Investment Banking Job Interview Tips
Job interviews in the investment banking industry are legendary for being both grueling and complex. Most candidates are grilled by multiple executives in a series of interviews, and the process can last most of a day. Questions can range from the extremely personal to the highly technical, and as a candidate, you must be prepared for anything.
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Presentation
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It may seem basic, but it definitely counts. Turn up to the interview in a meticulously prepared, traditional, professional outfit. Ensure that your are well-groomed, including hair and nails. You are applying for a job where presentation is extremely important. The bank's executives want to know that you'll be able to represent the company to clients and peers appropriately.
Personal Story
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The best tip for entry-level investment banking interviews is to do a good job of preparing your personal story. This is often the first thing you will be asked about, and your interviewer may decide within the first couple of minutes if you are a good fit for the bank, depending on your response. Be prepared to explain why you're interested in a career in investment banking, and what led you to apply to this particular bank. Briefly highlight any relevant stories from your past. Stress your capacity for hard work and long hours. Be as engaging and personable as you can, and show enthusiasm, but don't ramble.
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Technical Knowledge
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It's very common in investment banking interviews to be asked highly technical questions about accounting and finance. You should have all the relevant terms at your fingertips, and anticipate topics such as analyzing financial statements and how to estimate a company valuation. You may also be asked to solve a case-study problem. You can prepare for this by working practice examples in a textbook beforehand.
Current Affairs
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Read the financial papers diligently for several weeks before your interview. It's highly likely that something happening on Wall Street will be either asked as a direct question or dropped into conversation. You should show that you keep up with the news and that you're comfortable giving an opinion on current events.
Stay Calm
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At some point during the day, you will be asked a question you don't know the answer to. Take a deep breath, realize that everyone else who is interviewing has been in the same position, and admit that you don't know. Then either make an educated guess at where you could find the answer, or say you will research the issue and get back to the interviewer. How you handle yourself in a situation like this is much more relevant than the particular piece of knowledge. Also prepare to stay calm if any of your interviewers adopts an aggressive tone. This is a fairly common tactic to see if you know how to handle pressure.
Socializing
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It's not uncommon to be either asked to lunch with the bank executives or to have a drink with your interviewers at the end of the day. Investment banking is a world where long days are the norm, and socializing is part of the culture. The interviewers want to see if you can relax and be fun to hang out with, without acting inappropriately. Never get drunk in this situation.
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