This article is a part of a series of articles on Interview Experiences. Check out our blog for more such resources.
Industry: Investment Banking
Company: Nomura
Position: Investment Banking Intern
Result: Selected
Investment Banking is a special segment of banking operation that helps individuals or organizations raise capital, and provides financial consultancy services to them. They act as intermediaries between security issuers and investors and help new firms to go public. Nomura is a leading global financial services group with an integrated network spanning over 30 countries.
This article is about the interview experience of a Delhi University alumnus, who was selected to intern at Nomura for 2 months in 2019 as a part of an on-campus placement program. Reflecting on the internship, he says that it consisted of a program that made for a very steep learning curve and great exposure. He added that his teammates and seniors there were very nice to work with and the experience was a great value addition to both his profile and skillset.
The article covers various topics related to the recruitment process adopted by the organization, details of the interview process, and expert tips on how to crack the interview.
All information and insights have been shared by the above-mentioned candidate.
Recruitment process
The recruitment process begins with CV submission. Those who are selected on the basis of their CVs are shortlisted for the next round which includes a group discussion followed by two rounds of interviews, all of which are eliminating.
Group Discussion
This round was not previously scheduled and the candidates were made aware of the group discussion only on the day of the interview.
Shortlisted candidates were split into small groups. The topic was related to economics as all the candidates in this particular group were from an economics background.
Topic given: What is good for our country's growth, higher or lower interest rates?
INTERVIEWS
There were two rounds of interviews, both of which were eliminative.
The First Round Of Interview
The candidates selected through the group discussion were invited to attend the 1st round of interviews. There were two interviewers who were investment banking analysts/associates. The interview lasted for about 10 minutes and consisted of both HR and technical questions.
HR questions were mostly based on the candidate's CV and profile, questions related to the candidate's previous internship experiences, work within the college, and why the candidate was interested in working with the company/in the field.
Technical questions included: What is DCF? How's it used? What are the key values associated with it? etc. (Note the candidate had prior experience in M&A)
The Second Round Of Interview
This round also had two panel members: an Executive Director and an HR Executive. The interview lasted for about 10 minutes and consisted of a blend of HR and technical questions. The HR questions were similar to the ones asked in the first round.
Technical questions were driven by the fact that the candidate had mentioned stock markets in his resume. For example: What stocks would the candidate choose to invest in currently? If the candidate was given one million dollars, where and how would they choose to invest it in the stock market?
What was the recruiter looking for?
Prior experience with finance. They were not particular about any certain domain within finance but some past involvement in the field is considered necessary.
A genuine interest in finance and investment banking.
Good logical and analytical skills.
Tips to crack such an interview
Prepare extensively
Be very clear about everything that you mention in your CV
Be aware of all the technical concepts that you've previously worked with or as a part of your educational background
Be up-to-date and in touch with current affairs.
Be present-minded as they test your ability to think on your feet.
We thank the candidate for sharing these insights with us that have given us a detailed perspective on both the overall recruitment process and how to crack it.
Stay tuned for more such interview experiences.
Subscribe to the website and follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn to be notified about new resources on interview preparation, internships, CV-building, study hacks, and more.
You can refer to these articles for interview preparation and professional CV writing:
Check out our blog for more such resources.
Comments