Credit Suisse Superday

CS is flying me up to NYC for a superday (Summer analyst IBD) next week and I was wondering what superdays entail?

I've never had an accounting or finance class in my life, so I've been studying my ass off (read 1 accy book, 1 corporate finance book, and 1 valuation book so far this week). Are there lots of technical questions, or is it mostly fit stuff? And if it is technical, any topics in particular I should spend extra time on?

It's nothing short of a miracle I got this far and was basically wondering if people have any pointers, or estimates on my odds?

As some context, my big weakness is that I come from an extremely non-target school (i.e. tiny and unheard of). I'm majoring in Math and Econ (although I'm taking accy this semester). I am relatively likable, have great test scores (99.9%+), had an internship with Google as a sophomore, and done research using Neural Networks for valuations. I've read all the vault/wetfeet guides and will be fine for any fit questions or brainteasers (I'm almost hoping they ask brainteasers) but am really worried about technical questions.

 

will be a function of your coursework. Since you aren't an undergrad business major, its unlikely you will have tough technical questions.

Know the basics and don't stress too much over it. Good luck.

 
Best Response

Did you go through a first round or a phone interview? If they asked you technical questions and you were able to nail them, then they probably won't get that much more difficult.

It seems to me like reading an entire accounting/corporate finance book would not be too helpful, since they aren't going to question you about 95% of it, i.e. it would be much better to study the specific types of questions that they are likely to ask. I suppose though I'll find out next week, since that is when my first superday is.

FWIW though, an alum from my school that interviewed me first round just keeps telling me over and over again to read the Vault guide. I think that they just want you to know the basics, which you seem to have down.

 

thanks. i found the phone interview thread which is useful.

the reason i'm asking is that i got nailed with technical questions on market multiples valuations (specifically about enterprise value) in my second round interview (in person, three 2on1's in chicago).

I brought it on myself talking about a paper I'd written on using neural networks for valuations as my senior thesis (moderately successful, but approached from a completely different standpoint than ibanking valuations).

I'm just afraid that the NY guys will get notes from the chicago guys and start grilling me extra hard on accounting like one of those adaptive computer based tests.

 

What was the specific question? I got something that asked about why EV/EBITDA and EV/Sales were valid multiples but EV/NI is not. If that was the question, then I would not worry because then it probably is a question they ask to everyone.

 

Ya, I don't think I'd worry about it too much. That is a pretty specific question that had never been covered for me in corporate finance, so they just kind of helped me through it. If I were you I would just study generally the different kind of valuations that are used in transactions comps and comparable company analysis and why they are used. That should keep you covered for those sorts of questions, but I certainly don't think that's out of the ordinary and it seems unlikely that they would make note to ask you those specific types of questions again, but then again, what do I know?

 

thanks, that excelerade blog was useful. now i have some idea of what to expect at a CS interview. i just hope i don't get that many 'bonus' rounds ...

on a side note for the riddle 'how do you measure the height of a building w/ a barometer'

i haven't done any physics since AP Physics back in HS. I know the answer they're looking for is something like measure pressure at top and bottom of building, convert mmHg into psi into ft of air. but honestly, i don't know any of those conversion ratios and would be hard pressed to do it w/o a physics books.

Would it be acceptable for me to say that i'd drop the barometer off the top of the building and measure the time it took to fall. i know that a = -9.8 m/s^2 ---> v = -9.8t m/s ---> x = -4.9t^2 m and just plug in for t to solve for height x meters?

 
neomage:
Would it be acceptable for me to say that i'd drop the barometer off the top of the building and measure the time it took to fall. i know that a = -9.8 m/s^2 ---> v = -9.8t m/s ---> x = -4.9t^2 m and just plug in for t to solve for height x meters?

LOL...was searching for brainteasers on this site (senioritis). Anyways, I thought it necessary to follow up on your answer with this: http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=barometer. The story's probably fake, and Iza Conman probably is-a Con Man, but funny nonetheless.

 

I'm at a target school and I can personally confirm that CS also gives out group specific interviews if you are a particularly strong applicant and have a strong employee referral. However if you apply via regular OCR then yes, their interviews are for generalist SA.

 

Expect fit type questions and be ready to explain how S&T is what you want and why. Know why Fixed Income. Know what is going on in the markets, and be able to talk about them rather fluently. You may also be asked a quantitative question or two, this may be a brainteaser or a basic probability question (usually coin flips). Also know about CS and why CS in particular?

Jack: They’re all former investment bankers who were laid off from that economic crisis that Nancy Pelosi caused. They have zero real world skills, but God they work hard. -30 Rock
 

Most OCR first rounds are just about beginning as far as I know

Jack: They’re all former investment bankers who were laid off from that economic crisis that Nancy Pelosi caused. They have zero real world skills, but God they work hard. -30 Rock
 

Yes, CS is hiring. Their expected class is about 75% of last year's. However, the strong groups (energy, tech, m&a) are still hiring large classes. my regional office for example hired 5 kids from campus recruiting for ibd. May be different for S&T as that will obviously be hit harder than traditional advisory, but CS was one of the few banks to reach out and recruit at all their usual target schools.

 

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