To succeed in the Account Executive interview process, you must prepare systematically across several core competencies. Flow values sharp minds that can balance analytical rigor with exceptional interpersonal skills.

Quantitative Agility – You must be able to process numerical data rapidly and accurately. This competency is tested early in the process and serves as a critical filter for candidates.

Relationship & Communication Excellence – You must demonstrate the ability to translate complex trading and liquidity concepts into clear, actionable insights for institutional clients.

Resilience & Adaptability – Flow operates in a fast-paced environment where market conditions change in milliseconds. You must show that you can remain calm, structured, and focused under pressure.

Cultural Alignment – Flow prizes a collaborative, low-ego, and highly driven culture. Show that you are a team player who is eager to learn and contribute to collective success.

The interview process for the Account Executive position at Flow is structured, rigorous, and designed to assess both your analytical capabilities and your interpersonal fit. It typically begins with an initial application and email screening, followed swiftly by a fast-paced mental math test. This quantitative hurdle ensures all candidates possess the baseline numerical agility required to discuss trading metrics and market dynamics comfortably.

Following the math assessment, candidates navigate multiple rounds of structured interviews. These include behavioral and situational discussions with HR and hiring managers, focusing on your professional background, client management philosophy, and alignment with Flow's culture. While the process is highly rigorous, candidates consistently report a professional, structured, and positive experience, particularly in offices like Amsterdam.

This timeline outlines the typical progression from your initial application to the final behavioral rounds. Candidates should use this visual to pace their preparation, ensuring they master the quantitative hurdles early on before pivoting their focus to deep behavioral and situational scenarios.

To excel in the interviews, you must understand exactly how you will be evaluated across the core focus areas of the role.

Quantitative and Analytical Aptitude

As an Account Executive at Flow, you are not just managing relationships; you are discussing complex pricing, liquidity spreads, and market data with sophisticated institutional counterparties. You must prove that you are highly comfortable with rapid mental calculations.

Be ready to go over:

• Decimal and Fraction Operations – Fast conversion and multiplication of decimals under tight time constraints.
• Percentage Calculations – Rapidly calculating basis points, spreads, and percentage shifts.
• Data Interpretation – Extracting key insights from trading volume reports and market sheets.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Basic probability and expected value calculations.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "A client asks for the basis point equivalent of a 0.035% price spread change; calculate this instantly."
• "Solve a sequence of 10 mental math decimal multiplications within 60 seconds."

Client Relationship Management & Market Dynamics

You are the face of Flow to external partners. You must demonstrate a deep understanding of market-making operations and how to build long-term trust with sophisticated financial institutions.

Be ready to go over:

• Liquidity Provision Dynamics – Understanding how market makers provide liquidity and manage risk.
• Counterparty Onboarding & Management – Navigating the lifecycle of institutional client relationships.
• Value Proposition Articulation – Explaining Flow's unique competitive edge in pricing and technology.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Regulatory frameworks (such as MiFID II) impacting liquidity providers.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Explain to an institutional client why our spreads widened during a period of extreme market volatility."
• "Walk us through how you would re-engage a dormant institutional counterparty."

Behavioral & Culture Fit

Flow values a collaborative, non-hierarchical, and highly driven environment. They look for candidates who are resilient, eager to learn, and deeply team-oriented.

Be ready to go over:

• Handling High-Pressure Situations – Demonstrating calm and structured thinking during market stress or client escalations.
• Team Collaboration – Working closely with traders, quantitative researchers, and technology teams.
• Continuous Learning – Showing curiosity about complex financial products and trading technologies.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a time you made a significant mistake in a client communication and how you corrected it."
• "How do you handle feedback from a fast-paced trading desk?"

The day-to-day of an Account Executive at Flow revolves around managing and expanding relationships with institutional counterparties, including asset managers, wealth managers, and brokers. You act as the primary point of contact, ensuring clients have seamless access to Flow's liquidity across various asset classes. This involves regular communication regarding market trends, trading volumes, and execution quality.

Collaboration is a cornerstone of this role. You will work side-by-side with institutional traders, quantitative researchers, and legal/compliance teams to onboard new clients, optimize trading setups, and resolve operational bottlenecks. You are responsible for translating client feedback into actionable insights for the internal product and trading desks, helping drive the continuous improvement of Flow's market-making services.

Additionally, you will track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as hit rates, traded volumes, and market share. By analyzing this data, you identify growth opportunities within your client portfolio and design strategic plans to capture additional flow, directly contributing to the firm's global commercial success.

To be highly competitive for the Account Executive position at Flow, you need a strong mix of quantitative skills, financial market knowledge, and relationship management capabilities.

• Must-have skills – Strong quantitative background with a proven ability to perform mental math and analyze numerical data quickly. Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to discuss complex financial concepts clearly.
• Nice-to-have skills – Familiarity with market-making mechanics, ETFs, or derivative products. Experience working directly with institutional trading desks or buy-side clients. Multi-lingual capabilities, especially relevant for regional coverage desks.
• Experience level – Prior experience in financial services, institutional sales, relationship management, or a fast-paced trading environment is highly preferred.
• Soft skills – A proactive, self-motivated mindset with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and a highly collaborative, team-first attitude.

Q: How quantitative is the Account Executive interview process at Flow? A: It is highly quantitative compared to traditional sales roles. You will face a dedicated mental math test early in the process, and interviewers will assess your comfort with numbers and financial metrics throughout the interviews.

Q: What is the typical timeline for the hiring process? A: The process is structured and efficient, typically taking 3 to 6 weeks from the initial application to the final decision, depending on the location and team alignment.

Q: How should I prepare for the mental math test? A: Practice rapid addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of decimals and fractions under tight time constraints. Consistency and speed are key to passing this initial gateway.

Q: What distinguishes successful candidates at Flow? A: Successful candidates combine sharp analytical skills with low-ego collaboration. They are deeply curious about financial markets and possess the resilience to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Master the Basics of Market Making: Understand how liquidity providers make money, manage risk, and add value to the broader financial ecosystem.
• Structure Your Behavioral Answers: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to keep your answers concise, structured, and impact-oriented.

• Show Genuine Curiosity: Ask insightful questions about their trading desks, technology stack, and plans for market expansion to demonstrate your engagement.

• Brush up on Financial Instruments: Ensure you are comfortable discussing ETFs, equities, fixed income, and derivatives, as these are central to Flow's business.

The Account Executive position at Flow is an exceptional opportunity for professionals who want to combine quantitative rigor with strategic relationship management. Operating at the cutting edge of financial technology and market liquidity, this role offers significant business impact, a highly collaborative work environment, and the chance to learn from some of the sharpest minds in the industry.

To maximize your chances of success, focus your preparation on mastering the mental math gateway, refining your understanding of market-making mechanics, and structuring your behavioral answers to highlight your collaborative, low-ego mindset. Dedicated preparation in these key areas will set you apart and build the confidence needed to excel.

This compensation data reflects the competitive positioning of Flow in the global financial markets. Candidates should interpret these ranges considering their specific location, experience level, and the performance-driven bonus structures typical of the trading industry. For more detailed interview insights and resources, you can explore additional candidate experiences on Dataford.