Cowen Group Interview Questions

110 total interview insight submissions
Interview Experience (96%)

The Interview Experience is a score from 1 star (very negative) to 5 stars (very positive) generated based on the Interview Insights at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. If you hover over the various sections of the donut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few interview insights). Simply put, as a company gets more reviews, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to its simple average and away from the average of the entire dataset.

3.8
  • Very Negative
  • Negative
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Very Positive
Interview Difficulty (92%)

The Interview Difficulty is a score ranging from very difficult (red) to very easy (green) generated based on the Interview Insights at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. The higher the number, the more difficult the interviews on average. If you hover over the various sections of the doughnut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few interview insights). Simply put, as a company gets more insights, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to its simple average and away from the average of the entire data set.

2.8
  • Very Easy
  • Easy
  • Average
  • Difficult
  • Very Difficult
% Interns - FT Offers (93%)

The % of Interns Getting a Full Time Offer chart is meant to provide a realistic estimate of the hiring practices of the company based on the reviews at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. If you hover over the various sections of the doughnut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few reviews). Simply put, as a company gets more reviews, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to the simple company average and away from the average of the entire data set.

65%
  • 0%
  • 10%
  • 20%
  • 30%
  • 40%
  • 50%
  • 60%
  • 70%
  • 80%
  • 90%
  • 100%

Interviews at Cowen Group

Filter by:
Year
Job Title
Group/Division
Location
Experience
Difficulty
1st Year Associate
Year 2022
Job Title 1st Year Associate
Group/Division Transportation
Location New York
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Difficult
Intern
Year 2021
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Mergers and Acquisitions
Location San Francisco
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Easy
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2017
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Consumer - Retail
Location San Francisco
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2021
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Generalist
Location New York
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
Summer Associate Intern
Year 2021
Job Title Summer Associate Intern
Group/Division Generalist
Location new york
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Assistant Vice President
Year 2020
Job Title Assistant Vice President
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location New York
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
1st Year Associate
Year 2021
Job Title 1st Year Associate
Group/Division Equity Capital Markets
Location New York
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
1st Year Analyst
Year 2020
Job Title 1st Year Analyst
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location New York
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2021
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location New york
Experience
Negative
Difficulty
Difficult
Vice President
Year 2021
Job Title Vice President
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location SAN FRANCISCO
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average

Interview Questions & Answers - Cowen Group Examples

Summer Analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous interview candidate in San Fransico
Interviewed: August 2023
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Group Interview
Personality Test
Background Check
Interview
It was very fine for me. I didn't get the offer but the team was nice, seemed smart, and it was just tough.
Interview Questions
How to do a dcf with biotech company

IB Summer Analyst Interview - Generalist

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: April 2023
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
Interview
1 zoom first-round and then got an in-person SD with 3 back-to-back interviews about a few weeks later.
Interview Questions
Mainly behavioral questions.

Healthcare Summer Analyst Interview - Healthcare

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: March 2023
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Two preliminary rounds with analyst then with associate, in-person superday with 4 30-minute interviews (2 VPs and 2 MDs)
Interview Questions
What is one reason you WOULDN'T want to work for us?

Summer Analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: April 2023
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Recruiter
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Was initially contacted by a recruiter and went through an initial HR screen. Was selected for a first round around a week and a half afterwards, and then was forwarded straight to an in office superday. Went through three rounds of conversations with senior leadership.
Interview Questions
Tell me about a time where you did something you regret, or wished you kept pursuing?

Summer Analyst Interview

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: March 2023
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Given 1 day to schedule an interview for the HC team with a Ph.D. Associate. Overall, not bad, a few standard but basic technicals, as well as a diving into healthcare background and interest in Cowen. Her child was in the room, which made it very hard to focus as he was constantly in the frame.
Interview Questions
What are the common sensitivity analyses that we may run within a DCF to test our assumptions.

equity research associate Interview - Equity Capital Markets

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: February 2023
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
I had a 30-minute zoom interview with a Director of HR. The director asked specific questions regarding my past work experience and wanted to know if I had prior experience in financial modeling. It was obvious that he was looking for someone with some experience in equity research.
Some questions that I remember: 1. why are you pursuing equity research? 2. have you done any financial modeling before? 3. where do you see yourself in five years? 4. Why Cowen? 5. Why this particular sector? 6. Describe your most recent professional experience
After the Q&A, the director briefly mentioned how Cowen differentiates itself from competitors by investing a lot in their juniors.
Overall, the interview was pretty laid back and nothing too tricky.
The next step in the hiring process is supposedly a phone interview with an MD, but I still haven't heard back from Cowen, so I can't confirm.
Interview Questions
why are you pursuing equity research?

Summer Analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous employee in San Francisco
Interviewed: June 2020
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Received interview after direct referral. Basic technicals straight from guides after behavioral round. 1 behavioral 1 technical then super day. Heard back next day. Huge emphasis on culture fit and knowledge of firm.
Interview Questions
none, all technical questions were from guides

Biotech Equity Research Associate Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: September 2022
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
The general process is that you got an 1-on-1 interview with an associate, who will screen the candidates. An interview will be followed if result is positive from the first round. Technical asssessment (writing and modeling test) is next.
Interview Questions
Real in-depth questions about your stock pitch. I pitched about a pharmaceutical company and discussion went as far as very technical detail about their drug (numbers/ technical specification) matters

Equity Research Associate Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: August 2022
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Interview
Started with HR interview. Then a Senior Analyst interview and then an associate interview and then another MD interview. Had to complete writing test
Interview Questions
What specifically do you know about the industry?

Analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: June 2021
Outcome
Declined Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Other
Interview
Got referral, had superday. Was fairly straight forward HR was very direct about interview process had 5 back to back 30min interviews, one technical, one fit, and the rest were a mix of behavioral and resume/backround
Interview Questions
Calculate the number of Starbucks in NYC