Rules of the Road at a Glance

Self-Awareness Questions
Do you know where you’re going and where you’ve been?
Remember:
• Predict, prepare, and practice.
• Be honest, but emphasize the positive.
• Keep your audience in mind.
Capacity Questions
Do you have the necessary horsepower?
Remember:
• Be prepared for confrontation.
• Imply—but don’t state directly—that your previous achievements prove that
you’re highly capable of doing the work.
• Remember that capacity refers to more than just intellectual horsepower.
Interpersonal Aptitude Questions
Are you prone to road rage?
Remember:
• Where possible, highlight the team-based components of the pursuits listed
on your resume.
• No bragging, blabbering, or bluffing.
• Get comfortable, but not too comfortable.
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At a Glance
Commitment Questions
Are you in it for the long haul?
Remember:
• Know exactly why you want to be an investment banker.
• Examine your resume and transcript for anything your interviewer might
perceive as a gap or inconsistency.
• Remember that investment banks love to be loved, just like the rest of us.
Technical Questions
Do you know what’s under the hood?
Remember:
• Keep your answers short, sweet, and simple.
• Think concepts, not formulas.
• If you don’t know, then just say that you don’t know.
Unasked Questions
. . . and throughout, your interviewers will be asking themselves:
• Can we put you in front of a CEO?
• Will you be fun to work with at 3 in the morning?