What's the hardest interview question you were ever asked?

Mod note (Andy): Throwback Thursday, this post originally went up on 6/4/12.

Andy note: some of the quotes below were published on CNBC / Yahoo awhile back: Want This Job? 'Let Me Sleep With Your Girlfriend', also check out WSO's response to their article


This thread got me thinking... Interviewees: what is the hardest / most nerve-wracking question you ever got asked in an interview, how did you handle it, and what was the end result?

Interviewers: what is the hardest / most nerve-wracking question you ever asked in an interview, how did the interviewer handle it, and what was the end result?

Did you ask it just to see how they would respond (ie all that mattered was that he/she gave a good effort / didn't get flustered)? OR did you ask it to actually see his/her knowledge and/or intelligence?

mod (Andy) note: hope I never have an interview with Blackhat...

BlackHat:
In a 2 on 1 where I was the silent #2 interviewing some nervous banker, my only line was "are you trying to fck us over?" The kid had NO CLUE what to say. Got visibly uncomfortable and said he wasn't sure what I meant. My co-worker goes "why didn't you say no?" Kid just froze like a fckin' deer in the headlights.

Interview Coming Up? Be Prepared.

 
Dank Nugs:
Q: Do you view this as your dream career? A: Yes. Q: If in two years, you receive an offer for more money on the buyside, will you turn it down because this is your dream career? A: Silence.
lol... eventually you said something, what was it?
What is the answer to 99 out of 100 questions?
 
David Aames:
Dank Nugs:
Q: Do you view this as your dream career? A: Yes. Q: If in two years, you receive an offer for more money on the buyside, will you turn it down because this is your dream career? A: Silence.
lol... eventually you said something, what was it?

He could say ... yes I would because my dream job is the path I chose to get more money.

WSO
 
Dank Nugs:
Q: Do you view this as your dream career? A: Yes. Q: If in two years, you receive an offer for more money on the buyside, will you turn it down because this is your dream career? A: Silence.

Oh Jesus

 
Dank Nugs:
Q: Do you view this as your dream career? A: Yes. Q: If in two years, you receive an offer for more money on the buyside, will you turn it down because this is your dream career? A: Silence.

Use your heads. Just spin it off and say you'd have to carefully evaluate your situation at the time and the atmosphere of the conditions at the time. Say you have no intention of switching sides in the slightest but if the conditions on the sell side are sub-par, you would obviously change jobs..

 

[quote=David Aames]Hmm..from a job interview for a GS analyst position: “If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and put in a blender, how would you get out?”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/30/job-interview-questions_n_8026…]

Really brilliant question, given that you happen to be in the market for lateral thinking kinesiologists. Bravo, Goldman.

Actual questions I've received: What is your beta? Tell me the one line on your resume that demonstrates best why you would be great for this job. Tell us something interesting about you that would surprise us. One bond has an 8% coupon and a 10% current yield, the other has a 10% coupon and an 8% current yield. Which bond is cheaper? Tell me a joke that is not racist or sexist.

I heard of one BB interview (perhaps an urban legend) conducted in a hotel room where the windows didn't open. The interviewers (two) said "Jeez, it's hot in here, you mind opening that window?" and the interviewee went wild and through his chair through the window. I hope it's true. Even if it's not I'll pretend it is.

if you like it then you shoulda put a banana on it
 
animalz:
If a genie granted you one wish, what would it be?
three more wishes lol. Then if I use two, ill just ask for three more wishes. see i just turned one wish into an infinite amount and I just maximized my gain
 
Yutown1990:
animalz:
If a genie granted you one wish, what would it be?
three more wishes lol. Then if I use two, ill just ask for three more wishes. see i just turned one wish into an infinite amount and I just maximized my gain

By saying that you've communicated to the interviewer that you're imature and unable to focus on one wish.

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 
worklikeamachine:
youngblood90:
What is your number? (as in what amount of money I would need for retirement)

More...

This movie ruined that line forever, now nobody can use it even though it's been around forever. Once Shia's involved though, there's really no going back... Gotta get more creative now.

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 

Unfortunately there isn't a ton to say... I fumbled around said I hadn't really thought about it (just graduated.) But that it would have to be enough to provide plenty for my family. I still got the job though

 

From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

"Look, you're my best friend, so don't take this the wrong way. In twenty years, if you're still livin' here, comin' over to my house to watch the Patriots games, still workin' construction, I'll fuckin' kill you. That's not a threat, that's a fact.
 
Will Hunting:
From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

I don't know the background behind this question, but from just this excerpt...

If someone had the balls to ask you this, he must have thought pretty lowly of you.

 
kidflash:
Will Hunting:
From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

I don't know the background behind this question, but from just this excerpt...

If someone had the balls to ask you this, he must have thought pretty lowly of you.

Someone has never been on a desk before... You don't need to know the context-- any candidate can LBO on a fucking napkin... It's more about who is chill and will be able to kick it on the desk.

 
kidflash:
Will Hunting:
From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

I don't know the background behind this question, but from just this excerpt...

If someone had the balls to ask you this, he must have thought pretty lowly of you.

My answer: who the fuck you think you are?

 
Will Hunting:
From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

Me: "She doesn't do charity work, sorry!"

 
olafenizer:
Will Hunting:
From GS: Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?
My response would be: "Is that a risk you're willing to take? I mean, how do you know I'm not into fat chicks?"
+1
Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 
Will Hunting:
From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

"I've been with my girlfriend for three years, love her, and plan to marry her. If you so much kissed her neck, I'd fucking knock you out. That being said, I have a beautiful sister I'd be happy to hook you up with..."

 
Will Hunting:
From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

I'm the only one who feels the warmth between my girl's legs.

However, if you can convert my lesbian cousin, she's all yours.

 
Babbabooey:
Will Hunting:
From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

I'm the only one who feels the warmth between my girl's legs.

However, if you can convert my lesbian cousin, she's all yours.

Least funny thing I have ever read.

"Look, you're my best friend, so don't take this the wrong way. In twenty years, if you're still livin' here, comin' over to my house to watch the Patriots games, still workin' construction, I'll fuckin' kill you. That's not a threat, that's a fact.
 
Funniest
Will Hunting:
From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

My response: Is that how you got your job?

 
warmpi:
Will Hunting:
From GS: Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?
My response: Is that how you got your job?
Crash and BURN.
DeanPortman:
"how bad do you want this job?" as the interviewer stood up and started to undo his belt...easily the hardest ive had
What was your response?
Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 
hamaliomec:
Will Hunting:

From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

Me: I'd rather you sleep with me

Me: Which one?

+1

 
SmokeyG:

"From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?"

If you say yes then you're his little bitch. Yet, if you say no, he'll think you don't have a sense of humor.
 
45c345:
SmokeyG:

"From GS:

Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?"

If you say yes then you're his little bitch. Yet, if you say no, he'll think you don't have a sense of humor.

Exactly. It's a no win question. They're just probing to see how you react.
 

In a 2 on 1 where I was the silent #2 interviewing some nervous banker, my only line was "are you trying to fuck us over?" The kid had NO CLUE what to say. Got visibly uncomfortable and said he wasn't sure what I meant. My co-worker goes "why didn't you say no?" Kid just froze like a fuckin' deer in the headlights.

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 
BlackHat:
In a 2 on 1 where I was the silent #2 interviewing some nervous banker, my only line was "are you trying to fuck us over?" The kid had NO CLUE what to say. Got visibly uncomfortable and said he wasn't sure what I meant. My co-worker goes "why didn't you say no?" Kid just froze like a fuckin' deer in the headlights.
What did he say next? Did the kid get the job?
 
DrPeterVenkman:
BlackHat:
In a 2 on 1 where I was the silent #2 interviewing some nervous banker, my only line was "are you trying to fuck us over?" The kid had NO CLUE what to say. Got visibly uncomfortable and said he wasn't sure what I meant. My co-worker goes "why didn't you say no?" Kid just froze like a fuckin' deer in the headlights.
What did he say next? Did the kid get the job?

He didn't answer, he just sat there staring at us like we just told him he had terminal cancer. Dead silent for about an entire minute... then my partner in the interview asks him if he has any questions for us, he says no and we shake hands with the poor kid and leave. Hilarious, but kinda terrifying if you're the interviewee...

Ding!

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 
SFTechUES:
Q: "What's your outlook for US cucumber prices over the course of 2012?" A: ..................

A: Well, it seems I am in a pickle.

Robert Clayton Dean: What is happening? Brill: I blew up the building. Robert Clayton Dean: Why? Brill: Because you made a phone call.
 
goodL1fe:
SFTechUES:
Q: "What's your outlook for US cucumber prices over the course of 2012?" A: ..................

A: Well, it seems I am in a pickle.

IMO this answer is pretty bad ass. You could even take it further. "I don't relish the fact that your question leaves me in quite a pickle." If the person asking isn't completely smug then there is no way they couldn't laugh a little bit.

 

What would your entrance theme be if you were a pro wrestler.

You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.
 
junkbondswap:
Interviewer: Do you always wear jorts to an interview?

Me: Doesn't everybody?

This is hilarious. Seriously though I'm glad I haven't gotten those types of question. Some of you guys are asses.

Here to learn and hopefully pass on some knowledge as well. SB if I helped.
 

Interesting to see these responses-seem to be mainly fit oriented and not math/technical based which seems is a reflection of the majority of this board to be focused on the IB/advisory side.

Here's four tough ones I've gotten-all for top firms

  1. When would the price of a call option decrease as the price of the stock increases?

  2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

  3. Suppose f(t) is a continuously once-differentiable strictly decreasing positive function for all t >= 0 . Must the derivative f'(t) = 0 as t approaches infinity? Why?

  4. Given a polynomial function Sum of (a of n)*x^n from 0 to n-if you give me a number I can give you what the polynomial equals. In how few numbers can you figure out each constant a of n ?

The hardest interivew problems I've gotten haven't been for finance but for aero. eng.

 
solb22:
2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

I have to know, does anyone have a strategy?

 
Honthro:
solb22:
2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

I have to know, does anyone have a strategy?

Haha ill let this sit for a day before I let you know the answer. Lets see how many WSO monkeys it takes to save 100 prisoners.

All the prisoners meet up before to discuss a strategy. Afterwards there is no passing of information at all.

 

Strategy 1: all prisoners open the boxes at once based on the number inside the box you take that number of steps back, unless of course it is your number in the box and in that case you stand still. one prisoner at a time. you move to your respected number and box and stay there.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in g
 
solb22:
2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

In addition to alternating the prisoners turns, they could switch the paper in each box, for example if prisoner #1 found #28 in box #1 he'd replace the number in box #28 with the number 28, that will increase the chances of others finding their numbers assuming they are able to communicate.

I'm trying to figure out how #1 can increase his chances if they weren't able to alternate or communicate, probabilities maybe?

 
movingin:
solb22:
2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

You can't switch the papers in the boxes-thats the point. And again no switching of information

In addition to alternating the prisoners turns, they could switch the paper in each box, for example if prisoner #1 found #28 in box #1 he'd replace the number in box #28 with the number 28, that will increase the chances of others finding their numbers assuming they are able to communicate.

I'm trying to figure out how #1 can increase his chances if they weren't able to alternate or communicate, probabilities maybe?

 
solb22:
. 2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

this is pretty easy. assume they can all communicate with each other. send one guy to count 49 boxes. as he's counting them, shout out the number inside and let the commensurate prisoner come and claim it. now you're left with 51 boxes, and do the same thing with another unclaimed prisoner. After his 49 boxes, you'll have two left, and the two remaining prisoners can figure it out on their own

 
solb22:
Interesting to see these responses-seem to be mainly fit oriented and not math/technical based which seems is a reflection of the majority of this board to be focused on the IB/advisory side.

Here's four tough ones I've gotten-all for top firms

  1. When would the price of a call option decrease as the price of the stock increases?

  2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

  3. Suppose f(t) is a continuously once-differentiable strictly decreasing positive function for all t >= 0 . Must the derivative f'(t) = 0 as t approaches infinity? Why?

  4. Given a polynomial function Sum of (a of n)*x^n from 0 to n-if you give me a number I can give you what the polynomial equals. In how few numbers can you figure out each constant a of n ?

The hardest interivew problems I've gotten haven't been for finance but for aero. eng.

For 1, I'd think that a) it's out of the money and b) the time value is eating away at the value - close? Does it have to be at least two things going on in addition to the underlying stock appreciating?

if you like it then you shoulda put a banana on it
 
frgna:
solb22:
Interesting to see these responses-seem to be mainly fit oriented and not math/technical based which seems is a reflection of the majority of this board to be focused on the IB/advisory side.

Here's four tough ones I've gotten-all for top firms

  1. When would the price of a call option decrease as the price of the stock increases?

  2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

  3. Suppose f(t) is a continuously once-differentiable strictly decreasing positive function for all t >= 0 . Must the derivative f'(t) = 0 as t approaches infinity? Why?

  4. Given a polynomial function Sum of (a of n)*x^n from 0 to n-if you give me a number I can give you what the polynomial equals. In how few numbers can you figure out each constant a of n ?

The hardest interivew problems I've gotten haven't been for finance but for aero. eng.

For 1, I'd think that a) it's out of the money and b) the time value is eating away at the value - close? Does it have to be at least two things going on in addition to the underlying stock appreciating?

I'm not sure if your answers are wrong-the first looks wrong as the stock price could be approaching the strike price.

This question was asked by D.E. Shaw. I'll give you a hint- this is mainly an IB board, so consider some financial moves by companies outside our strictly trading sphere that might effect the price of the option, even if the stock price is increasing. The answer is simple but arriving at the answer can be pretty tricky.

 
solb22:
2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

Answer: 50% save all 100 prisoners, 50% all 100 prisoners die

System: - Line up all 100 prisoners in order from 1 to 100. - Prisoner 1 goes first and checks first 50 boxes from left to right. If Prisoner 1 doesn't find his number, game over. Else continue on.. - Prisoner 1 finds his number somewhere in the first 50 boxes. If he also finds Prisoner 2's #, Prisoner 1 will stand back in line in the same spot. Otherwise, go to the end of the line. - If Prisoner 2 sees Prisoner 1 come back to the same spot in line, he will know to check the first 50 boxes for #2. Otherwise if he sees Prisoner 1 go to the end of the line, Prisoner 2 will check the last 50 boxes for his # while looking out for Prisoner 3's #. - Go back to the same spot in line if you found the next Prisoner's #, else go to the end of the line - Repeat process for Prisoner 3 - 100. - Yay!

 
solb22:
  1. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival. .

have one guy go in and open 50 boxes and bring them to the right side of the room. have him arrange them in numerical order based on the paper number inside, disregarding the numbers on the boxes and leaving gaps for missing numbers. have him tilt the boxes on its side for every tenth box. upside down for the first. If the first guy doesnt get his number, theyre all screwed. but if he does, everyone wins. When others enter, they either find their number in order on the right side of the room or go find it on the left side. not guaranteed but ~50% chance.

 
solb22:
2. ** This is one the coolest I believe. You have 100 boxes and 100 prisoners and 100 pieces of paper. Each prisoner has a number on their shirt (which is "his number"), each box has a number, and in each box there is a piece of paper with a number. The pieces of paper are put in random boxes-so box 5 might have a piece of paper that says number 7. Each prisoner gets to go in and open 50 boxes-and must put back the paper and close the box after each look. If he finds his number on a piece of paper-he is safe for now. If after 50 tries he does not-they all die. Devise a strategy to maximize everyones chance of survival.

Yeah, yeah, 8 year old thread, but it got me thinking, so here goes nothing: - We assume perfectly rational actors (that includes perfect memory; "memory" is the word that got me thinking, it´s a popular children´s card game involving a similar idea) - We assume a limitless, infinitely large, shut off room with squares on the ground - We assume communication beforehand, but no verbal communication during the test, just to spice things up, and it´s also not really necessary

So you have a 50% chance of finding your number, right? But, what else do you learn while checking the boxes? Of course, what all the other numbers are, but that does not help you anything, or does it? Assume the prisoners stand in a line numbered from 1 to 100, then each knows exactly who came before him, and when, and who comes after him. Now assume No. 1 gets up and tries the first 40 boxes (I´ll explain later why not 50 tries) and - that is important - keeps on going even if he finds his number, until he tried 40 times! He´s got a 40% chance of finding his number, but he also has a 40% chance of finding the next number. If you make a tree diagram out of that, you get a sum for (Y,Y; Y,N; N,Y) of 64%. Not great, but a whole lot better than 40%. What happens now? - No. 1 finds his number (Y), and the number of his behind-man No. 2 (Y). Now he stands in the area the prisoners agreed upon before with the meaning "I have found my number and the next guy´s number, too", and then positions himself on the spot they agreed upon to say "My number came in place so and so and No. 2´s came in place so and so" (that´s a 100x100 square). Since they have infinite space and perfect memory, they will be able to make sense of it. So No. 2 goes up and knows where his number is, so he will look into the remaining 60 boxes, but only in 39 of them, then he "takes his number" and either moves to the big square if he found both of them or proceeds as No. 1 does below. - No. 1 finds his number (Y), but not the other one (N). He goes to the other side of the room and stands in a 100x1 field where his position is the box he found his number in. No. 2 proceeds further. - No. 1 does not find his number (N), but the other one (Y). He goes to yet another side of the room and and stands in a similar 100x1 field where his position is the box he found the other number in. No. 2 proceeds further. - If he does not find any number at all (36% chance), he goes behind the group to await the last phase, while No. 2 and the others proceed.

The last phase: After considerable time, all prisoners have used up 40 of their 50 tries and are either in the Y,Y-Square, the two Y,N-Fields or the N,N-Corner of Shame. The most part of the 100 boxes should have been uncovered through the "communication" between the prisoners. Now, the rational actors without their number "checked out" conclude where it probably is and proceed by going over the remaining squares, using 8 of their last 10 tries, until the last boxes are uncovered. It is very unlikely that any perfectly rational actor cannot conclude from logic alone where their number may be in this phase of the game. The unlikelihood of the game failing is, of course, 1 minus the chance of survival, which is what we were asked for.

A bit rough on the edges, but I think it checks out. Anyway, cool riddle.

 
solb22:
Luca you are real close! You said that prisoner #1 should step back after seeing paper number 28 in box one and let prisoner # 28 go.

Instead of switching a prisoner-what else can you switch? Where should prisoner #1 check next?

A little hint: the prisoner will check boxes based off the info he has up to that point. You are on the right track

If the prisoner opens the first box and sees paper # 28, he can go to the 28th box to let all the prisoners know paper #28 is in box #1

 
Unforseen:
solb22:
Luca you are real close! You said that prisoner #1 should step back after seeing paper number 28 in box one and let prisoner # 28 go.

Instead of switching a prisoner-what else can you switch? Where should prisoner #1 check next?

A little hint: the prisoner will check boxes based off the info he has up to that point. You are on the right track

If the prisoner opens the first box and sees paper # 28, he can go to the 28th box to let all the prisoners know paper #28 is in box #1

The prisoners aren't in the room with him-but you're answer is still right. Can you figure out why?

Prisoner #1 goes to the box with his number on it first (#1) which has a paper that says 28. He then goes to box 28-which has a piece of paper that says 17. So he then goes to box 17. He repeats this 50 times.

Why is this the optimal strategy? THINK. I'll post the answer to the other ones later tongiht

 
solb22:
Luca you are real close! You said that prisoner #1 should step back after seeing paper number 28 in box one and let prisoner # 28 go.

Instead of switching a prisoner-what else can you switch? Where should prisoner #1 check next?

A little hint: the prisoner will check boxes based off the info he has up to that point. You are on the right track

If the prisoners can communicate with each other this is very easy. Prisoner 1 tell Prisoner 28 that he needs to check Box 1. But Prisoner 1 won't do that right away. He can open 49 other boxes before he MUST go open Box 1. Each time he can communicate to other prisoners which boxes each of them need to open. And each of them don't need to open their respective boxes right away. They can first check other boxes. It will take just basically 3 prisoners to get the job done. If the prisoners can communicate with each other, then this is a retarded question.

 

Two situational ones, not the hardest around, but something to think about:

1) Two MDs come to you with a deliverable each for their high-level, equally important, clients. That shit needs to be done in 10 minutes. Problem is, it takes 10 minutes to get each deliverable done. The other members of the team can't help, they're busy as hell. What do you do?

  • Btw, trying to squeeze it in 5 minutes each is impossible.

2) You, the new guy, get tasked with bringing 3 copies of a deck to a client meeting. Being the forgetful dunce you are, you drive to the meeting place only to realize you forgot to pack that in the car. Meeting's in 5 minutes, you've got no time to jet back. What do you tell your MD?

 
BanditPandit:
1) Two MDs come to you with a deliverable each for their high-level, equally important, clients. That shit needs to be done in 10 minutes. Problem is, it takes 10 minutes to get each deliverable done. The other members of the team can't help, they're busy as hell. What do you do?
What would be an appropriate (and/or clever) answer to this?
Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 
chicandtoughness:
BanditPandit:
1) Two MDs come to you with a deliverable each for their high-level, equally important, clients. That shit needs to be done in 10 minutes. Problem is, it takes 10 minutes to get each deliverable done. The other members of the team can't help, they're busy as hell. What do you do?
What would be an appropriate (and/or clever) answer to this?

It's not especially clever, but the right practice is to send a single email (or if possible a call or something) to both MDs to communicate the situation to them and let them decide which one you will work on. Since there's no time, you could also send an email to the entire group asking for any analyst with free 10 minutes to meet you at your desk right away..

 
BanditPandit:
Two situational ones, not the hardest around, but something to think about:

1) Two MDs come to you with a deliverable each for their high-level, equally important, clients. That shit needs to be done in 10 minutes. Problem is, it takes 10 minutes to get each deliverable done. The other members of the team can't help, they're busy as hell. What do you do?

I would do the one that adds the most value to the firm, not the one that I think I can do best.

 

Most of my interviews were fairly standard. Two questions; however, were particularly memorable:

1) On a scale of one to ten, with one being normal and ten being weird, how weird are you? (DB Associate)

2) What line on your resume is the most bullshit? (UBS MD)

When one man, for whatever reason, has an opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself.
 
  1. Q - What single word would you use to describe yourself so that I don't walk out of here and forget you? A - Unforgettable.

  2. Q - If going to the gym three times per week for one hour for the rest of my life increases my total life expectancy by five years, is it worth doing?

There are tons of lines you can take on this, what would you guys say?

 
TheCity:
2. Q - If going to the gym three times per week for one hour for the rest of my life increases my total life expectancy by five years, is it worth doing?

There are tons of lines you can take on this, what would you guys say?

Depends on how long the rest of your life is. Assuming a constant 3hrs per week and a 5 year benefit: (352)L = (552724) 156L = 43,680 L = 280

If you are going to live for less than 280 years from the moment you start going to the gym then you should do it.

Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art - Andy Warhol
 
dwight schrute:
TheCity:
2. Q - If going to the gym three times per week for one hour for the rest of my life increases my total life expectancy by five years, is it worth doing?

There are tons of lines you can take on this, what would you guys say?

Depends on how long the rest of your life is. Assuming a constant 3hrs per week and a 5 year benefit: (352)L = (552724) 156L = 43,680 L = 280

If you are going to live for less than 280 years from the moment you start going to the gym then you should do it.

That is certainly one line you could take. I took the personal preferences and utility approach - it depends on the opportunity cost of those three hours per week. If you gain more utility from money than health, then the three hours each week are better spent working (assuming an hourly wage or increased bonus as result of increased working hours). If you have higher personal preference for health than money, then it is worth doing, according to the algebraeic approach you have given.

 

Was asked by a Quant Executive at a BB:

"Whats your philosophy on fitting polynomial functions to statistical data sets? Would you aim for a lower order polynomial to ensure monotonicity or fit to a higher order polynomial to fit the raw data?"

I had no idea how to answer this question, I was interviewing for a Risk internship. I sat stunned for a few moments and told him that I had no idea, but I was a big picture guy. Made it through to second rounds.

 
<span class=keyword_link><a href=//www.wallstreetoasis.com/finance-dictionary/what-is-weighted-average-cost-of-capital-WACC>WACC</a></span>-o:
Was asked by a Quant Executive at a BB:

"Whats your philosophy on fitting polynomial functions to statistical data sets? Would you aim for a lower order polynomial to ensure monotonicity or fit to a higher order polynomial to fit the raw data?"

I had no idea how to answer this question, I was interviewing for a Risk internship. I sat stunned for a few moments and told him that I had no idea, but I was a big picture guy. Made it through to second rounds.

Lower - Long term Higher - Short term - Few sec interval.

I would be very caustious about useing just polynomial functions though

my 2c

 

While these questions are not particularly hard, they are two of my favorite technical questions to see if you really understand your basic technicals. While they might not seem hard at face value, during the middle of a super day when the pressure is on you can see how they might get screwed up....

Question 1:

Q: While looking at a company's Income Statement, you notice that it reports three consecutive years of increasing net income just before it declares bankruptcy. What are some plausible scenarios that could explain this?

A: The key is that CAPEX and inventories are not expensed on the income statement until they are depreciated or accounted for as COGS. Therefore, a plausible solution is that the company overinvested in PPE and inventory (or they have a bunch of inventory they cannot sell) or both. A good follow up question is: how could you confirm this on the balance sheet/SofCF? Growing A/P and PPE....stuff like that.

Question 2:

Q: Show a piece of paper with Company A and Company B. For each company you have given three ratios: P/E, TEV/EBIT, and TEV/EBITDA and you ask if any of the numbers look suspicious.

A: For one of the companies you make the EBITDA ratio bigger than the EBIT ratio, which, of course is impossible. Extra points if the candidate points out that while the EBITDA ratio cannot be larger than the EBIT ratio, if the company had no Dep or Amort they could theoretically be equal.

I like those questions because they make you think about you technicals and not just spit something out that you have memorized like "Walk me through a DCF...."

 
FormerHornetDriver:
While these questions are not particularly hard, they are two of my favorite technical questions to see if you really understand your basic technicals. While they might not seem hard at face value, during the middle of a super day when the pressure is on you can see how they might get screwed up....

Question 1:

Q: While looking at a company's Income Statement, you notice that it reports three consecutive years of increasing net income just before it declares bankruptcy. What are some plausible scenarios that could explain this?

A: The key is that CAPEX and inventories are not expensed on the income statement until they are depreciated or accounted for as COGS. Therefore, a plausible solution is that the company overinvested in PPE and inventory (or they have a bunch of inventory they cannot sell) or both. A good follow up question is: how could you confirm this on the balance sheet/SofCF? Growing A/P and PPE....stuff like that.

Or excessive amount of debt maturing at once.

 
FormerHornetDriver:
While these questions are not particularly hard, they are two of my favorite technical questions to see if you really understand your basic technicals. While they might not seem hard at face value, during the middle of a super day when the pressure is on you can see how they might get screwed up....

Question 1:

Q: While looking at a company's Income Statement, you notice that it reports three consecutive years of increasing net income just before it declares bankruptcy. What are some plausible scenarios that could explain this?

A: The key is that CAPEX and inventories are not expensed on the income statement until they are depreciated or accounted for as COGS. Therefore, a plausible solution is that the company overinvested in PPE and inventory (or they have a bunch of inventory they cannot sell) or both. A good follow up question is: how could you confirm this on the balance sheet/SofCF? Growing A/P and PPE....stuff like that.

Question 2:

Q: Show a piece of paper with Company A and Company B. For each company you have given three ratios: P/E, TEV/EBIT, and TEV/EBITDA and you ask if any of the numbers look suspicious.

A: For one of the companies you make the EBITDA ratio bigger than the EBIT ratio, which, of course is impossible. Extra points if the candidate points out that while the EBITDA ratio cannot be larger than the EBIT ratio, if the company had no Dep or Amort they could theoretically be equal.

I like those questions because they make you think about you technicals and not just spit something out that you have memorized like "Walk me through a DCF...."

You probably know this, but for #1, technically, the only way a company can go bankrupt is if its creditors force a court to declare insolvency, which opens up many more avenues to answer the question. For example, a major loss in a lawsuit can bankrupt a company, or, a company that is too dependent on constant credit can be undone in a second (as Lehman and Bear were), or perhaps the company experienced a spike in interest payments that it could not meet for whatever reason or it could not refinance debt coming due. Overinvesting in PPE or inventories combined with leverage is one way to get to bankruptcy, but by itself, overinvestment will not generally lead to bankruptcy (after all, an all equity company could overinvest in PPE, and would still be pretty sheltered from bankruptcy, though it might be a very profitable venture... Also I suppose if you fund inventory purchases with AP, then you could potentially be forced into bankruptcy but I have not heard of this ever happening before.)

With question #2, one other twist you can throw in is to present the multiples for different years, as your candidate (assuming he has banking or otherwise relevant experience) ought to know that EBIT/EBITDA/Earnings projections increase y/o/y, so maybe have one multiple going up instead of down.

 
FormerHornetDriver:
For a cross-border valuation, I would use a Beta derived from the location of the target company. Since I assume this is leading up to a DCF - which is an intrinsic valuation - you want the Ke and therefore the WACC to reflect the risk of where that company does business.

But where specifically are you getting that Beta?

 

Since Beta measures the rate of return of an asset compared to the rate of return of a portfolio, you would have to find an appropriate portfolio of assets for comparison. For example, a Canadian company's stock performance can be compared to others in a Canadian Index just like many equity betas for American companied measure performance in relation to something like the S&P 500 or Russell 2000.

If you are looking to value a company in Nigeria, it would be a little harder as I do not know if any kind of index or benchmark exists. The key with a DCF is that you want to compare apples to apples. This related to a very common interview question (and this is for a generic valuation, not cross border): Explain why you use the target's WACC as the discount rate in a DCF and not the Aquirer....

 
FormerHornetDriver:
Since Beta measures the rate of return of an asset compared to the rate of return of a portfolio, you would have to find an appropriate portfolio of assets for comparison. For example, a Canadian company's stock performance can be compared to others in a Canadian Index just like many equity betas for American companied measure performance in relation to something like the S&P 500 or Russell 2000.

If you are looking to value a company in Nigeria, it would be a little harder as I do not know if any kind of index or benchmark exists. The key with a DCF is that you want to compare apples to apples. This related to a very common interview question (and this is for a generic valuation, not cross border): Explain why you use the target's WACC as the discount rate in a DCF and not the Aquirer....

Whoops yours question is actually what I meant to write, what beta do you use in a cross border merger? It's pretty tricky and the answer is both are important, but for the valuation portion, you use the targets beta because it's beta reflects its riskiness profile.

Right after however, you need to do a dcf or npv analysis ( depending on size of target ) of purchasing the target and receiving its cash flows and synergies, which gives you the acquirers value perspective and value of synergies.

But for cross border valuation, I think the other guy was wondering how do you value a global company in several countries. That's actually another trick question as it depends if you are doing sum of the parts or just valuing the entire company. And if you are valuing the entire company, there are several ways you can come up with a beta.

So bottom line is, dcfs are major bullshit

 

Recently got grilled on structural subordination, dividend lock-up covenants, restructurings but would have to say the hardest to give a satisfying answer to was when I was asked "how do I know you're smart?" Other than referencing test scores I struggled to give an answer...

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 
Oreos:
Recently got grilled on structural subordination, dividend lock-up covenants, restructurings but would have to say the hardest to give a satisfying answer to was when I was asked "how do I know you're smart?" Other than referencing test scores I struggled to give an answer...

I'd probably say "because I applied to work at your firm" but then again I doubt I'd have the balls during an interview. Depends on how it was going.

 
TheKing:
"You are about to kill your most hated enemy...what death blow do you deliver?" - MD at a to MM bank

Probably something similar to this

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 
TheKing:
"You are about to kill your most hated enemy...what death blow do you deliver?" - MD at a to MM bank
I would consider anything other than a roundhouse kick to the face as an autoding.
Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art - Andy Warhol
 
TheKing:
"You are about to kill your most hated enemy...what death blow do you deliver?" - MD at a to MM bank

Samurai sword from his/her face to groin in order to prevent an open casket funeral-boom roasted

 
TheKing:
"You are about to kill your most hated enemy...what death blow do you deliver?" - MD at a to MM bank

Definitely the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/zrigaQbUvZQ

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 

At 4th interviewer of my superday the other week the guy was completely fucking with me

"Why do we have license plates"

And just super philosophical questions that were off the wall. I was just kinda BS'ing with him not really attempting to answer but hold a conversation. We went past schedule, he looks at his watch, picks up the phone and rings another MD "Bob come get 'em he's sweatin bullets in here!!" and they both bust out laughing on the phone

 

As an interviewee: I had an interview at a hedge fund where the interviewer would reply with "wrong" to essentially everything i said. The majority of the time he probably didn't even listen to what I said. Most of the questions were tough because they were open-ended i.e. what do you think about the power markets?

As an interviewer: My toughest questions would be when a kid would say that they have a passion for investing. Without fail, i would ask them what they invest in and why. It doesn't sound like a tough question, but i never got a good answer (this was undergrad kids for analyst / summer analyst banking roles). None of the kids were able to formulate with they invested in the companies they owned. I also never expected to get a good answer so it didn't necessarily hurt their chances, but i think it hurt their confidence since they realized they had no idea.

 

One of my personal favourites... "Tell me about your last thursday night?"

Not from personal experience but have heard of a few unique scenarios.

1) Interviewer - Please take a seat. (with no chair within close proximity)

2) Candidate stated he enjoyed meeting new people so the interviewer sent him to the trading floor where he could was to spend the next hour introducing himself to everyone.

 

This actually happened during my first FT interview after college.

interviewer - Do you think you're funny? me - Yes, I think I have a pretty good sense of humor. interviewer - Ok funny guy, tell me a joke. me - Uhh... Two peanuts were walking down the street, when all of a sudden, one was asSALTed. interviewer - ......... me - Get it? asSALTed? Because he's a peanut? interviewer - .......

got the job. turned it down though.

 
jack_donaghy:
During my last interview of the day I was asked to name everyone I spoke to since entering the building.
I've gotten this too. Let's just say that I'm horrible with names.
Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

What color would you be and why?

I stuttered and he said he was kidding. Thank god for that shit because I had no idea what I was going to say there.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Easy one ! Here's what I would have answered : "It doesn't matter whether I'm white, black, yellow or red. There's only one color that matters on Wall St, and that's green."

If it looks as good as on paper, we're in the kill zone, pal. Lock and load
 

GS 2 on 1 interview --> "What is your favorite thing to think about, or what do you think about the most?"

My answer, "sex." I figured they had heard answers all day that made the candidate sound smart, serious, and studious; so I decided to cut the bullshit. They thought it was hilarious and it definitely was a positive. I took the "risk" with the joke because they were two mid 20's males with finance hair and one had mentioned having a rough night years back when he visited friends at my school.

Instead of thinking up answers to all these hypothetical wildcard questions, realize that the point of them is to throw you off your game. Accept that you can be asked a random question out of nowhere that does this, so it is probably smarter to spend the time practicing your technicals, networking, etc. rather than thinking about what you should say is your favorite thing to think about.

Takeaway=> when you get stuck with one of these questions that that forces you to pause and panic, you can do yourself a favor by analyzing the audience and tailoring your answer to that. A young, outgoing analyst might appreciate humor where a soft-spoken VP/MD might prefer a professional answer. The answer isn't as important with questions like these as is the manner in which you answer it.

TCB... you know taking care of business
 
Enjayes:
GS 2 on 1 interview --> "What is your favorite thing to think about, or what do you think about the most?"

My answer, "sex." I figured they had heard answers all day that made the candidate sound smart, serious, and studious; so I decided to cut the bullshit. They thought it was hilarious and it definitely was a positive. I took the "risk" with the joke because they were two mid 20's males with finance hair and one had mentioned having a rough night years back when he visited friends at my school.

Instead of thinking up answers to all these hypothetical wildcard questions, realize that the point of them is to throw you off your game. Accept that you can be asked a random question out of nowhere that does this, so it is probably smarter to spend the time practicing your technicals, networking, etc. rather than thinking about what you should say is your favorite thing to think about.

Takeaway=> when you get stuck with one of these questions that that forces you to pause and panic, you can do yourself a favor by analyzing the audience and tailoring your answer to that. A young, outgoing analyst might appreciate humor where a soft-spoken VP/MD might prefer a professional answer. The answer isn't as important with questions like these as is the manner in which you answer it.

yeah, but did you get the job?
 

Will Hunting: From GS: Interviewer: If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?

My Answer: I would certainly allow you to sleep with my partner, were all about polygamy. His name is Jim by the way…

LOL then see what the interviewer says or the comment above ^ thats funny too.

 

Ironically, the hardest question I was asked was for my college honors program. The professor told me to sit down, smiled, and said "Why?" Then stared at me until I answered.

A year and a half later I was interviewing candidates for the same program. I asked a Fraternity president to pretend that I was a freshman and rush me.

I also asked a girl who was a Victoria's Secret cashier to pretend I was a customer and try to convince me to open a credit card.

 
illiniPride:
A year and a half later I was interviewing candidates for the same program. I asked a Fraternity president to pretend that I was a freshman and rush me.
I would pretend ball you for asking such a stupid question.
 

Hardest one I have ever come across came during this recruiting season. The MD of a large boutique IB asked me simply "Do you think you're smart?" I answered simply "My mom always told me I was" he absolutely loved the answer, +1

 
JD-MBAMonkey:
Hardest one I have ever come across came during this recruiting season. The MD of a large boutique IB asked me simply "Do you think you're smart?" I answered simply "My mom always told me I was" he absolutely loved the answer, +1

Gotta admire Jeff Skilling's response to Harvard; "I'm fucking smart"

If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!
 
WalMartShopper:
JD-MBAMonkey:
Hardest one I have ever come across came during this recruiting season. The MD of a large boutique IB asked me simply "Do you think you're smart?" I answered simply "My mom always told me I was" he absolutely loved the answer, +1

Gotta admire Jeff Skilling's response to Harvard; "I'm fucking smart"

Fucking love that quote

 

Haha yes, I did the work in my head. It's pretty simple if you think about the formula for Current Yield. But yeah good call about the riskiness of the bond. I'm fresh out of school and need to get used to the fact that "assume no default risk" is not a common situation outside of academia haha.

 
Lubyanka:
Haha yes, I did the work in my head. It's pretty simple if you think about the formula for Current Yield. But yeah good call about the riskiness of the bond. I'm fresh out of school and need to get used to the fact that "assume no default risk" is not a common situation outside of academia haha.

'No costs to financial distress' is one of my favorite assumptions of Miller Modigliani...ask any restructuring advisor what they think of that one...

For anyone curious CY = Coupon/Price So Bond 1: 10% = 8%/price, so price = 8/10 = 80 Bond 2: 8% = 10%/price, so price = 10/8 = 125

if you like it then you shoulda put a banana on it
 

"explain how a mortgage prepayment swaption works". I got asked this by CS in London for a FT role in EM FX, didn't have any clue what to say, especially as it seemed completely irrelevant to the desk

 

Some of the questions I've asked:

  1. What are we doing wrong here and what would you change?

  2. Tell me something cool (or odd) that you've spotted in the markets recently

  3. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (if the interview is going v well or v badly)

  4. What is the term for fear of spiders/open spaces/long words.

4a. Why don't you use Google to look up a fear of long words?

  1. Do happy people make better traders?

5a. Are you happy?

5b. Why

Questions I've been asked:

  1. What is the difference between the position of Jesus in orthodox Christianity and Sunni Islam? (Boston-based AM)

  2. What are your top 10 movies? ($30bn US HF)

  3. You only want this job because you're desperate, why should we hire you? (C)

 
somebody:
Some of the questions I've asked:
  1. What are we doing wrong here and what would you change?

  2. Tell me something cool (or odd) that you've spotted in the markets recently

  3. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (if the interview is going v well or v badly)

  4. What is the term for fear of spiders/open spaces/long words.

4a. Why don't you use Google to look up a fear of long words?

  1. Do happy people make better traders?

5a. Are you happy?

5b. Why

Questions I've been asked:

  1. What is the difference between the position of Jesus in orthodox Christianity and Sunni Islam? (Boston-based AM)

  2. What are your top 10 movies? ($30bn US HF)

  3. You only want this job because you're desperate, why should we hire you? (C)

With the exception of both #2's, every single one of these questions would make me want to walk out of the room and never consider that firm ever again.

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 

Oh yeah, responses:

  1. I ask this just for kicks, never been at a big company so the answers are usually to do with getting more market share. Lots of people like social media for some reason.

  2. This is a biggie, only want to hire people who actually find markets cool/interesting. Tough to bluff.

  3. If interview going badly, this usually pushes them over the edge. If going very well I always get a nice answer and some requests for additional info plus a laugh. All about thinking outside of boxes.

  4. I ask this to interviewee out of closed mode and to see how they find out information (usually ask them to walk me through how they'd find various pieces of information), plus discuss societal structure. Nobody's got that last one right.

  5. I've been trying to figure this out, plus it gives a nice insight into what people know about trading as they talk through it. Also, happy workers are more fun than sad ones.

On the other side:

  1. Gave a full on answer gently pulling in the interviewers own views to find common ground. Didn't make it through to the next round.

  2. Took a while but figured it out in the end. Got an offer, didn't take.

  3. Got a bit defensive as I wasn't at all desperate, should have just walked out. Got an offer, didn't take.

 

"Name 3 strengths and 2 weaknesses of yours." Who the fuck asks for that many? To be honest, I probably couldn't answer properly just because I was so nervous. It was my first ever ibanking interview, and likely the worst I'll ever have. It's quite funny in retrospect.

 

Sounds like all you guys would have benefited from a shady cold calling job. The name of the game is persistence, quick thinking and the ability to verbally sell your soul.

I just hope they don't ask me any high level stats questions.

Competition is a sin. -John D. Rockefeller
 

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Iure eaque ab provident eum quis. Impedit molestias aliquid repellat non ex et. Vero ratione expedita dolore sint dolores aperiam.

My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
 

Et quibusdam aut debitis est quidem sequi. Et fugiat adipisci occaecati expedita in labore.

Qui necessitatibus quis laborum eaque at sit. Omnis laborum ducimus nisi.

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Voluptas esse a dolore delectus. Praesentium sapiente quia sunt quo tempore dicta. Doloremque nam qui in sit necessitatibus. Qui ut vero rerum autem beatae facilis molestias.

 

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Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (85) $262
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (65) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (198) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (143) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

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success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”