Portfolio Associate Interview - Need advice!

I've been in operations at an investment management firm for almost two years. My goal was always to try to move internally to the front office, and I've been waiting for an opportunity. I'm on a project team that has given me decent exposure to a couple front office teams and have made an effort to build some relationships. I attempted CFA Level 1 back in November and unfortunately failed but I'm taking another crack at it next month. I've also been learning SQL and anything else that might make me an asset to have on a team. 

One of the portfolio managers is looking to add a portfolio associate to his team. This team manages a huge portfolio, mainly IG and HY credit. They've been building out their team and hiring in the past year, and I feel I am actually well qualified for this role.

I spoke to my boss, and he said he would support me if I wanted to apply and would put in a good word for me. I also know a senior director on this same team I'm applying for, and I asked him if we could grab coffee. It went really well and I tried to ask some good questions (duration and interest rate risk) while also asking about the role. He also introduced me to an associate who made the move internally from our investment accounting team, and he gave me some good advice about the process/interviewing. 

Fast forward to today, I find out that I have two interviews on Monday. One is with a senior director, and another is with a senior associate who I've crossed paths with a few times and am friendly with. I feel like I am so close, and I want to do everything I can to seal the deal and make the jump to the front office. 

If you guys have any advice on how I can impress in my interviews, or good questions I can ask, I would really appreciate it. 

1 Comments
 

Qui nihil dolorem quos. Incidunt nisi laborum aut. Cupiditate necessitatibus odit nihil assumenda ex nulla ut dolorem. Eum saepe et minus vero autem consequuntur. Occaecati ullam eum dolorem dolor. Ipsa atque fugit occaecati voluptas ut. Saepe deserunt officiis qui amet numquam.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2025 Investment Banking

  • Goldman Sachs 01 99.5%
  • Evercore 07 98.9%
  • Moelis & Company 04 98.4%
  • Houlihan Lokey 09 97.8%
  • Citigroup 11 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2025 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 10 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company No 98.9%
  • Houlihan Lokey 14 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 97.8%
  • Lincoln International 04 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2025 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 08 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Houlihan Lokey 11 98.4%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2025 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (13) $317
  • Associates (58) $237
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (9) $210
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $167
  • 2nd Year Analyst (33) $166
  • 1st Year Analyst (98) $145
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (100) $103
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
98.9
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”