Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Interview Questions

17 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.

3.7
  • 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.

2.9
  • Very Easy
  • Easy
  • Average
  • Difficult
  • Very Difficult
% Interns - FT Offers (55%)

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.

38%
  • 0%
  • 10%
  • 20%
  • 30%
  • 40%
  • 50%
  • 60%
  • 70%
  • 80%
  • 90%
  • 100%

Interviews at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

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Filter by:
Year
Job Title
Group/Division
Location
Experience
Difficulty
Assistant Vice President
Year 2014
Job Title Assistant Vice President
Group/Division Private Banking
Location Tampa
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
Other
Year 2019
Job Title Other
Group/Division Consumer - Retail
Location Hartford
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2019
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Public Finance
Location Philadelphia
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Difficult
Intern
Year 2018
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Generalist
Location New York
Experience
Negative
Difficulty
Difficult
Intern
Year 2017
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Sales
Location Knoxville
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Easy
Intern
Year 2014
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Private Wealth Management
Location Leawood
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Easy
1st Year Analyst
Year 2017
Job Title 1st Year Analyst
Group/Division Private Wealth Management
Location Chicago
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2015
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Wealth Management
Location New York
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2013
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Investment Research
Location Toms River
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Easy
1st Year Analyst
Year 2015
Job Title 1st Year Analyst
Group/Division Investment Research
Location Chicago
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average

Interview Questions & Answers - Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Examples

Private Banker Interview - Private Banking

Anonymous employee in Tampa
Interviewed: July 2014
Date Submitted: Nov 13, 2020
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
2-3 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Background Check
Interview
Began with an initial conversation with a recruiter, then referred to screening call with members of current team, followed by interview with MD.

Each was behavioral, focused on industry fit, and knowledge about how industry worked. Lot of behavioral questions directed at teasing out the core competencies necessary.
Interview Questions
How would you deliver bad news that has a significant impact?
Sample Answer

Wealth Advisor Associate Interview - Consumer - Retail

Anonymous employee in Hartford
Interviewed: May 2019
Date Submitted: Dec 08, 2019
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
4-5 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Long process coming out of school, office I was applying to was in the starting phase of a move. Met with a few different complex managers
Interview Questions
Positions was a two year program leading into being a full time advisor and having your own book. Interviews really consisted of questing seeing who you knew and how you could use them or your network to get clients in the future. A lot of chatter about trying to have the younger people in offices help senior advisors and their clients use more of the online tools that MS has. A lot of people don't really care about it, so its hard to push on people. Sometimes they weren't straight up with me and would have me meet random people in the office as a personality test I guess.
Sample Answer

Summer Associate Intern Interview - Public Finance

Anonymous employee in Philadelphia
Interviewed: April 2019
Date Submitted: Apr 12, 2019
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
2-3 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Got referred to the VP by a family member and then was asked to come in for an interview. Questions were less about the market and more based on myself and what I am like and how I could be of help to them.
Interview Questions
Nothing really threw me off. They wanted me to sell myself and I knew that going into it. I had to have a reason as to why they needed me and not one of the other hundreds of students. The easiest way of doing this was by doing my research of them thoroughly. I knew coming in the positions of every one in the office, there background of job positions and schooling, what their positions did, who out ranked who in the office and how many different sectors their were. They were very straight forward with me and it was a good time.
Sample Answer

IBD Internship Interview - Generalist

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: July 2018
Date Submitted: Nov 06, 2018
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
2-3 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Was referred to an md. Emailed him and once I received an offer from another bank I followed up and he got me a first round.
Interview Questions
There were a lot of questions about LBO's and accretion dilution. Was asked by everyone to give them my story. I have screenwriting on my resume because it is my minor so I was asked by everyone about that. Was asked why that specific bank. A tough question was to tell them something about myself which was not on my resume, which was tricky because I felt my interest line covered a lot of that info. There were almost no questions on accounting or the current market, which I was usually asked in other interviews.
Sample Answer

Intern Interview - Sales

Anonymous interview candidate in Knoxville
Interviewed: October 2017
Date Submitted: Sep 02, 2018
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Very behavioral. No technicals. Seemed as if the job required soft skills only. 1 on 1 interview with the main advisor.
Interview Questions
Did you watch the latest football game? What do you like least about yourself? Why finance? Walk me through your resume. What is your least favorite activity at your current job? Why? Strengths / weaknesses. What are your thoughts on the recent tax bill? Give me an example of a time you persevered. What's your daily schedule (for practical purposes as opposed to insightful). Where do you see yourself working in 5 years? Why do you prefer the urban environment over rural or suburban? Any questions for me?
Sample Answer

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Summer Intern Interview - Private Wealth Management

Anonymous employee in Leawood
Interviewed: January 2014
Date Submitted: Jul 08, 2018
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
1x1 meeting with branch manager, pretty informal interview to discuss background and more importantly, why wealth management (i.e. to screen if you are good with people, like the markets, etc).
Interview Questions
The interview focused alot on walking through my resume and then a broad discussion of my opinion of the markets. There were quite a few questions as to why I wanted to go into wealth management (versus IBD, research, corporate etc), my people skills and how comfortable I'd feel cold-calling prospective clients. The interview overall was pretty easy, especially since I was a freshman in college. Personality is a huge factor. I got the offer, then was followed up by HCM to discuss start dates, pay, etc.
Sample Answer

Morgan Stanley PWM Analyst Interview - Private Wealth Management

Anonymous employee in Chicago
Interviewed: September 2017
Date Submitted: May 16, 2018
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
First round consisted of two on campus interviews (30 mins each, back to back). I was invited back for a second round the next day on campus. I was then invited to a super day in which I interviewed with a variety of people on the team.
Interview Questions
Why Morgan Stanley?
Why Private Wealth Management?
Why Chicago?
What was the most adversity you ever had to go through and how did you respond?
Tell me about a time you had to work under pressure and what was the biggest challenge?
Where did the S&P 500 close yesterday?
What is the yield on the 10 year treasury?
If I gave you $1 million how would you invest the money?
What are the most important qualities in a company you will look for when evaluating a stock?
Talk to me about the work experience you have and why it would be applicable to this role?
Sample Answer

Intern Interview - Wealth Management

Anonymous employee in New York
Interviewed: February 2015
Date Submitted: Oct 01, 2017
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
First had a phone interview with a college alum who also works at MS, he then put my resume through to another team that he knew was hiring an intern. Met with a VP on that team a few weeks after in NYC, asked mostly behavioral questions, no unexpected / challenging questions.
Interview Questions
- Tell me about a situation in which you had to produce something under pressure
- What was the most difficult project you had to work on
- If I go talk to your former employers or teachers, how do you think they would describe you?
- Tell me about a time when you had to use analytical skills to resolve a problem
- Why are you interested in wealth management ?
- What are you hoping to gain from this summer internship experience ?
- What are some current events that you follow / interest you?
Sample Answer

Summer Analyst Interview - Investment Research

Anonymous interview candidate in Toms River
Interviewed: 2013
Date Submitted: Jul 06, 2017
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Interview process was very quick and easy. The hiring manager got back to me in a week, had a phone interview and then an in person interview with my supervisor and was offered the position a week or so later.
Interview Questions
The most difficult part of this interview was making sure you knew and understood your resume. For the position they were looking to fill, it was more based on a personality fit with the team than it was skills and experiences. There is a lot of on the job training and learning, so they wanted to make sure that I was the right fit for the position. The company did not ask too any technical questions, other than a couple of formulas that should be relatively basic to a finance or business major.
Sample Answer

Institutional Consulting Analyst Interview - Investment Research

Anonymous employee in Chicago
Interviewed: 2015
Date Submitted: Apr 21, 2017
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Group Interview
Skills Test
Interview
The interview process started with a basic screen with a VP who came to campus. Questions were largely behavioral. I as invited about a week later to a superday to meet the team. I had a series of 1-on-1, 2-on-1, and at one point most of the available team sat in on one interview. The day included a some case questions from a few Associates and then an Excel test. I was given an intentionally scrambled dataset of portfolio returns and asked to visualize the data and then walk some team members through my analysis. The team was friendly throughout and seemed to have a non-nonsense work culture.
Interview Questions
I was surprised that some Associates on the team asked me management consulting-case style questions. One question was: "Tell me how many planes are flying overhead O'Hare right now." The second was: "Tell me how many suits were sold in the United States last year." I was not expecting to be asked if I invested or not, as this was for a full-time position straight from college. I wasn't sure what technicals I could expect given that this was for an Institutional Consulting team. Questions were largely market-based, such as "What did the S&P 500 close at yesterday?" or "Tell me what annualized returns mean."
Sample Answer
$1bn+
Est Annual Revenue
Industry
Asset Management

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