Analytical / Attention To Detail Qs Flashcards
Discuss your quantitative skills
- Python project
- DCF model
- research project at PwC
- top 10/ 400 in maths for econ course
- personal portfolio
In your last internship, you worked with p&g M&A division to research and present acquisition opportunities.
Can you walk me through your thought process as to how you approached this?
- Began by understanding objectives of M&A division
- Carried out the market research
- Target identification, compiled a list
- For shortlisted comps, created detailed profiles
- Used a mix of DCF, comparable comps and PT to value
- Carried out synergy assessment
- Considered market risks
- Organised findings into a clear and concise presentation
- Associates liked the proposition, ranked 1st out of 10 propositions.
what initiative have you taken on your own to learn more about finance?
- actively joined finance societies - pushing for deep involvement through committee positions
- consistently read financial news - avid trader
- attend networking panels
- organise coffee chats with alumni within the industry
how do you know you can handle the quantitative rigor required in investment banking?
- strong mathematical background - aforementioned
- strong experience applying these skills in live deals, under pressure
- keen attention to detail and sharp eye, driven to optimise/ streamline current methods
Can you tell me about a time when you submitted a report or project with misspellings or grammatical mistakes?
During time as Shell Commodities Intern:
- in charge of creating a presentation, which was going to be presented to senior stakeholders, e.g. VP of exploration - marc geritts, highlighting the financial viability of Shell’s net zero by 2030 scheme.
- submitted to team lead, but she sent it back as it had some formatting errors and a few missed out details.
Extrapolated and understood the implications of making even minor errors when representing the company, vowed to never make the same mistake, and since have built an extremely careful attention to detail - not making the same mistake in my more recent, larger scale projects as an intern.
What’s the most number of classes you ever took at once and how well did you do in each of them?
A Levels, but decided to switch to further in y12 summer, learnt further 1 year content in 2 weeks to write an exam. Got full marks, as well as getting AAA*A at a levels, with an A in AS PE and an A in my EPQ.
- also was playing semi pro basketball, and had commitments as VP of school Economics society.
Have you ever worked on a project or report that was shown to a large number of people
Research project as VP of LGS Econ Society:
- led a team of 10 on a project to research the American economy at the time, interest rates, unemployment rates, key macroeconomic factors essentially
- delved deep into macroeconomic ideas about international trade, forex markets, etc
Eventually presented to 100 Economics/ Business students, relayed information coherently, survey completed after was that 95% had completely understood the topics and enjoyed learning about it.
