Union Square Advisors Interview Questions

30 total interview insight submissions
Interview Experience (88%)

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 (99%)

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 (100%)

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.

96%
  • 0%
  • 10%
  • 20%
  • 30%
  • 40%
  • 50%
  • 60%
  • 70%
  • 80%
  • 90%
  • 100%

Interviews at Union Square Advisors

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Group/Division
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Year 2023
Job Title N/A
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location San Francisco
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2022
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location San Francisco
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2020
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Mergers and Acquisitions
Location San Francisco
Experience
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Difficulty
Difficult
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2021
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Mergers and Acquisitions
Location San Francisco
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2020
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location San Francisco
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Difficult
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2020
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location New York
Experience
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Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2020
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location San Francisco
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2020
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Generalist
Location San Francisco
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2020
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location San Francisco, CA, USA
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2020
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Investment Banking
Location San Francisco
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average

Interview Questions & Answers - Union Square Advisors Examples

analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous interview candidate in San Francisco
Interviewed: February 2023
Date Submitted: Mar 29, 2023
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
Interview
I rropped resume and cover letter, and followed up with a phone screen which led to 2 interviews. Interviews were run of the mill, both technical and behavioral
Interview Questions
mental multiplication ie 32*22
Sample Answer

summer analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous employee in San Francisco
Interviewed: May 2022
Date Submitted: Jun 18, 2022
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
First round was to get a feel for your interest in the firm/space (no technicals). Next round was straight technicals and "pressure" questions. Final round was a mix of all.
Interview Questions
Final round did have a case study to make you think though.
Sample Answer

summer analyst Interview - Mergers and Acquisitions

Anonymous interview candidate in San Francisco
Interviewed: January 2020
Date Submitted: Dec 30, 2021
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
2-3 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Personality Test
Interview
I had a mutual connection with a senior worker who then pushed my resume through. I then spoke with a 1st year analyst who no longer works there but she was subtly rude. Did not seem to care about my background. But, overall it went well. Then had two more phone call interview but was then ghosted a bit; did not amount to anything at the end. USA has a strong rep and smart people working there.
Interview Questions
I went to a non-target, but it is a well know liberal arts school on the East coast. So, I had to explain the benefits of a liberal arts education to two of the analysts.

Typically technical's weren't bad.
Sample Answer

Analyst Interview - Mergers and Acquisitions

Anonymous interview candidate in San Francisco
Interviewed: February 2021
Date Submitted: Apr 07, 2021
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
Skills Test
Interview
Process started with an analyst call, then a second round of calls and finally a zoom meeting with multiple directors. The calls were mostly technical, you need to be good at math and know the M&I guide. Later director conversations were mostly bahavioral
Interview Questions
2 digit by 2 digit mental multiplication
Sample Answer

Summer Analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous interview candidate in San Francisco
Interviewed: May 2020
Date Submitted: Jan 13, 2021
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Interviewing at Union Square Advisors was a long process. I talked with 16 people throughout the whole process ranging from Analyst to COO of the bank. The interview process was very technology-heavy and I was asked in almost every interview "why tech" and "current tech trends" After multiple technical screens and two super days I was not given the offer however the experience was positive.
Interview Questions
Asked for me to explain in depth how to perform a cohort analysis of a SaaS company and the meaning behind different KPIs
Sample Answer

Analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous employee in New York
Interviewed: December 2020
Date Submitted: Jan 10, 2021
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
2-3 months
Application
Phone Interview
Interview
Reached out to MD who referred me to someone in the firm which led to a phone interview initially soon after
Interview Questions
Why did you move from your last role?
Sample Answer

Intern Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous interview candidate in San Francisco
Interviewed: May 2020
Date Submitted: Oct 06, 2020
Outcome
Declined Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
Presentation
Interview
There are normally almost ten calls throughout their process, I had three distinct sessions where I spoke with different bankers.
Interview Questions
All of the questions were expected. Keep in mind that they work in a specific industry.
Sample Answer

Summer Intern Interview - Generalist

Anonymous interview candidate in San Francisco
Interviewed: May 2020
Date Submitted: Jul 21, 2020
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
Interview
Early phone screen with analyst, easy fit questions and some basic market knowledge questions. Second round interview with an associate, detailed accounting case question.
Interview Questions
A detailed accounting case question in which financial ratios like P/E, EV/EBITDA, and financial metrics like revenue and cost margins w3ere given. Was asked to work through to Enterprise Value and Share Price, given debt levels and shares outstanding.

What was the single most influential event that drove you to pursue tech investment banking?

How do you approach interpersonal conflicts, especially in team environments?

Tell me how your current internship experience has prepared you for a career in Investment Banking.
Sample Answer

SA 2021 Analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous interview candidate in San Francisco, CA, USA
Interviewed: May 2020
Date Submitted: Jun 30, 2020
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
Interview
Multiple rounds with people from all levels of the bank. No rhyme of reason to order, just a lot of screens from analysts, associates, VPs, and directors in random orders talking about markets, technicals, behaviorals, etc.
Interview Questions
I had one interview that almost comprised wholly of brain teasers. The gallon jug question, 1.5 chickens laying 1.5 eggs in 1.5 days, a couple of math problems. That was easily the most difficult. I was asked if I were an investment bank how I would win a farmer's business for who's apple tree I'm evaluating, which was strange because I had never gotten that variation of the "value the apple tree" of any follow up that was comparable. Also was asked how the farmer would know that I wasn't lying, and how my valuation would be superior to competitors. Honestly the interviewer seemed to be getting pretty ridiculous with how granular he was getting.
Sample Answer

Summer Analyst Interview - Investment Banking

Anonymous interview candidate in San Francisco
Interviewed: May 2020
Date Submitted: Jun 25, 2020
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
I got in touch with an analyst at Union Square who referred me into the recruiting process for the Summer Analyst Role. Completed two interviews and did not receive an invite for any more interviews.
Interview Questions
The first interview was with an analyst and was purely behavioral. She asked about the basic questions on my background, why banking, why union square, why san francisco. Very simple interview with no technicals. The second interview was a bit more in-depth. She began with behavioral questions which led into an accounting case study with walking through a purchase of a factory and the effects on the three financial statements. It was also extended to see the effects of the next year. Afterwords, I was given a mental math question which did not go super well for me. She then asked about any more experiences with valuation which I touched on before she somewhat abruptly ended the call.
Sample Answer