I’ve had 6 interviews, none of which have asked me walk me through a dcf, how do the statements link, impact of d and a etc. they’re all random accounting questions, brain teasers, or questions NOT FROM THE 400 Q guide… i have the guide memorized front to back…
what else do you all use to study? i’m a non finance major so the accounting is horrific for me, i’m trying to learn but ☹️
| +22 | Layoff Stigma | 12 | 3d |
| +20 | Deleted | 3 | 3d |
| +18 | Feeling behind | 2 | 2d |
| +18 | Don’t underestimate how risky joining a startup is | 4 | 5h |
| +18 | Advice for incoming freshman @ target | 5 | 2d |
| +14 | Delete | 3 | 4d |
| +13 | Feeling pigeonholed due to past internships | 3 | 5d |
| +10 | Low Tiew Consulting vs Middle Office at an mid-size Investment Firm | 2 | 5d |
| +9 | UK Career Advice | 1 | 6d |
| +9 | 2027 FT IB Recruiting from Private Credit | 4 | 1d |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
See if your university offers WallStreetPrep, they have a great 6-8 hour course that covers basics of Accounting, Intrinsic/Relative Valuations, etc.
Also worth printing out example financial statements (SCF, BS, IS) and understanding/being able to memorize the line items. Learn how various line items connect to one another. Since you've memorized the 400Q, you should at least understand the basic relationships between each statement.
For brain teasers, the interviewer cares most about your approach to the question, and your problem-solving thought process. Take logical steps, use simple numbers or intuition, and be confident in your answer.
Also, this isn’t true for all firms, but for your behavioral questions, make sure to have a clear and believable story for “why finance” and “why IB”. Also try to emphasize any experiences you may have (internships, clubs, etc.) or efforts you’ve made/plan to make to strengthen your skills in finance.
Wishing you all the best. Good luck!
Bet
A good grip on accounting and closely keeping up with the news and understanding how everything affected each other blessed me. Never read the 400 questions
Don’t memorize the 400 question guide. UNDERSTAND it. Curious what accounting questions you were asked that were not covered in the 400Q?
The whole point about brain teasers is that you’re not supposed to be able to memorize the questions. That said, you can google questions and practice with those.
Culpa commodi consequatur aut. Iure deleniti dolor ut ipsa a reprehenderit eum.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...