TL;DR
SYTalent runs specialist searches in five stages: define the brief precisely, map the market, approach candidates confidentially, assess technical and research depth before shortlisting, then manage the offer, covenants and notice period through to start date.
The stage that decides everything is the first one. Most failed searches in this market fail because the brief was vague about latency, asset class, seniority or what the hire must deliver, not because sourcing was weak.
Key points
- A written brief is agreed before we approach anyone.
- We map named teams and adjacent industries, rather than searching a database.
- Candidates are assessed technically before they reach your panel.
- You hear honest market feedback, including when the brief needs to change.
Stage 1: the brief
We spend real time here, usually a structured conversation with the hiring manager and, where relevant, the TA lead. We agree:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which asset classes, venues and horizons? | Determines which experience actually transfers |
| Latency sensitivity and research-to-production balance | Separates true specialists from adjacent profiles |
| What the hire must deliver in the first year | Sets seniority and the evidence to look for |
| Who they work with daily, and who decides | Shapes assessment and the interview panel |
| Non-negotiables versus trainable skills | Opens or closes adjacent talent pools |
| Compensation structure and flexibility | Decides whether senior candidates can move |
| Process, timelines and decision-makers | Prevents avoidable delays that lose candidates |
You receive this back in writing. If we think a requirement will make the search fail, we say so at this stage rather than three months in.
Stage 2: market mapping
We identify where the profile genuinely exists: named teams at trading firms, funds and banks, plus adjacent industries such as semiconductors for FPGA roles, or networking, databases and systems engineering for low-latency roles. You see the sourcing approach, not just a candidate list.
The HFT skills matrix sets out how we translate a brief into assessable skills.
Stage 3: confidential approach
Most strong candidates in this market are not applying to anything. We approach individually and discreetly. Your name is disclosed when a candidate is seriously engaged and you have agreed, not in the first message. Candidate details are shared with you only with their consent.
Stage 4: assessment before shortlist
Candidates have a substantive technical or research conversation with us before they reach you. For engineering roles we probe measured latency work, systems depth and production experience. For research roles we probe process, validation and honesty about failed ideas. For trading roles we probe risk behaviour and market understanding.
You receive a short written assessment per candidate, including gaps, not only strengths. The goal is that your team's interview time is spent on people who could genuinely do the job.
Stage 5: offer, covenants and transition
We manage the parts that break late-stage hires:
- Bonus timing, deferred compensation and what a candidate forfeits by moving.
- Non-compete, non-solicitation and garden leave terms, which vary by contract and jurisdiction. Employers should take their own legal advice.
- Notice periods, which in India are often the longest part of the timeline.
- Counter-offer risk, discussed openly with the candidate well before the offer.
- Relocation, visas and family considerations for cross-border moves.
What you get during the search
| Cadence | What you receive |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Written brief, sourcing approach, initial market feedback |
| Ongoing | Regular updates with named progress, not activity statistics |
| Each shortlist | Written assessment per candidate, including gaps |
| Throughout | Honest feedback on compensation, location and role design |
| At close | Offer management and transition support |
What we will tell you that others may not
If the compensation is below market for the profile, we will say so. If the role combines two jobs that rarely exist in one person, we will say so. If the search is unlikely to succeed as briefed, we would rather redesign it with you than run a process that wastes everyone's time.
Who runs your search
Searches in HFT, quant and trading technology are led by Piyush Ranjan. FinTech and investment leadership searches are led by Vibhor Sharma. You work with the partner, not a delivery team you never met.
To start, discuss your hiring needs or email piyush@sytalent.com. For how to evaluate any search firm, including us, see choosing an HFT or quant search firm, and for commercial terms see engagement models.