Worst Interview Story/Easiest Questions missed by candidates that blew your mind - please share.

Dear WSO fam,

Absolute non-target here trying to break into Wall Street, and in the past two months have had a lot of negative thoughts to the point of whether I am going to make it once I break in, whether I should continue networking just to fuck up on easy questions during the interview and so on. I have been networking every day and been prepping the past 1-2 months and have slightly been unproductive but literally trying to go over every guide to understand and memorize everything I can. But I seem to be questioning myself what if I network just to fuck up on easy technicals and embarass my networks? I read the WSJ daily but don't see my "way of thinking" about businesses getting any slightly better...

Anyways, if you can share any interviews or come across target students or anyone blow mad easy technicals or just anything that made you think how the fuck did this kid get here, would love to hear some stories.

 

My best advice is to calm down a bit. As long as you're doing everything right, you'll be fine. Something that does come up more often than people realize though is that a lot of people don't know enough about the bank or division they are going to work for. So when you do get your interview, just make sure to do your research on where you're interviewing and the group you applied for. Best of luck on finding something.

 

I know someone who was interviewing for an investment advisor spot and told: "Oh, so it is a sales job? Like, you actually have to SELL something to people? Well, I am not interested then."

The guy was my referral and I now think 10 times before I refer someone.

“Destiny is a gift. Some go their entire lives, living existences of quiet desperation, never learning the truth that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon their shoulders is really a sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor, that to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero. Don’t think. Become.”
 

Yeah, the HR and the MD made the jokes the whole day after the interview was over

“Destiny is a gift. Some go their entire lives, living existences of quiet desperation, never learning the truth that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon their shoulders is really a sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor, that to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero. Don’t think. Become.”
 
Most Helpful

Interviewing somebody back in banking who literally couldn't answer - if revenue is $100 and grows at 10% per year, what is it after 2 years of growth? Usually this question is to test if people answer reflexively with $120 or the correct $121, and sometimes people answer $120 but then recognize what they did wrong and then are able to correct to $121, and that's ok.

Had a guy (pretty sure it was for a FT position too, not SA) who literally couldn't do this. He even asked if he could use pen and paper (I said yes) and still couldn't figure it out after we tried to guide him along by asking, what is revenue after a year of growth (he got the $110 correctly), but somehow then couldn't get to what revenue would be after year 2.

And this is why I hate referral candidates sometimes. The rest of the interview was a complete waste of time as well, which shouldn't be a surprise given the above. The shit referrals are almost always a client's kid or somebody else pushed through by a higher up.

 
Funniest

Had a friend at my school that absolutely could not land an IB gig- go to a target and he had good GPA, resume, etc so I was surprised. After like his 9th failed interview I said I'd ask him some practice questions, and the first one I asked was 'why IB'

This kid answer was "I'm really into picking stocks, I'm good at it, I want to do it for a career". he was interviewing at multiple different EB and BBs and gave that answer in every interview.

In a shocking turn of events, he is unemployed this summer. Learn what IB is before applying.

 

The kids who fumble on walking me thru their resume and why they want to work for my bank/team always seem to shock me. I get that most answers are bullshit cus trust me I'd rather work for Centerview or JPM too but like there is a minimum baseline that you can get from looking at our website once. Those, along with why IB, are literally the only actual questions I really ask because I just try to let the conversation run after that and screwing up in the first inning can ruin the whole game for me.

If you forget where you are currently going to school when I ask to walk through your resume, I feel like you might be more prone to missing stuff on the job.

Dayman?
 

I have seen the following - Spelled name of university wrong on resume (I went to same school, so I know) - Walked into the on campus interview room and a flip flop immediately fell out of backpack - Not wearing a suit, a belt and was sweating profusely

This was all the same candidate. I have never seen an interview like it! Lmao

"If a grasshopper tries to fight a lawnmower, one may admire his courage but not his judgement.." - Robert Heinlein
 

Don't over think it - just keep prepping, know the basics, stay up-to-date on current events/deals, and know something about the bank you're applying to. Non-target that broke into WS here. If you want to connect for advice or need any prep material feel free to PM me.

Best of luck!

Monkey see. Monkey Doo [Doo].
 

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