Harris Associates Interview Questions

9 total interview insight submissions
Interview Experience (87%)

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.

3.9
  • Very Negative
  • Negative
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Very Positive
Interview Difficulty (96%)

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.

3.4
  • Very Easy
  • Easy
  • Average
  • Difficult
  • Very Difficult

Interviews at Harris Associates

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Year
Job Title
Group/Division
Location
Experience
Difficulty
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2023
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Investment Management
Location Chicago
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2023
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Investment Management
Location Chicago
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2022
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Investments
Location Chicago
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2022
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Equity Research
Location Chicago
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2021
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Investments
Location Chicago
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2020
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Generalist
Location Chicago
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Difficult
Intern
Year 2014
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Marketing
Location Chicago
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2014
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Equity Research
Location Chicago
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Difficult
Research Analyst
Year 2012
Job Title Research Analyst
Group/Division
Location Chicago
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Difficult

Interview Questions & Answers - Harris Associates Examples

Summer Analyst Interview - Investment Management

Anonymous interview candidate in Chicago
Interviewed: June 2023
Date Submitted: Feb 29, 2024
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Group Interview
Interview
First round was a 30 minute phone call with an associate. Started with a few behavioral questions (Why are you interested in Harris Associates, why value investing, who are investors you look up to), then asked for a stock pitch. Also asked a few more conceptual valuation related questions (i.e. what is a good business near your campus). Heard back about superday 1.5 weeks later. SD consisted of 6 30 minute interviews with senior level employees at the firm. Mix of more conceptual valuation questions, behavioral questions, and asked for 2 stock pitches. Also had a case study where you had to demonstrate how you think as an investor.
Interview Questions
1. Asked me for multiple stock pitches (only had 1 thoroughly prepared which threw me off)
2. Asked about what informs valuation multiples (ROIC, Growth Expectations, etc)
3. Asked about how you would value a button which had a 50% chance of giving you a million dollars when you pressed it (can press it once a year for the rest of your life)
Sample Answer

Research Intern Interview - Investments

Anonymous employee in Chicago
Interviewed: July 2022
Date Submitted: Dec 06, 2022
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
Group Interview
Interview
1st round was a zoom interiew with 2 members of the investment team. Then, I moved onto the superday with 6 one-on-one interviews, each lasting about 30-35 minutes. Asked about my resume, asked me for a stock pitch, and asked me about my investment philosophy and what I look for in a business.
Interview Questions
How do you value the land that a business is on?
Sample Answer

2023 Summer Buy Side Research Intern Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous interview candidate in Chicago
Interviewed: September 2022
Date Submitted: Oct 13, 2022
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Other
Interview
Applied online, was told they review applications on a monthly basis, got rejected after applying. The application asks some questions including an 'investment idea.'
Interview Questions
Didn't make it to the interview, but the application itself asks three questions
1) Why Harris Associates?
2) What about you will make you a long term success at Harris Associates? Provide specific evidence/examples?
3) What is your favorite investment idea today? Why is it a good investment?
Sample Answer

Data Engineer Intern Interview - Investments

Anonymous employee in Chicago
Interviewed: April 2021
Date Submitted: Aug 07, 2021
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Group Interview
Interview
The application process was fairly simple, once I applied online I received an email a few weeks later organizing a zoom interview. The interview was fairly straight forward where they asked mostly behavioral questions. I received an offer a few weeks later.
Interview Questions
The hardest question was how to get the second-highest value in a list.
Sample Answer

Domestic Research Interview - Generalist

Anonymous employee in Chicago
Interviewed: June 2020
Date Submitted: Aug 04, 2021
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Interviewed with a few analysts. Application consisted of choosing between two stocks, and there was a clear right answer. Expect to talk through the way you think. Diversity is a plus. Know what the fund is invested in.
Interview Questions
What equity are you surprised that Oakmark isn't invested in? , What equity are you surprised that Oakmark is invested in? , How did you arrive to this interview today? , How would you think of "insert equity name" here?
Sample Answer

Marketing Intern Interview - Marketing

Anonymous interview candidate in Chicago
Interviewed: February 2014
Date Submitted: Feb 26, 2014
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
Interview
Applied online through target school's career site, heard back from HR in under one month for a first round phone interview but was not offered next steps. Intended to be academic year rolling into the summer
Interview Questions
Tell me a little bit more about yourself/
Walk me through your resume (standard phrasing).

I responded that I am a third year economics major at target school, made effort to match my previous experience on campus and last summer to the firm's culture and college posting's specific desired qualities details.

At the end I asked the same question back.
Can you contribute up to 20-40 hrs per week? followed up by questions on when I would finalize my next academic quarter's schedule, previous intern's time commitments, and the minimal requirement's 20 hours a week's flexibilities on specific weekdays. Also asked if I could begin 15 hours a week's commitment immediately


I responded I could commit 20 hours a week next quarter as I would have lighter extracurricular workloads, but not around the 30-40 range as I am a student.
Sample Answer

Value Investing Intern Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous interview candidate in Chicago
Interviewed: January 2014
Date Submitted: Jan 15, 2014
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
Other
Interview
Questions about my investing and academic background. Also included brief brain teasers.
Interview Questions
How many barbers are there in the city of Dallas?
What criteria do you use when making investments?
Sample Answer

Research Interview -

Anonymous interview candidate in Chicago
Interviewed: 2012
Date Submitted: Feb 01, 2013
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Other
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Interview
Contacted by HR to schedule a phone interview with Director of Research. Spoke over telephone, general background questions and "Why Investing" questions. Talked about personal investing and how I evaluate a business.

Flew me into the office to meet with a dozen or so analysts in 30-45 minute 1 on 1 interviews. Very laid back but mostly more of the same Why Investing and background questions. Some technical questions about what multiples to evaluate different businesses at.

Most importantly, was asked for multiple long-term stock pitches, ended up giving 4 different pitches over the course of the day.

Ended day with basic Excel test and financial statements/accounting tests, fairly simple.
Interview Questions
If you could own the stock of only one publicly traded company for life, what would it be and why?

-I'd recommend straying away from very obvious answers like Apple and Microsoft.
How are you certain you want to be a value investor for life?

-Answered the question based on past personal investing experience and basic business philosophy about buying something cheap that everyone else is irrationally scared of. Pretty standard for most value shops.
Sample Answer