Why Morgan Stanley Interview Question

I have a summer associate internship interview at Morgan Stanley. I am struggling with Why Morgan Stanley question. Excellent quality deal flow with premier clients in the industry is a great start and I know this is what MS bankers always talk about but how can I convince that will help me and not just feed my ego.

How to Answer the Question Why MS?

In any interview or informational phone call - you will likely be asked an equivalent of this question - so it is critical that you have a thought out and practiced answer. To help your answer stand out, you should do extensive research on the firm's website to determine what they consider to be their core values and competitive advantages. In addition to this background research - you should try and speak with members of the firm in the division you're interested in so that you can get a better understanding of the culture of the firm. All of these things should be considered into your answer.

Sample Why Morgan Stanley Answer

I first became interested in Morgan Stanley when attending an informational session at XYZ school. There I spoke with several alumni from the MS Investment Banking Division. After connecting with members of the firm at that event, I was connected to speak to more alumni from the firm who spoke extensively about the lean deal teams and academic culture of the firm. Recently, I had the chance to come visit a banking floor and speak with bankers throughout the day. After that experience, I knew that I wanted to work at MS due to the great analyst experience driven by the small deal teams and strong culture of the firm.

Check out how MS describes their internship below. This can help you figure out what the company values so that you can work those factors into your answer.

Want to learn more about Morgan Stanley - check out the MS entry on the WSO Company Database.

Need more help on behavioral interview questions? Check out our FREE finance interview guide.

Read More About Morgan Stanley on WSO

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"It's all about the people. Specifically, I've met [xx, yy, zz] at Morgan Stanley and have been more impressed with them and connected on a personal level more so than with those at other banks. To me it's all about the culture, and that is where MS excels."

Just make sure you actually know a few people who work there and this tends to work well... expand upon it with what they have actually told you.

 

respect J. Mack for having the audacity to hire an accused rapist who, while rightfully acquitted, still made documented use of the n-word.

if that didn't raise a flag in ding-happy IB recruitment land, then your comment shouldn't either.

 

god, i hate those kind of questions. if i ever interview anyone for a position at a BB i would never ask such a meaningless question.

good luck to you.

------ "its the running joke now, we now have fair trade with china so they send us poisoned sea food and we send them fraudulent securities."
 

This question is completely personal - regurgitating someone's response will not help.

Why are you interested in Morgan Stanley? Do you have personal experiences with the bank or any relationships to bankers there? Do you admire the deal flow MS receives? Is there a particular group you are really interested in and that's why you applied?

This is a way for you to steer your interview and make it more conversational and personal.

 

^This.

Among all the criteria listed above though, definitely include anyone you know at the firm. This will allow you to talk about them in a positive light and how it is reflective of the firm in its entirety.

 

has to be personal. Obviously touch on the name brand and its positioning relative to other banks, but have one solid reason why MS, and make it unique and personal. Like people have mentioned above me, maybe a specific deal interested you and MS was the advisor on it. Give the interviewer something to remember you by.

"My name's Ralph Cox, and I'm from where ever's not gonna get me hit"
 

All banks at the end of the day are the same. So all you can really do is emphasize how "different" their culture is, and how well it suits your personality. And so yea, the easiest and most believable way to do it is by referring to actual people you know within the firm. This is why it's important to get some names and build some rapport with people during campus events.

 

Because you want to work somewhere well-positioned for success and growth (so you can work on interesting deals and maybe get promoted, etc) and the reasons you think they're well positioned are xy and z.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points
 

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