Intern

Applied to the position and did the PLUM Profile as part of the initial process. Got notified of a first-round interview within around a week. Overall, the interview itself was pretty straightforward and mostly high-level questions to gauge both technical knowledge and behavioural fit.

They started with the technical side and covered some standard accounting basics. They wanted me to walk through the three financial statements and explain how they’re interconnected. Then, they dove into a scenario where I had to explain how a loan would flow through the financial statements over 2 years, pretty basic. The questions weren’t overly complex but still needed a solid understanding of how the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement interact over time.

There were a few credit-focused questions. For example, they asked how I would assess a company’s creditworthiness and the factors I’d consider in evaluating their ability to meet debt obligations. They also threw in a situational question: “If a company has excess cash, would you recommend paying down debt, reinvesting in the business, or paying dividends? And why?” They wanted to see if I could think critically about balancing short-term benefits with long-term growth and shareholder returns.

Then they moved into FIT questions. They were interested in why I wanted to work at Citi specifically and what I knew about the firm’s culture and values. They asked about my career goals and how I thought Citi would fit into my professional journey. They also asked about a time I had to solve a problem under pressure, which was clearly to see how I handle stress and quick decision-making.

A few other questions came up in the technical area that were more finance-oriented. For example:

• “If you had to evaluate two companies in the same industry, what metrics would you prioritize?”
• “How would you analyze a company’s liquidity, and what indicators would you look at first?”
• “Can you explain EBITDA and why it might be used as a proxy for cash flow?”

They also asked some questions to see if I understood broader financial concepts and could tie them back to Citi’s work:

• “What are some current trends in the banking industry that you think will impact Citi?”
• “How would you explain the impact of rising interest rates on Citi’s core businesses?”

FIT questions were mostly standard but gave me a chance to highlight my soft skills. They asked:

• “Can you give an example of a time you worked in a team to overcome a challenge?”
• “What do you think makes a successful team, especially in a fast-paced environment like banking?”
• “How do you prioritize tasks when managing multiple deadlines?”

They wrapped up with a chance for me to ask questions, which was a good opportunity to show genuine interest in Citi’s initiatives and strategic direction. Overall, the interview had a balanced mix of technical and FIT questions, but it was definitely more about understanding my thought process than trying to stump me with tough technicals.