Sanford C Bernstein Interview Questions

16 total interview insight submissions
Interview Experience (90%)

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 (98%)

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
% Interns - FT Offers (68%)

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.

43%
  • 0%
  • 10%
  • 20%
  • 30%
  • 40%
  • 50%
  • 60%
  • 70%
  • 80%
  • 90%
  • 100%

Interviews at Sanford C Bernstein

Filter by:
Year
Job Title
Group/Division
Location
Experience
Difficulty
1st Year Associate
Year 2019
Job Title 1st Year Associate
Group/Division Equity Research
Location New York
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Difficult
1st Year Associate
Year 2018
Job Title 1st Year Associate
Group/Division Equity Research
Location London
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Very Difficult
2nd Year Associate
Year 2018
Job Title 2nd Year Associate
Group/Division Oil & Gas
Location london
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
1st Year Associate
Year 2017
Job Title 1st Year Associate
Group/Division Equity Capital Markets
Location New York
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
2nd Year Associate
Year 2016
Job Title 2nd Year Associate
Group/Division Generalist
Location New York
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Summer Associate Intern
Year 2016
Job Title Summer Associate Intern
Group/Division Equity Research
Location Hong Kong
Experience
Negative
Difficulty
Average
1st Year Associate
Year 2016
Job Title 1st Year Associate
Group/Division N/A
Location New York
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
Research Associate
Year 2013
Job Title Research Associate
Group/Division Equity Research
Location New York
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
1st Year Associate
Year 2015
Job Title 1st Year Associate
Group/Division Equity Research
Location New York
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Difficult
1st Year Analyst
Year 2014
Job Title 1st Year Analyst
Group/Division Generalist
Location New York
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average

Interview Questions & Answers - Sanford C Bernstein Examples

Research Associate Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: June 2019
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Recruiter
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
1 on 1 Interview
IQ / Intelligence Test
Drug Test
Background Check
Interview
Cased-based interview for the first round with general recruiter. After the first round, interview with the team that you're applying for. Generally cased based depending on sector
Interview Questions
The case questions sometimes were abstract

Equity research associate Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous interview candidate in London
Interviewed: April 2018
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Recruiter
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
IQ / Intelligence Test
Interview
First round is an aptitude test. Second round had several one-to-one interviews, one with the director of equity research associates, one with the analyst, and the remaining are with the teams' associates. Questions include self-introduction, motivational questions (why research? why Bernstein), case studies, simulation of company results update.
Interview Questions
At the time of interview, the most difficult question for me was the simulation of company results update. The company was one of the companies covered by the team. I was asked to predict how share price will change in the morning of the company results announcement and explain how I come up with the answer. I was given the consensus EPS (earnings per share) forecast for that results announcement, the actual EPS announced in the morning, and the amount of share buyback announced in the morning.

equity research associate Interview - Oil & Gas

Anonymous interview candidate in london
Interviewed: February 2018
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Interview
very professional and with quick responses from the HR representative. Seems like the firm values human personnel more than comps.
Interview Questions
the questions revolved mainly around technical questions on the sector and a general chat on the industry and my thoughts. there was a focus on why i was leaving my current job and why i was particularly interested in bernstein. the interview consisted of meeting the head of the sector and his junior associate. i was also asked to pitch a stock and had follow up questions on the pitch, delving deeper into why i expected things to play out in favour of my recommendation. mostly it was explaining my background and professional progression to date.

Equity Research Associate Interview - Equity Capital Markets

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: March 2017
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Interview
Interviewed with 3-4 people from associate to analyst to director of research. Very friendly and very thorough. Mostly fit questions and not many technical questions. Each ended with a market sizing case study. Only one asked for a stock pitch. They are looking for intellectual power and commitment to equity research. Almost everyone I spoke with had some consulting experience in the past.
Interview Questions
Each interviewer will conduct a consulting case study. (all my interviewers had consulting experiences in the past) Each one is a market-sizing problem and the interviewer will give you hints and challenge your assumptions along the way. There is no right answer but they want to see your logic reasoning ability. One interviewer said they are looking for raw intellectual power. So be prepared and practice a log. They also ask a lot of behavioral/fit questions such as "why us/why equity research/".

Analyst Interview - Generalist

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: 2016
Outcome
Declined Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
The overall process is relatively easier overall.. except there are consulting style case studies which are not common to other sell side places
Interview Questions
There are both fit related questions and a case study. Fit related questions were for the purpose of understanding who you are and why you would like to join the firm. You should expect any standard fit related questions. For the case study, it is strategy consulting case study. You will be given a case to crack, for which you will need to come up with a framework for tackling the issue and then come up with assumptions to arrive at your answer. The key is to be able to explain why you have certain assumptions and have a logical way to solve the problem.

Equity Research Summer Analyst Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous interview candidate in Hong Kong
Interviewed: October 2016
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
The whole process was rather simple. The staffs just came by to the university, held a campus talk on T-1 day, had a warm chat with students, and the next day, you will find the guy sitting in front of you was just the man talked to you a day before. It was friendly.
Interview Questions
How did you know about us?
Why did you quit your last internship?
Why won't you choose a Bulget Bracket like Morgan Stanley?
What do you think about the difference of research approach between buy-side and sell-side?
What's your strength to be qualified for this job?
How many escalators are there in Beijing? And tell me how you would go through this question instead of just give a single number?
You know, some asset management companies choose to keep a joint-venture in China, and some don't; how do you view this difference?

Equity Research Associate Interview

Anonymous employee in New York
Interviewed: September 2016
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Got the interview through an alumni referral - generally, Bernstein only hires from Harvard, Wharton, and Columbia as its target schools, so you have to go through other channels to get the interview otherwise. Had a Skype interview for my first round with a senior associate and a director. Heard back a day later, and went to a superday the following week. The superday consisted of 5 back-to-back interviews with senior associates, analysts, and a director. Heard that I got the offer the following week, and accepted.
Interview Questions
What is your favorite history book? (I'm a history major.)

Estimate the market size for NFC chips in the entire world.

If your favorite band were to host a free concert in the middle of Central Park this weekend, how many people would attendance?

What would you want to look at when thinking about pricing strategy in the freight rail market? (This was basically a case interview question)

One analyst literally gave me a stack of charts with incorrect/misleading labels and data, and had me identify the problems with each chart.

Research Associate Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous employee in New York
Interviewed: 2013
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Drug Test
Background Check
Interview
After applying online there is an initial phone screen with recruiting manager. If you are successful at this stage, you will move on to a super day, involving interviews with 5+ senior associates or analysts. After this you get the offer.
Interview Questions
They will ask a case interview at all stages of the interview (phone interview and super day). This will likely be shorter than a consulting style case.

Research Associate Interview - Equity Research

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: 2015
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
2-3 months
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Interview
I interviewed to lateral in as a research associate. First I spoke with a recruiter for 1 hour, which consisted of fit/resume questions and one market sizing question. Second round I completed similar 30 minute interviews with an analyst and two senior associates. Third round required a writing test and an interview with a C-level executive who grilled me on fit and also a market sizing question. Fourth round I spoke with an analyst casually about the sector that he covered.
Interview Questions
What do you think is a great business? I was also pleasantly surprised by a casual, but in depth conversation regarding the future of a particular product with an analyst covering the relevant sector.

Equity Research Analyst Interview - Generalist

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: September 2014
Outcome
Declined Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
I had a first round with Sanford in the OCR suite at my school. There was an HR lady and a senior analyst. Both were very nice people.
Interview Questions
Tell me a stock you would buy and why?

Natura is one of the largest Brazilian manufacturers in the cosmetics, fragrances, and toiletries industry. Their operation are mostly within SA. They operate based on the direct sales model and their sales force has grown to over 1.6 million consultants. I had read awhile back about Bill Ackman accusing Herbalife of being a pyramid scheme so I became interested. The company had a 20% market share in Brazil at the end of 2013 and currently boasts a portfolio of over 900 products.
The question I asked myself when valuing the company is whether direct selling is still viable. Not in developed countries but yes in underdeveloped. They also have an online model and have been tapping into e-commerce within Brazil. Furthermore their online model will allow for Natura to gain direct access to customers.