Optiver SHL Test: Practice Guide With Example Questions

Founded in the Netherlands in 1986, proprietary trading company Optiver trades with derivatives, cash equities, exchange-traded funds, bonds, and foreign exchange.

Optiver is a tight-knit company with around 2,000 employees. It works across five domains: 

• Trading
• Technology
• Risk and control
• Data science
• Business operations

Optiver’s employees are carefully selected to ensure the team aligns with the company values of improvement, excellence, collaboration, initiative, and critical thinking.

With offices across the world, Optiver offers roles ranging from traders and researchers to software engineers and legal counsel.

A career with a trading firm such as Optiver is exciting and rewarding but extremely fast-paced. Working in trading requires a high level of accuracy. This is reflected in the recruitment process, which consists of several stages. 

After you apply for a role at Optiver, you may be invited to take assessments before undergoing a series of interviews. One of the assessments that Optiver applicants are required to take is the SHL test. 

In this guide, you will learn what the test includes and how to prepare for success.

What Is the Optiver SHL Test?

The Optiver SHL test is one of the aptitude tests that Optiver uses in its recruitment process.

Administered by assessment provider Saville and Holdsworth Limited (SHL), the Optiver test is notoriously difficult. It is designed to identify the best candidates that will contribute to Optiver’s mission of providing quality trading services across the world.

The assessment consists of four cognitive sections and one personality test. Working in trading requires excellent analytical skills, the ability to work under pressure, and the ability to deliver in a fast-paced environment. The Optiver SHL test evaluates how well a candidate is likely to perform in the company.

The four cognitive tests are designed to evaluate the key skills of numerical speed, logical thinking, and attention to detail.

The cognitive test sections are as follows:

• 80 in 8 (Optiver Mental Math Test)
• Optiver Zap-N
• NumberLogic (Optiver Sequence Test)
• Beat the Odds

The final section is Optiver Zap-Q – a personality test that evaluates your traits and tendencies.

What to Expect in the Optiver SHL Assessment

If you are to progress to the next stage in the recruitment process, you must first pass the Optiver SHL assessment.

It is crucial that you take time to understand the format of the test as well as the types of questions that you will be facing.

Overall, the Optiver SHL test typically takes two hours and 45 minutes to complete. You will usually be given three days to complete the whole test. Optiver may require you to take the test on a video call with the recruiter, so be sure to check the invitation details.

It is important to note that if you fail any of the sections, you will not move on to the next one. After passing a section, you can take a break before moving on, but you will not be able to pause mid-test.

The five components of this highly competitive online test are:

80 in 8 (Optiver Mental Math Test)

As the name suggests, this test requires you to answer 80 arithmetic questions in eight minutes. You may also see it referred to as the Optiver Numerical Test or the Optiver Math Test.

This test evaluates your ability to complete numerical tasks in your head as quickly as possible. You will not be allowed to use a calculator, so it is important that you practice mental arithmetic ahead of the test.

In this section, you will be performing quick addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with not just whole numbers but also fractions up to two decimal places. You will also need a strong grasp of algebra.

The Optiver 80 in 8 is a multiple-choice test, and you will be awarded one point for each correct answer. Each time you answer incorrectly or skip a question, one point will be deducted.

If you are to be in with a chance of passing this high-intensity SHL Test, you will need to focus on gaining as many correct answers as possible. The passing score is generally 55, but you should aim to score 70 or above to stand out among the other candidates.

Optiver Zap-N

The Optiver Zap-N is an hour-long assessment that consists of nine games. The games assess a range of cognitive abilities, and each lasts between two and 15 minutes.

While this gamified test may seem more trivial than the fast-paced mental arithmetic assessment, you should remain focused and alert while playing.

An example of an Optiver Zap-N game is memorizing a sequence of numbers that flash on the screen and then entering them in the order they appeared.

The Optiver Zap-N test evaluates key skills such as memory, problem-solving, response speed, and attention to detail.

NumberLogic (Optiver Sequence Test)

The next section in the Optiver SHL assessment is a Sequence Test. In this part, you will be shown sequences of numbers and asked to predict which digit comes next.

This section assesses your ability to recognize patterns and apply logic.

The difficulty level increases with each correct answer, so practice is crucial to pass this section.

Beat the Odds

The Optiver Beat the Odds test is about probability. It requires you to think quickly and apply your knowledge of probability theory.

You will have 15 minutes to answer questions about the probability of an event.

It is advisable to revise probability theory to strengthen your understanding.

Optiver Zap-Q

The final part of the Optiver SHL Assessment is a personality test.

You will be asked questions about yourself, and your answers will be processed to create a comprehensive personality profile for use by the Optiver recruitment team.

While you can somewhat relax now that the mentally taxing tests are over, you are still being assessed and must remain professional.

When taking the personality test, be sure to be genuine, as your answers may be referred to at the interview. You should remain authentic but also demonstrate that you are capable, reliable, and in line with Optiver values.

Optiver SHL Test Example Questions

Numerical Reasoning

Question 1:

A trader monitors the following prices over four days:
Day 1 – £52, Day 2 – £55, Day 3 – £54, Day 4 – £57.

What is the average price over the four days?

a) £54.25
b) £54.50
c) £54.75
d) £55.00

The correct answer is: c) £54.75

Total = 52 + 55 + 54 + 57 = 218
Average = 218 ÷ 4 = 54.75

Question 2:

A trader buys 150 shares at £8.50 each and sells them at £9.20 each.

What is the total profit?

a) £105
b) £120
c) £135
d) £150

The correct answer is: c) £105

Profit per share = £9.20 – £8.50 = £0.70
Total profit = 150 × £0.70 = £105

Verbal Reasoning

Question 1:

Read the statement and answer the question:

"Optiver focuses on market-making, which involves quoting both buy and sell prices for financial instruments."

Which of the following is true based on the statement?

a) Optiver only buys financial instruments.
b) Market-making requires both buying and selling prices.
c) Optiver avoids quoting prices.
d) Market-making limits market liquidity.

The correct answer is: b) Market-making requires both buying and selling prices.

The statement clearly defines market-making as quoting both prices.

Question 2:

Which statement most logically completes the following argument?

"While data analysis plays a crucial role in modern trading,..."

a) Some traders rely entirely on instinct without any data.
b) Trading strategies should ignore data trends.
c) Market makers avoid analysing data.
d) There is no benefit in reviewing past market data.

The correct answer is: a) Some traders rely entirely on instinct without any data.

This contrasts the importance of data analysis with the fact that some traders use instinct instead.

Logical (Inductive) Reasoning

Question 1:

Which letter comes next in this sequence?

A, C, F, J, O, ?

a) Q
b) R
c) S
d) U

The correct answer is: d) U

Pattern: +2 letters (A → C), +3 (C → F), +4 (F → J), +5 (J → O).
Next increment is +6: O → U.

Question 2:

Identify the missing number:

7, 14, 11, 22, 19, ?

a) 28
b) 30
c) 32
d) 34

The correct answer is: a) 28

Pattern alternates:

+7 (7 → 14), –3 (14 → 11), +11 (11 → 22), –3 (22 → 19).
Next is +9 (19 → 28).

How to Prepare for the Optiver SHL Test

The Optiver SHL test is designed to be extremely difficult so that only the best candidates can progress through all five sections.

Optiver has exceedingly high expectations for its employees, so the recruitment process must be rigorous.

There may be thousands of applicants for the same Optiver role, so it is crucial that you prepare to outperform the competition.

Focus on Speed and Accuracy

Due to the tight time limit of the Optiver SHL test, especially for 80 in 8, you must find the optimum balance of speed and precision.

Answering incorrectly can cost you valuable points, but you will not have lots of time to deliberate.

Practise Mental Maths and Logic Games

Practice is the key to scoring well on the Optiver SHL test. Try doing mental arithmetic within one to two seconds to train your brain to calculate the correct answers.

You should also practice logical thinking and concepts such as pattern recognition. Strengthening these areas will help you apply reasoning to the questions in the Optiver SHL test.

Use SHL-Specific Practice Tests

It is beneficial to practice using SHL-style question formats. This will help you familiarize yourself with the test structure so you do not have to spend time learning the format when you start the assessment.

You can find example test questions on JobTestPrep.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Optiver SHL test like?

It is a fast-paced assessment focusing on numerical and logical reasoning.

Is the Optiver SHL test difficult?

Yes – the difficulty is heightened by strict time limits and trading-level expectations.

How should I prepare for the Optiver SHL test?

Practice under timed conditions and focus on mental maths and logic speed.

What score do I need to pass?

Optiver looks for top-percentile performance, but the exact thresholds have not been made public.

Where can I get Optiver SHL practice tests?

JobTestPrep offers tailored practice for Optiver’s SHL-style assessments.

Final Thoughts

Positions at trading firm Optiver are in high demand, and the competition is fierce.

The SHL test is a difficult but necessary part of the Optiver application process. It is administered at the beginning of the recruitment cycle to immediately shortlist the best candidates. The adaptive nature of the SHL test also ensures that only the highest performers in each section can move on to the next assessment.

For this reason, preparation is key. If you are planning to apply for a role with Optiver soon, you should start preparing for the difficult cognitive tests in advance.

Succeeding on the Optiver SHL test depends on both accuracy and timing. It can be tricky to achieve both, so be sure to put in lots of practice. The SHLtTest is deliberately difficult as it is designed to see how you would perform in a tense and stressful real-life trading situation.

The SHL test is just one part of the recruitment process and is your chance to show you are a great candidate for a role with Optiver.