What do you say to a question like this...?

"What do you think of the government bailouts? Do you support them?"

And lets say this was asked in an interview by a company like MS, JPM, or GS (or any other company that received a bailout)?

5 Comments
 

I believe a question such as that one is being asked to gauge your level of knowledge of "recent events." You're probably okay as long as you have a compelling answer, regardless of which side you argue for.

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Best Response

Here is a decent response, I'm assuming that this is GS so bear with me "This is a complicated question as one has to way the effects of moral hazard versus the possibility of collapse. I suspect that Goldman would have come out in a similar position had they not take TARP funds. It seems that there was confidence in the marketplace in Mr. Blankfein's management abilities as Warren Buffet committed several billion dollars to the firm. With the benefit of hindsight, I would say not, but in those chaotic days it was a perfectly rational choice to backstop firms, although I would have done it differently, by allocating money to the broker dealer arms."

 

You should answer what you think. Your values should fit with the values of the people you are working with or you will be very unhappy there and want to leave anyway. People respect candor more than trying to answer what you think they want to hear. Stand apart from all the lackeys and you will probably land more jobs than the brown-nosers.

Peace Out
 

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