Global Markets Summer Analyst

The assessment centre may have changed since I did it, but for me it was three short interviews of about 10–15 minutes each, with different people from the desk. Each one started with motivational questions, moved on to behavioural ones, and finished with a technical question. Usually that meant one or two motivational or behavioural questions and then one technical. There was also time at the end for your own questions and some general conversation, and I think that part mattered a lot for building rapport.

The motivational questions were the standard ones: why this bank, why this role, and how your university experience has prepared you. It helps to talk about the programme itself, for example how its rotations are structured. Mention any relevant experience too. For me that was regular group market discussions, which helped build my understanding of markets. I was also asked some firm-specific questions about the bank’s share price, its leadership, and the challenges it might face in the near future.

The technical questions covered brain teasers, market sizing, market knowledge and quick mental maths. I prepared with a well-known brain teaser guide, and one of the classic puzzles came up. For market sizing I was asked to estimate the number of a certain type of vehicle in the UK. For market knowledge I was asked about a bank that has failed, which seems to be a common question. You should also know the major central bank rates and upcoming decisions, and have a recent news story ready to discuss.