***Official Investment Banking Spring Week 2015 Thread***

I received a lot of personal messages which concern the same topic and as I think it may help the others I'd like to post my reply here.

My profile: Second year (of 4 year BA) student at University of Zurich; currently doing an off-cycle IBD internship at a boutique with an excellent deal-flow in a specific sector; did a summer internship at a commodity trading firm, also a volunteering internship in a not that well known country. Besides studies, I also was in the board of a finance society, co-founded a commodity club. I also play a certain sport at a pretty competitive level. I speak 4 languages. My grades have been medicore, nothing special.

Interview with CS:

My first one was with a director of Sales&Trading, questions included:
-why do you want this spring week AT CS and not at GS?
-when did you have the most time pressure and and got the best output?
-how would you convince someone to invest their money with you?
-pitch me some U.S. equities which benefit from the falling oil price!
The last 10 mins (of 40) was just casual talk, about his role at CS, about the culture and so on...
Make sure that you have an excellent closing line, such as: "You just mentioned the entrepreneurial culture at CS, as I told you in my previous examples, I really love that entrepreneurial atmosphere and therefore I genuinely think that I match with CS' culture..."

Second interview was with an associate, he called pretty late and therefore the whole conversation was done in a hurry...as he didn't have that much with experience he just read the questions from his paper (as far as I assume) to check my skills. Nothing technical at all, just make sure that you read the financial press and know a story (for example a M&A deal, know about the industry, and so on...).

Interview with MS:

Mine was with an analyst, she was talking 50% in my native language and 50% English, was probably the best interview I've ever had because it felt like a conversation...She just asked me some questions like:
-would you prefer IBD or S&T?
-if IBD, what would be your favorite team?
-are you interested in IBD for the long term?
-if you could change one mistake you did in the past, which one would it be and what would you change?
In the end she was telling me to ask her questions, so be sure that you really listen to her introduction and ask specific questions about her path, division, industry team and so on.

Regarding general career advice for high school students, I only can say that you should be genuinely interested in IB and learn as much as you can. Maybe in the pre-crisis times the majority of the bankers were in because of the money to be earned. Nowadays, after the cuts in jobs, a lot of those extrinsic motivated people were let go. What I can say based on a decent amount of informal talks with junior and senior bankers, I can say that the most people are in banking for the long-shot, because they are passionate and because they just like to be competitive.

Lazard interviews out. 20 minute phone interview.

HSBC int, seems they weren't finished inviting

May I know when you applied and completed their tests?

Applied very late oct, did tests 14th dec

weird, as i applied later and also did the tests later and got the interview last week. Maybe they are still giving out filling interviews i dont know

There were a hell of a lot of interview slots to choose from aswell, maybe just opened up a new batch idk

the last one being the ..?

the last one being the ..?

hsbc running ints past 18th lol, but each day open only has 3 time slots, so it is near the end of their ints im guessing

The 19th had many when I booked about half an hour ago?

Btw has anyone had their HSBC interview yet? And do you guys know who conducts the interviews - HR?

19th online, but in email it said they are conducting them between 16th to 20th. It says first interview, but is the final round? 20 mins?