SWE Accelerator Podcast

#14: ex-Citadel Quant: The Exact Blueprint To Make $750,000/Year! (in 2026)

Nov 27, 2025
Guest
Kevin Zhu
In this discussion, Kevin Zhu, a former quant at Citadel and a developer at Palantir, reveals his unconventional journey into tech. He shares how he overcame early struggles with innovative study methods and landed internships at top firms. Kevin dives into life at Citadel, revealing the intense work culture and contrasts it with his pivot to meaningful AI research at Algoverse, a mentorship program he founded. He also weighs the value of quant roles against personal fulfillment and warns about the imminent challenges of AI in society.
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ANECDOTE

Early Math Speed From Kumon

  • Kevin completed most high school math up to calculus around age 12 through Kumon and speed-running the curriculum.
  • He credits that early speed and practice for improved processing speed useful in interviews and problem solving.
ADVICE

Climb The Internship Staircase

  • Start small: build resume traction with research, TA roles, or startups before applying to top tech firms.
  • Use those intermediate experiences to unlock interviews at competitive companies later.
ADVICE

Use Time Blocking And Deep Work

  • Use time blocking and calendar management to force structure and beat procrastination.
  • Pair time blocking with deep work (no phone, single-tasking) to drastically improve study outcomes.
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