Investment Banking Analyst

I was headhunted by an Financial Services recruiter after posting my cv on careerjunction.co.za. I was pre-screened for a risk job on Friday, but in my interview at the recruiter they said I am a good fit for dealmakin in IB/PE. So they passed me on the IB/PE recruiters.

Two weeks later the IB/PE recruiter recommended the firm on Thursday.

I went an interview with one of the MD's on
Tuesday, at very posh offices in Sandton (Same building as Goldman Sachs and a few other IB and PE firms). He was a very talkative Oxford graduate with 15+ years experience at Barclays' IBD in London and Johannesburg. he chatted about IB, Oxford, my experience, financial markets and African growth, he liked me and recommended that I meet the other MD of the firm. The other MD was a strong minded South African with 10+ years experience in IB in London and Johannesburg. She chatted about my network, my skills, energy funding inAFrica, my childhood and my experience.

The following day I returned for a financial modelling test, where I had to make an Project Finance model for a hypothetical power transaction in Excel on a laptop they provided with no time limit.

Following that I met 2 senior Directors they chatted to me about the challenges of Analyst jobs (Hours, Excel, Responsibilities, etc.. ).

Later in the day the called to make an offer, they warned me about the low base and told me my other Management Consulting offer would not beat their bonuses and that my attitude, education, skills and experience would make me a success at their firm