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Indian-origin Citadel CTO Umesh Subramanian reveals 4 qualities he looks for in top candidates
Citadel CTO Umesh Subramanian says he personally calls top candidates, including fresh graduates, who are deciding whether to join the firm.
Umesh Subramanian, Indian-origin chief technology officer (CTO) of Citadel, has revealed that he personally calls some of the most sought-after candidates, including recent graduates, during the decision-making process to see where their head is at.
Subramanian leads the technology teams that power Citadel’s investment, research and risk-management platforms. Speaking to Business Insider, he said, “I get on the call with them to understand how they're going to make the decision — what is driving their decisions.” "And oftentimes we win those candidates,” he added.
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What does CTO look for in potential hires?
The Citadel CTO said he looks for four core qualities in potential hires: intellectual curiosity, a passion for winning as a team, interest in commercial applications and not just theory, and a strong engineering education and background.
However, Subramanian noted that these calls do not always result in an offer. In some cases, he has advised candidates to choose other companies if he felt their interests were better aligned elsewhere. “I've had a couple of conversations where I've said, 'Look, I think you should take the other job,’” he said, stressing that while Citadel is “highly selective” and a great place to start a career, “it is not for everyone”.
Subramanian said he has always been personally engaged in recruiting, and it's part of the company's culture for executives to be highly involved in seeking out top talent.
According to Business Insider, Subramanian isn't the only executive to personally reach out to top talent in the interview process. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly called candidates directly to convince them to join the tech company, while Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has previously stepped into recruitment emails and even hosted candidates at his home.
