Strengths

Question 1

What is your greatest strength?

Answer 1

• I believe that my interpersonal skills are my greatest strength.
• This has been my biggest asset throughout my life and has been enhanced by my experience playing high-level hockey.
• The latest example was managing my LSE homework group… two students not cooperating
• I believe that this is the fundamental differentiating skill in investment banking with technical and analytical skills being a given – both in interacting with colleagues within teams and managing client relations.

Question 2

What is your biggest weaknesses?

Answer 2

• My biggest weakness is that I sometimes try to do or incorporate too many things into my schedule at once.
• I love being busy but when sometimes when things go badly my downfall can be not paying enough attention to a particular thing or having to sacrifice things last minute.
• For instance, playing hockey, student consulting plus MSc Finance.

Question 3

Give me an example when you displayed the ability to work in a team.

Answer 3

• In a ‘professional’ context, I am currently working on a project with Castore Consulting. We have been asked by the client to assess potential growth avenues using a data-driven financial modelling approach. In a small team of four, we have begun with gathering information from the client and doing independent research on different elements of the wider market. Subsequently we have been developing a financial model which incorporates a range of different elements including different pricing strategies, future revenue markets projections and wider market patterns.
• In an informal setting, I was an integral part of the Durham University Hockey Club 2nd XI in our run to the BUCS finals day. One of my highlights was playing away against Edinburgh 1st XI and we fought out a 6-4 win, working to our established processes.

Question 4

Give me an example when you had to perform under pressure.

Answer 4

• S: undergraduate dissertation faced a range of supervisor issues and econometric problems
• T: had to change the course and title of my dissertation with only 6 weeks to go, alongside my other academic work. This was an unusual scenario for me to find myself in compared to school and the earlier years of my undergraduate degree.
• A: took initiative to contact a Geography professor who had relevant expertise for the econometric element of my dissertation. Had to dedicate everything in the second half of term to getting my dissertation handed in.
• R: managed to bring my idea to life and successfully submit my dissertation and achieve a strong mark

Question 5

Give me an example of when you had to lead a team

Answer 5

• As part of the leadership team of the DU 2nd XI in the 2020-21 season, I was heavily involved in the on and off-pitch running of the team. This was particularly challenging because of the number of unexperienced first years that came into the team and in the wake of the success from the previous year. The season was very interrupted, but we still managed to overcome strong teams on paper.

Question 6

Which famous person would you want to have dinner with?

Answer 6

• Gordon Ramsay: one of the most successful modern chefs with an incredible personal brand, succeeding both in the fine dining industry as well as diversifying expertly into TV shows, cook books etc.

Question 7

Talk about a time when you made a difficult ethical decision.

Answer 7

• S: homework groups of four people at LSE – two people were really not contributing accordingly
• T: had to solve this problem and ensure a fair distribution of the workload. Was a tricky situation because the other two members were not responding to our pleas. However, did not want to snitch on them.
• A: ultimately emailed the programme administrator to inform her of the situation and we told the other two members of our group that we did so
• R: they received a ‘final warning’ with regards to their participation grade, and ever since they have contributed much more strongly.