Thursday, October 18, 2007

Behavioral Interview Questions

1. Walk me through your resume?

2. Why investment banking?

3. Why this firm?

4. What does an investment banker do?

5. Who have you spoken with at the firm and what groups were they in?

6. What are your weaknesses (4)?

7. Why would you be a good banker?

8. Explain what you know about the role of an associate and why you can do the job.

9. Are you good at accounting?

10. What was your biggest mistake?

11. Describe and ethical dilemma and how you handled it.

12. If we made you an offer, would you take it?

13. What were your grades?

14. Which professor knows you best? What would he/she say about you?

15. Tell me about a time when you had a problem working in a group.

16. In business, you often have to bend the rules to get things done. Tell me about a time where you had to bend the rules.

17. If you played a game and lost 9 out of 10 times you played, how would you feel? That's what happens in this business.

18. What's the thing you are most proud of that's not on your resume?

19. How would your colleagues at undergrad describe you?

20. Are you prepared to work X hours a week? Have you ever exhibited such dedication in the part?

21. How would your study group describe your strengths / weaknesses?

22. What do you enjoy outside of school?

23. Give me an example of a time you worked as a part of a team.

24. What have you recently read / or read in the WSJ?

25. What motivates you?

26. When have you failed?

27. Second Year Courses?

28. Favorite course / least favorite?

29. How have these experiences prepared you to be an investment banker with my firm?

30. Describe a frustrating group project you worked on in which the group had difficulty accomplishing its objectives. Describe your role in the group. What actions did you take to bring the group to a successful conclusion?

31. Tell me about the most difficult person with whom you have worked. What made this person so difficult? What steps did you take to turn this situation into a positive conclusion?

32. Give me an example of a time when you successfully juggled a number of tasks under tight deadlines. How did you plan and complete your work?

33. Tell me about a busy time in your career when you were managing your time/projects/deadlines. Tell me how you set that deadline and planned to meet it. How did you react if you fell behind schedule?

34. Is there anything else that you would like to add or that I should know before we begin to make decisions about 2nd rounds?

35. What led you to choose your field or major study?

36. What jobs have you enjoyed the most? The least? Why?

37. What qualifications do you have that make you feel that you will be successful in your field?

38. What have you done which shows initiative and willingness to work?

39. Demonstrate a time you’ve showed initiative?

40. Do you have an analytical mind? Show me.

41. What are your long range and short range goals? Why?

42. Where do see yourself five years from now? Ten years from now?

43. What are your priorities in life? Money, career, family, friendship, etc?

44. How do you define success?

45. How do you plan to achieve your career goals?

46. What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful in this business?

47. Why should I hire you?

48. What skills/qualities separate you from the other candidates we’re talking to?

49. What’s the most important decision you’ve made, other than deciding coming to b-school?

50. Do you think that your grades are an indication of your academic achievement?

51. Tell me about a time when you were under a lot of pressure and how did you handle it?

52. What’s the most creative thing you’ve ever done?

53. Tell me about a time when you were innovative?

54. What are you expecting out of a summer internship?

55. What is my name?

56. Tell me a joke.

57. I like you – why do you think that is?

58. Why would you be a valuable contributor to our organization? Convince me to hire you instead of another candidate.

59. What do you like/not like about your study group?

60. Describe a problem you have encountered at work and how you overcame it?

61. What was your greatest frustration in your last job?

62. Tell me about a role model.

63. Describe an example where you convinced someone who initially disagreed with you to follow your recommendation. How did you convince them?

64. Give an example of how you have used data to make decisions.

65. Tell me about a time that you failed and how you responded.

66. Tell me about a time at work that you were required to make a significant change.

67. Tell me about a change in your job that you proposed and how you went about implementing it?

68. If you had a country song named after you, what would it be?

69. How do you think you'll be able to handle being managed by people younger than you?

70. Why do Investment Bankers get paid so much?

71. What do you expect to be doing on a day-to-day basis in this job? Or What does a summer associate do?

72. What are some of your weakness entering IBD?

73. Let’s say I fire you during the summer internship. Give me three reasons why this would occur and what you can do to prevent them?

74. What is an investment bank?

75. What is the difference between Commercial Banks vs. Investment Banks vs.

76. Merchant Banks?

77. What is different about an internal finance position vs. working as an investment banker?

78. What is disintermediation?

79. What is Corporate Finance?

80. What type of activities did you purse in college?

81. What is your favorite website?

82. What is the most striking thing you read in the WSJ?

83. What publications do you read?

84. What motivates you?

85. Can you give me an example of an experience of failure?

86. You don’t seem like a very driven person, how will you be able to handle a job in i-banking?

87. Tell me about an accomplishment that you are proud of?

88. Can you tell me a time where you have managed many things at one time?

89. What kind of salary do you expect after five years?

90. Explain a crisis situation that you encountered and how you dealt with it?

91. If you could pick two people to take with you in a drive across country, who would you pick?

92. What led you to choose your field or major study?

93. What jobs have you enjoyed the most? The least? Why?

94. What is the last book you read?

95. What is on the cover of Businessweek?

96. What is on the cover of Forbes?

97. How do you spend your spare time? What are your hobbies? Why do you enjoy them?

98. What’s the most creative thing you’ve ever done?

99. You are set to go to your best friends wedding when the client calls and says that he wants to meet you tomorrow. What do you do?

100. Can you sell me that pen?

Behavioral Questions Related to Specific Bank: (Modify answers based on the bank)

1. What are 3 ways to value a company?

2. What groups are you interested in? Why?

3. What other firms are you talking to?

4. Rank the firms that you are interviewing with?

5. Compare us to X firm?

6. What would you change about our bank?

7. What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?

8. What do you know about our company? (CEO, Stock Price / Ticker Symbol, Recent Deals, Strategy–International/Equity Powers/Client Base, Strengths/Weaknesses, Competition)?

No comments: