Winning a job in Investment Banking is extremely difficult and only the very best prepared candidates have any real chance of success.
It is highly competitive with thousands of Graduates competing for very few placements in roles such as analyst or associate. Having said that, if your application has been accepted and you are called to an interview, you are well on your way to an exciting, lucrative and rewarding career.
This article gives you some top tips, guiding you in what to expect and provides a sample of the types of questions you will encounter in Investment Banking Job Interviews.
For graduates applying for analyst and associate programs, the first step is to submit your resume or CV with a covering letter. Successful candidates are then invited to two or more rounds of interviews before reaching the offer stage.
First round interviews are often conducted on campus and in some cases, an initial screening may take place on the phone. Treat telephone interviews as you would any other and prepare accordingly.
Most likely the first-round interview will take place as part of a visit to an Assessment Centre. This can last the whole day and would include numeric tests, case studies, role plays as well as interviews and group exercises. All of these are designed to assess whether you have the core skills, determination and personality required.
The second-round interviews interview process is usually conducted by one or two managers and lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Questions will vary depending on the employer, the level of job you are applying for and recruiting policy.
You should not expect trick questions and the interviewer understands that you will have limited knowledge of the industry. Having said that you should demonstrate an interest in and some knowledge of the Investment Banking sector, your prospective employer and the specialist area for which you are applying.
You will be asked Competency Based Interview Questions exploring your Analytical Skills, Problem Solving, Numeric Ability, Initiative and ability to cope in a highly pressured environment. You would also be expected to have a good understanding of why you want to pursue a career in Investment Banking.
For example, how would you answer these questions?
* Questions taken from the InterviewGOLD™ Interview System.
So, how would you answer tough interview questions such as 'What are your weaknesses?' or 'Why should we hire you instead of the other candidates?'.
And, how confident do you feel about answering Competency Based or Behavioural questions, both very commonly used at present.
is is an accredited interviewer and has recruited for many organisations within Healthcare, Education, Customer Services and Banking.