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JP Morgan Off-Cycle Markets Internship 2024 Advice

I was invited to the assessment centre for JP Morgan's Off-Cycle Markets Internship (London), but it was a bit weird because I had completed the HireVue video interviews way back in July/August.

Anyway, this assessment centre seems to be different to what I was expecting. In other firms, they often involved group exercises, but in this one the information I'm given is that it consists of two 30 minute interviews (over Zoom), one which focuses on motivations and competencies, and the other which is more of a technical ability.

If anyone else has already went through this process, I'd greatly appreciate it if I could be given any advice and information about any of this, but in particular about the technical ability interview - what type of things did they ask about etc
Reply 1
Hi can i ask how was it?
Reply 2
Original post by hiiamh
Hi can i ask how was it?

Yeah sure, it's been quite a while so I'll try and remember to the best of my ability.

Despite what they said, both of my 30 minute interviews contained some technical questions, though my first 30 minute interview was solely technical, whereas the second interview had one technical question and the rest were motivational and competency questions.

In the first interview, I was asked a question about how I could find a specific (target) number within a list of numbers algorithmically. I can't remember the specifics of the question, but essentially what he was looking for was me to say (or describe) a binary search algorithm. You don't need to know computer science for that, essentially if you just said something along the lines of:
1. Sort the list
2. Compare the target number to the number in the middle of the list
3. Eliminate the half of the list that the target cannot possibly be in
4. Repeat until target is reached.
The follow up question was then "What is the complexity of this algorithm" and can you suggest a less complex algorithm to solve this task

He asked another question about the angle between the minutes hand and hour hand if the clock reads a specific time. This is quite a standard technical interview question, I've been asked it before, so I'd recommend reading up about it - there's a standard formula that makes solving this very quickly.


After a break, I had a second 30 minute interview was which again had technical parts, but not mathematical per se if that makes sense - it was more for them to see your capacity to think like a financial services professional. I really can't remember the specific of this question, but it was something to do with what decisions you should take if you are working in a bank in one country but you have loaned out some money to a client in another country and there is a move in currency exchange (they want you to explain your reasoning in the case of both currency movements).
There was also a question on two different financial products - one which had a high degree of correlation between the components, and another where the components had little correlation, they then asked if i would pursue a high risk or low risk strategy for each, and why. Don't worry too much about this, they explain everything, it's not like you have to be knowledgeable about finance for this and in fact I'm not too clued up (though those that are obviously benefit as they can understand the questions quicker). They are more than happy to explain things multiple times if necessary.

As for the motivational/competency, I don't remember the specific questions but they were very standard: Why do you want to work here in this role? Why London? Talk me through a time you solved a quantitative problem etc.

I never actually got a response from them, though its pretty obvious I was unsuccessful. I took up an offer with another firm anyway.

If you're about to go through this process, good luck, and don't worry if you find it hard, I think it's supposed to be hard!
(edited 8 months ago)
please, can I ask if you don’t mind that what was questions asked for the video interview. I’m a bit stalked.
Reply 4
Original post by zlayforchrist
please, can I ask if you don’t mind that what was questions asked for the video interview. I’m a bit stalked.


Sorry mate, mine was way back in December, so I don’t really remember anything more than what I said in my reply to the previous person
Reply 5
thank you, I applied a month ago and completed virtual interview but never heard back haha
Reply 6
Original post by hiiamh
thank you, I applied a month ago and completed virtual interview but never heard back haha

Aw haha yeah like I said, I applied and did my virtual interview way back in July 2023, and didn’t hear back until December 2023, so there is a chance you’ll hear back much later when you least expect it.

Of course, continue applying to other places in the mean time.

Best of luck!
Reply 7
Original post by hiiamh
thank you, I applied a month ago and completed virtual interview but never heard back haha

What questions were you asked in your virtual interview?

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