Investment Banking Autumn Internship

Two online Kenexa tests (verbal and numerical). 20 mins 20 questions for the numerical and 24 mins 28 questions for verbal. Had to be relatively quick. If you fail you get a rej email the next 48 hours.

I attended a specific recruiting event for this autumn programme and got an invitation a couple of days later upon attending. Very important to get referrals from Analysts to get an invite.

Assessment day is 12 people. Process is x2 1:1 interviews with Associates. Then networking lunch with Analysts. They cull half of the crowd after lunch and ask them to leave. Both of your interviewers in the morning must tick 'offer or strong offer' in their evaluation sheets for you to get through (my case).

There was 4 of us left and 2 candidates from a previous assessment day came in for the afternoon interviews as they didn't have enough people to interview everyone on their day. Happened to our group as well, 2 local candidates were asked to return.

Next stage is 2 more interviews with VPs or Directors and 1 case study interview with an MD.

VP/Directors play good cop/bad cop role. Typical IBD interviews. One of them said 'CS is very much an American bank' (lol wtf) so watch their egos. The interview with the good cop is really relaxed, biographical and conversational but don't let your guard down.

Case study has been the same for the past 5 years it seems (curling sport equipment UK market sizing). Must calculate returns and other fractions with shitty numbers with no calculator and in front of the MD. Apparently everything must be correct to get an offer. They only give out 3 offers max per day so be better than the rest of your afternoon group.