Transcript

Get to Know Us | Jane Street

Hi, my name is Jake. I work on the accounting team here at Jane Street. I work in the New York office and I started in 2021.

What does the accounting team do at Jane Street?

The accounting team here works on compiling all of the transactions that are happening at Jane Street, internal or external, recording those transactions, reconciling them, and then reporting them in various forms, whether it be financial statements, different surveys, and different ad hoc reporting that we’re required to do. And Jane Street really relies on that to maintain relationships with counterparties, or vendors, or regulators. And there’s a lot of different functions and sub teams within the accounting group.

What is your day-to-day like?

My usual day at Jane Street consists of some form of a team catch-up within the accounting department, to know what’s going on with everyone else’s work and what’s happening for the week. And then, usually ad hoc meetings are sprinkled in the rest of the day, with other teams collaborating with the desk or collaborating with operations. Accounting touches a lot of different departments and we have to work with a lot of different people, which is awesome. And then, I’ll get lunch with some friends.

What’s a skill that’s helped you in your career at Jane Street?

One of the most useful skills I brought to Jane Street is just knowing when I need to raise my hand and ask a question and additionally knowing who or what resource is going to provide me the most complete answer. You’re going to be tasked with things that you don’t know the answer to or you don’t know anything about. And in order to move forward, you just have to ask the question or have to ask for that additional context. And it’s really important.

What tips do you have for candidates preparing for an interview?

A recommendation I have for candidates preparing for interviews is to not focus too heavily on technical knowledge. Of course, that’s an important aspect of any interview, but really focus on your ability to problem solve. Because a lot like being an employee here, you’re not going to know the content of the questions we’re asking you, and you’re going to need to diagnose a problem, know what resources you need to answer it and what resources you might not need, and then also be able to communicate your understanding, your thought process, and whatever solution or conclusion you came to in a clear manner.

What makes working at Jane Street unique?

Jane Street’s definitely a different place to work, and I think that’s because of each employee’s mindset. Obviously, outside of all of the amazing perks at Jane Street, one thing I really enjoy is Jane Street’s commitment to making us more holistic people as well as employees. They bring in tons of speakers, comedians, musicians, and authors who cover a wide variety of topics that have nothing to do with Jane Street’s core business. And I think it’s really cool that we’re able to be enriched that way and just become better members of society, which also in turn helps us as employees here.

How would you describe the culture at Jane Street?

I think I describe the culture at Jane Street in three words, the first being inquisitive. Every employee here is just curious about why things are the way they are and how we can make them better or more efficient. The second one is fast paced. I think everything moves pretty quickly here at Jane Street, which is exciting. But more importantly, everyone takes the time to make sure we’re doing it correctly. And the third would be flexible. I think everyone has a great outlook on work-life balance, how important it is to take a step away from work, and how that allows you to come into the workplace and bring your best when you’re returning from a vacation or time away.

What’s your favorite thing about working at Jane Street?

I think my favorite thing about Jane Street has to be the people. Everyone’s really, really intelligent. They bring a really diverse background of education or previous work experience, and that’s just a really unique work culture to have. And they’re also great people to get to know outside of work. I have some amazing friends here, so I have to appreciate that fact the most.