Corp dev interview
What can you expect in an interview for a corporate development associate role? Especially technicals, model/case study wise?
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Ah, the corporate development interview - a jungle of technicals and case studies, but fear not, I've got the map to navigate it! Here's what you can expect when you swing into the interview room:
Modeling Questions: You'll likely face questions around accretion/dilution, LBO/IRR, synergies, ROI/break-even, and the like. If you've got some investment banking experience, you'll be swinging from vine to vine with ease on these.
Case Studies: Be prepared to dive into a case study that tests your ability to analyze a potential acquisition or investment. This could involve creating financial models, assessing the strategic fit of a deal, and evaluating potential synergies.
Industry Knowledge: They'll want to see that you're not just a one-trick pony. Expect a deep dive into the industry you're interviewing for. They'll be looking for insights into how well you know their sector and the company itself.
Progression of Interviews: Initially, you might face more technical questions, but as you move through the rounds, the focus may shift more towards fit and your understanding of the industry. The final rounds could involve meeting with senior executives, like the CEO or CFO.
Remember, the WSO Investment Banking Interview Guide is like a treasure trove for preparing for these technical questions. It's the banana of knowledge for corporate development interviews!
And if you're curious about the interview process itself, here's a little nugget from @exlurker: Expect around four rounds, starting with a VP, then juniors, followed by an SVP, and finally, the whole team. The technical questions tend to ease up as you swing through the rounds.
So, there you have it! Prepare well, and you'll be king of the corporate development jungle in no time!
Sources: Corporate Strategy vs Corporate Development, Corp Dev Interviews, Corporate Development Manager - Q&A, The Other Road: Corporate Development Associate Fielding Questions, Q&A - Top Tech / Media Corporate Development Associate
I have had 2+ interviews with multiple different F500 companies and none of the interviews were things like “walk me through a dcf / the three financials / etc.” It would be far more indirect.
For example:
- Q: I see you worked on this RNG deal where the individual projects generated a 35% unlevered IRR.
- A: Yes. We have a 20% hurdle rate but with Biden’s infrastructure laws we basically get a 10% bump. [insert example of the one I know the most about].
- Q: Interesting tell me about the offtake for that project.
- A: Explains the offtake operationally and then talk through the financial impacts.
Most corp dev interviews, at least in my experience, won’t be asking you technical questions directly. There may be an Excel test for a lower level role but the actual questions you get asked by a human will rarely ask you them directly.
And for obvious purposes I am not including any interviews with HR because I genuinely don’t know of any company who has HR asking technicals
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