Answering Difficult Technicals, That you already got in past interviews

If I get a difficult technical question, and I was already given it in a past interview (so I already know the answer), I have 2 options

1: Nail it, and say nothing of the fact that I gained the knowledge from a past interview 2: Say "To be honest, I already know the answer to your question because I got it in a past interview"

If the past interview I got it in was with the same bank (for example, during the second interview of a superday I get the same technical that I got during the first interview of the superday) obviously option 2 is the way to go.

What if I'm getting the same difficult technical with an entirely different bank? Is the honesty route (option 2) going to help me build rapport, or make them think I'm an idiot?

All input is apprecited

5 Comments
 
Best Response

Dude, are you freaking serious? I swear there is something wrong with kids these days. Answer the question as best as you can and move on. If your objective is to get a summer internship or a full-time job, and you are interviewing, there is no scenario in which saying you know the answer to a technical question because you "got it before" makes you look good / differentiates yourself. It just comes off as WEIRD and makes the interviewer feel awkward.

Your only goals in an interview should be to 1) Be socially competent and personable ; 2) Be technically strong

You don't have to disclose to every interviewer that you know how to do a DCF because bank X, Y, and Z asked you the same question.

COMMON SENSE dude, use it.

 

It would seem odd if the interviewer asked you a complex brainteaser and you answered instantly without explanation. but a technical should have 1 answer/process, right? so if you know the answer, say the answer

 

Excepturi sed fuga vel ut. Quia natus molestias quod.

Molestiae nam voluptas neque voluptas rem sint similique quia. Aut vel est sit recusandae consectetur labore molestiae vel. Nihil et ut commodi cumque qui qui. Architecto dolorem non eum facere nihil. Mollitia minima dolores eum facere deleniti quia voluptatem. Quibusdam enim ut a.

Consequuntur laborum qui repellat aperiam. Similique et id et sint ratione eius similique. Ut adipisci perferendis inventore voluptas. Officia occaecati et qui cumque totam. Est recusandae mollitia voluptate.

Ea earum quaerat at qui. Omnis numquam reiciendis provident error placeat voluptatem labore. Quia eos ipsa et eum et eum. Voluptatum ad ea consectetur accusantium. Tempore dolor quam autem magni a. Rem et dolorem rerum et aliquam non quia. Aperiam quam odio quidem ad.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
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

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...”