a long way. Skim through J.C. Hull for a decent intro — it’s more than enough at this stage.
• Brain teasers:- Practice solving math problems on paper under time pressure. Nomura doesn’t do online MCQs, so your working speed matters. And don’t skip brain teasers — they’re random but common.
• CV prep:- Whatever you write, own it. Projects, internships — anything on your CV is fair game. And honestly, this is your edge. The other stuff can catch you off guard, but this part is in your control. Use it to steer the interview in your direction.

Bottom line: You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. Just show that you can think, adapt quickly, and not freeze when things get weird.

4) When did you start preparing, and what’s the ideal time to begin?

I didn’t start with Nomura in mind. I was preparing in general, mostly because I had this vague idea that I wanted to do something quant-ish, and not end up completely blank when companies started rolling in.

My prep really picked up around July–August, just before the placement season. I kept going in phases — some weeks were productive, others… not so much.

In my opinion, the ideal time to start is June–July, especially if you’re targeting quant/finance roles. Not for panic prep — just to get in the zone. You don’t want to be figuring out “What is Brownian motion?” the night before your interview.

The best prep is the kind where you don’t realise you’re preparing — you’re just learning things that naturally stack up over time.

5) What difficulties did you face while preparing for this company/profile? How did you overcome them?

Time was the biggest hurdle.

I was doing a hybrid internship at HSBC till mid-November — trying to bag a PPO and push for an extension (the PPO worked out, the extension didn’t). That meant balancing intern work during the day (deliverables and deadlines), academics in between, and placements creeping up fast. Some days it felt like I was just moving from one deadline to another on autopilot.

Ironically, though, that same internship helped me prepare. The kind of work I was doing — model risk validation, working with real quant models — gave me the background that turned out to be relevant. I didn’t realise it at the time, but a lot of that experience ended up being useful in the interviews.

Another major struggle was coding. I’m not a CP guy. Never liked leetcode-style grind. I’m comfortable with Python — can get things done, automate stuff, use libraries — but not in a clean, optimal, “look-at-this-elegant-solution” kind of way. And that sometimes made me feel like I was underprepared compared to others who’d been doing CP for years.

How did I manage?

● I just got comfortable enough to explain my logic and write working code under pressure.

● For math and finance, I made sure to sharpen the areas I enjoyed, so that even if I slipped on coding, I had other strongholds to balance it out.

It wasn’t textbook prep. It was patchy and chaotic. But it worked.

6) Are there any specific requirements such as department, CGPA, or other criteria for this position? Additionally, do certain PORs or EAAs enhance one’s chances of securing this placement?

There’s no official CG cutoff, but realistically, most folks getting shortlisted had 9+ CGs. I managed to slide in with an 8 — so it’s not impossible, just that your resume needs to carry a bit more weight if your CG isn’t doing the talking.

There’s no fixed department requirement either. But if I had to pick one that’s best aligned, Financial Engineering fits like a glove. It covers stuff like Financial Risk Management, Derivatives, Probability & Stats, Stochastic Calculus, Economics — basically everything they expect you to know. Maths & Computing (MnC) also overlaps pretty well, especially with the math and coding angle.

That said, you don’t need to be from a “core” department. If your projects, electives, or even self-learning show you’re into math + finance + logic, you’re in the game. This role isn’t about where you come from — it’s about whether you can keep up with the math and make sense of uncertainty.

As for PORs or extra activities, they’re not make-or-break. Unless you did something directly relevant (like leading a finance club, quant team, etc.), they’ll take a backseat to your problem-solving ability and how well you explain what’s on your CV.

7) According to you, who should ideally apply for this job?

Anyone who enjoys solving math problems, thinks logically, and doesn’t mind a bit of uncertainty. You don’t need to be a topper or finance expert — just someone who’s curious, comfortable with numbers, and can explain their thought process clearly. If you like puzzles, probability, and structured thinking, you’ll probably enjoy the role.

8) What are some of the major points you think would be valid to mention in the CV while targeting this profile?

I think I’ve already mentioned the key requirements above. Just to add — CV crafting is an art. Give it ample time.

It’s the document that represents you in front of the company, sometimes even before you speak a single word. So take it seriously. Mention only what you can explain confidently. No buzzword stuffing.

The CV is where you control the narrative — so build it around your actual strengths, not what sounds cool.

9) Lastly, what advice would you like to give to the students aiming to grab CDC placements this year?

This might just be the most important section of all.

1. Don’t compare yourself. You know yourself best. Just show your caliber to the company, not someone else’s version of it.

2. CDC is an opportunity — a very good one — but not the only one. Treat it like that. Don’t put your entire self-worth on the line.

3. Enjoy the process. Because only then will you truly be able to cherish the results. 4. Hedge yourself. Try to prepare for two profiles (having some correlation) instead of one. Have a backup. You’ll feel more in control.

Many unrealised factors are simply out of our hands. Don’t overthink. Go with the flow. Sometimes, it does come down to luck, but luck favours the prepared.

All the very best. Hope you succeed :)