What's the
difference between Superday investment banking interviews and normal final
round interviews?
Both are final
round interviews, but that's where the similarities end.
Some banks will
do the simple second round interview which involves a panel of 2-3 bankers
grilling you with all the common investment banking interview questions. i.e.
an MD, associate and analyst squaring up against you non-stop for 45 minutes to
an hour in a small dimly lit room! It's an hour of hell, but then it's over.
By contrast other
banks like to do a series of 1-1 and 2-1 interviews in one day...hello,
investment banking Superday.
The questions are
the same, but the interview format is different and the day longer...much
longer! Plus there can be all sorts of add ons like group lunches, aptitude
tests and slight electric shock therapy. Oh and superday dinner!
It's hard for me
to advise you on which type of final round interview you will get, because it
differs from bank to bank, and from country to country.
But generally
speaking, Superdays are the norm and simple second round IB interviews the
exception. For those of you outside the major IB regions, we've been seeing a
shift towards Superdays there too (e.g. SE Asia)
as more and more banks adopt the American approach to IB recruiting.
What are banks
trying to work out about you during final rounds?
Whilst first
round interviews help them decide whether you are 'normal' and in possession of
half a brain, final round interviews are more about figuring out whether you
can match wits with an MD and whether you will get along with the team.
ie during final
rounds the bank is not simply trying to flush out the Ben Stillers (basic
smarts), instead it's trying to identify the Neos...the Chosen Ones (MD-level
smarts and team fit). Because final rounds are the last line of defense between
your inexperienced ass and a fat paying job, expect the rearguard to put up a
helluva bigger fight here than they did during first rounds.
Said differently,
final rounds are going to be tough! They'll make first round banking interviews
look like easy street.
At the end of the
day though, you might only experience subtle differences in the types of
questions bankers ask during final rounds as compared to first rounds - but
don't forget the standards and follow-up questions will always contrast
starkly.
Richard is the
head writer for Inside Investment Banking - a one-stop shop of advice for
students just like you who want to know how to get into investment banking
without a 4.0 GPA from Harvard or nepotistic connections on Wall Street.
Created by a team
of 5 young bankers, Inside Investment Banking contains all the real insider
advice you need to write killer banking resumes, answer tough interview
questions, network with bankers and much more.
You can read more Free Tutorials on Investment Banking Recruiting just like the one above by visiting https://insideinvestmentbanking.com now.
Article source: ezinearticles.com