BlackRock Virtual Cover Letter Hireview

Has anyone applied to BlackRock to be a full-time analyst and received a request to submit a virtual cover letter? I'm not sure what to expect so if anyone has completed it and could tell me what questions were on it that would be great! I'm not sure whether to expect to submit one long story about my background or have to answer specific questions.


BlackRock Virtual Cover Letter Hireview


BlackRock Video Interview Questions

They ask the same basic, behavioral questions for each video interview. Only two questions are asked, with 30 seconds to prepare and 1 minute 30 sec to answer the question. Questions vary depending on the department, but examples include:

  • Why did you choose your major and how do you believe it will help you in your professional career?
  • Why would you be good for the role?
  • Why do you think you're a good fit for BlackRock and why did you decide to apply to your division of preference?
  • What has been your favorite course at school and why?
  • How would you value the risk of 100 Apple shares?
  • What differentiates BlackRock?

More answers to frequent questions can be found here.


How to Prepare for Blackrock Video Interview

Prepare answers to the sample questions above in advance, and practice in front of a webcam. It takes getting used to the online format, so you want to be prepared! Also make sure to keep your practiced answers under the 1:30 time limit. Review your resume for things you want to highlight, and make sure you’re ready for curveball questions not on the list above.

Make sure you’re dressed in a suit or business professional (at least from the waist up). Ensure you’re in a well-lit and quiet area, with minimal background distractions.


Blackrock Hireview General FAQs

These are webcam interviews, so make sure your camera and microphone works. Usually everyone has to do one. Most receive an email a few minutes after submitting their applications, and they ask for different virtual cover letters for each of your choices in BlackRock. Typically they give a deadline of 3 days, but many users have done it after the deadline without any issues.

A follow-up email, if you haven’t completed the assessment, usually consists of this:

"This is a friendly reminder that you have been selected to move forward in the recruitment process with BlackRock. The next step of the process will consist of a short, automated video interview to allow us to get to know you a little better and provide you with an opportunity to highlight your talent and abilities.”

 

I replied to mine 6 days late and the application went through without problems. I know many people who also submitted it the cover letter late and have had no problems. Thats being said, do it as soon as you can.

 

You're all overthinking it, they're basic questions like why did you pick your major, why would you be good for the role, etc. I applied to two positions, both asked the same exact questions. Not sure if they mix up the questions they send to candidates, but they're behavioral. You have 30 seconds to do a practice and then a minute thirty to answer. I applied FT and already did virtual interview, it says in the email that they make all candidates do it. Also, BlackRock is doing virtual first-round interviews. Hope that helps

 

Did any of you apply to Investments? I applied on 8/3 for full-time through an employee referral but my confirmation email said nothing about a virtual cover letter and I haven't heard anything since then.

 

If I recall correctly they give you approx. 2 minutes to answer each question with 1:30 min to read and prepare (also comes with a video asking the same question beforehand and practice rounds). Questions I got: 1. Why do you think you're a good fit for BlackRock and why did you decide to apply to your division of preference (something along those lines)? 2. Why did you choose your major and how do you believe it will help you in your professional career? Pretty straightforward.

Btw, anyone know when we'll hear back?

 

I did the virtual cover letter too. The questions are about: 1) Why this field of profession? 2) Why BlackRock? 3) Why the major you studied? 4) How you bring your skills to the firm? Or the combination of two of them.

Tips: I heard from the recruiter at a campus event that you don't need to repeat the question, because it's a waste of time. I did repeat the question though... before I heard this. Yes, I'm dumb dumb :)

 

Ok so I completed my virtual cover letter this Thursday night, and got this Friday night:

"This is a friendly reminder that you have been selected to move forward in the recruitment process with BlackRock. The next step of the process will consist of a short, automated video interview to allow us to get to know you a little better and provide you with an opportunity to highlight your talent and abilities."

Do they send this to everyone who applied?

 
yiyooo:

Ok so I completed my virtual cover letter this Thursday night, and got this Friday night:

"This is a friendly reminder that you have been selected to move forward in the recruitment process with BlackRock.
The next step of the process will consist of a short, automated video interview to allow us to get to know you a little better and provide you with an opportunity to highlight your talent and abilities."

Do they send this to everyone who applied?

I thought the Virtual Cover Letter = short, automated video interview?

 

I have never shit the bed harder in life than I did on that virtual cover letter.

All they ask you is why Blackstone, why the position you applied for, why you would be a good fit etc. I'm just a rookie moron and figured I would wing a few behavioral questions with no preliminary research. Don't be like me.

 

I did it two days ago. I was taken back because I wasn't expecting to be recorded through video on my answers, but essentially that's what it is. Standard behavioral questions. For example, I applied for the multi-asset trading desk as an SA, and they asked: "Why did you choose your major"? And "How will that impact your career"? They give you about 1min 30 seconds to record your answers. They also give you about a 1 min to prepare before it starts recording. For my role, there were only two questions asked, both of which was recorded. If you apply to multi positions you'll have to record a virtual cover letter for both positions.

Side Note: dress in a suit as they expect you to look professional....or at least from the waste up

 

How does the timer work? Do you have to fill up the entire 1min 30s time? Or is there a button to stop recording if you have fully answered the question before the timer is up?

 

Do you have to use up the full minutes of time? Or can you stop the recording early if you have fully answered the question?

 

I applied to two divisions. Long story short I slipped up and didn't submit a video for either. Even though I didn't send in a video, financial modelling reached out with a follow-up assessment. No more developments as of yet, surprised the lack of videos slipped through the cracks. Regardless, a takeaway is that the two divisions aren't going to compare your applications, they seem pretty separate.

 

Camba Also, you have a lot of time after they give you the question to prepare, but since you know the questions you shouldn't need it. You have 1 minute 30 to answer, which is very short. I would just do plenty of research on BlackRock and the position. Practice in front of the camera (I just used photobooth). Hirevue tracks your eye movement, word selection, and timbre of your voice. You can have notes on your screen and its better to go with an outline than read, or memorize. I passed it and had a first round interview.

Hope this helps!

 

I just did the video Cover Letter and the first question I got was : Why did you choose to apply to BlackRock and this specific business? which, I've seen up here before, but my second was asking: How does BlackRock differentiate itself?

Just thought I would share. It was a little awkward for me because I basically already answered the second question in the first question.

 

Hi there, completed the virtual cover letter today and the questions are as before:

1) Why did you choose to apply to BlackRock and this specific business?

2) What differentiates BlackRock?

 

Yeah I did the cover letter and it was pretty straight forward. Why did you choose to apply to BlackRock and this specific business. What differentiates BlackRock.

I just did mine a few days ago, anybody that has done it, when do you typically hear back. I was talking to my boss from when I interned there for my second co-op, and she said she wasn't sure but probably like 2 weeks.

 

i have done it since september, all i received (on 27 octobeR) was an invite to complete contextual survey. im an int'l graduate student so dont know what it meant (if my application was successful or not)

 

I submitted the virtual interview on 10/4 and finally yesterday I got an email saying "Thank you for submitting your application to the position at BlackRock. We are currently reviewing your application and we will be in contact with you shortly. "

Is this a glitch?

 

Did any international student receive the "rare contextual survey"? I received an invitation to that, but the email also included "... survey only open to applicants who completed their secondary school education in the UK". I did not study in the UK, so I suppose I should ignore this survey? Yet I was invited.

Not sure what to do. Hopefully my decision won't affect my chances of any further progress.

 

I recently applied for the Portfolio Analyst Program at New York. I got an email to complete the hirevue assessment within 3 days. As I am unable to complete within the given time frame, I emailed the university relations team and then I got an automated email mentioning that they don't give an extension. Can the hirevue assessment be completed after 3 days?

 

snk.nazir, hey, look at the bright side, at least you didn't get a ton of monkey shit thrown at you...here is my best guess on threads that might be helpful:

If we're lucky, the following users may have something to say: nelobynature Joe_Bananas totan.ftu2

Hope that helps.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Just finished the hirevue today. There are two questions totally. For each question, candidate is allowed to take 5 mins to preprare and 1min30s to answer the question. My questions were 1) Why did you apply to BlackRock and the specific business? 2) What made BlackRock differentiate from other firms?

 

I applied ft 2019 FT analyst position and the questions were: Why BlackRock and the specific business? What differentiates Blackrock from other firms? Also, lol, I applied to two positions, and the questions were the EXACT same. (You still do it twice seperately) So it was awkward explaining why for one position, and then completely changing my answer to fit the 2nd specific business.

 

I had two HireVues very recently. My two questions were "Why BlackRock, why [x division]" and "How does BlackRock differentiate itself from its competitors"

 

I applied for the Equities and ETF & Index Investing. I did not prepare enough. I get stressed out when I prepare too much so I tried to speak naturally. Good choice? Depends, I could have had a much better answer for sure but I wanted to speak naturally instead.

Well, anyways GL to you all and see you around.

Questions for both VCLs: 1. Why did you choose to apply to Blackrock and to this specific industry and 2. How does Blackrock differentiate itself.

 

I just applied to the full-time analyst program but I did not receive a virtual cover letter, and my application portal does not provide me a link - do you get an automatic email immediately?

 

ya got the links it just showed up on my portal eventually

 

does anyone keep getting the “oh you didn’t complete your video assessment we’ve decided to give you 48 hours to re-submit” lmaoooo

Spotify provides a range of investment banking, investment management, and securities services for our clients. Dance like nobody's paying. Premium is free for the first 30 days.
 

Hey all, I recently gave VCL for Portfolio Analyst 2021 position at Tokyo. 

Questions were pretty straightforward:

1. Why blackrock and this specific position? 

2. Tell me about any recent news and how it relates to blackrock? 

I gave interview 3 days before and still didn't got any reply, any idea when will they reply generally? 

TIA

 

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