Stifel Nicolaus Ibanking Analyst Interview

First, Stifel is not a boutique. They are a solid-upper MM. If you compare them to a boutique (unless it's in the right context, i.e. "the work environment much resembles that of a small shop, where you get responsibilities and lots of attention and build rapport with senior management, etc."), you can kiss your offer bye-bye.

Second, most interview procedures are the same for most banks, meaning all the way from local boutiques to BBs. Of course the weighting on technical vs. fit will be different for each respective firm. For Stifel it will likely be fairly standardized, with first rounds focusing on technicals and later rounds on fit. That said, you need to be prepared for both.

Third, seniority of the interviewer is completely random. By this I mean there is no fast-and-hard rule on who will interview you. Generally, the larger than bank, the less likely you will be interviewed by MDs off the bat; however, there are MDs or even Partners who like to be actively involved in the recruiting process, so you may meet them even in the first round. That said, it really should not make any difference to you, because you need to be prepared either way. Usually, MDs test to see whether you are a nice kid, who can interact well socially; whereas Analysts and Associates will test your technicals.

Good luck and enjoy your holidays.