Question Bank: Corporate Finance

Are you looking for your purple squirrel in Corporate Finance? Not to worry, we here are ConveyIQ by Entelo are here to help with some questions that can help you locate your purple squirrel!

Below, you will find questions divided into sub-categories for Corporate Finance.

Analytical Reasoning

1. Describe a time when your analytical skills were put to the test. What was the challenge, how did you react, what was the outcome?
2. Describe the stock in the market most like you.
3. Describe your problem-solving process.
4. Project manager has 3 possible projects and wants to choose the one with the greatest profit margin. How do you help him do this?
5. Project manager requests that discount rate on valuation of new project be halved because project is so important...what do you tell him?
6. Tell us about a difficult problem you solved for a client.
7. What are some differences between investment banking firms that you have noticed, which are important to you?
8. What concerns you most about investment banking?
9. What stocks do you follow and why? Describe a company you would invest in.
10. Why corporate finance as opposed to sales and trading?
11. Why should we hire you?

Education & Training

1. How smart are you? How do we know how smart you are?
2. How well did you get along with past bosses/managers? Who was your best boss? Your worst?
3. Tell me about what you did in ____(insert college course)
4. What distinguishes you from other candidates we might hire?
5. What is your least favorite subject, and how do you overcome your indifference toward it to teach it well?
6. What quantitative courses did you take? Which did you enjoy and why?
7. What’s the lowest grade you ever received?
8. What was your GMAT score? Cumulative GPA?
9. What would the other members of your business school team have to say about you?
10. Why did you choose this major or field?

General Experience

1. Describe a tough financial analysis problem you faced recently.
2. Discuss a difficult ethical question that you recently faced.
3. Give me an example of a win-win situation you negotiated.
4. Sell us on your quantitative skills.
5. Tell me about a mistake you or your group made and what you learned from it?
6. Tell me about a recent high stress situation you were in. How did you manage it?
7. What deal have you followed in the news and where is it today?
8. What experiences in your background do you think have prepared you for a career in investment banking?
9. What project provided you with the greatest challenge? What appealed to you about it? How did it enhance your previous knowledge or understanding?

Leadership Skills

1. Do you consider yourself successful?
2. Do you enjoy working as part of a team?
3. Tell me about a time you took responsibility for a project.
4. What are the most difficult decisions for you to make?
5. What are your career goals?
6. What is a suggestion you’ve made at work that was implemented?
7. What is the most difficult thing about working with you?
8. What is your greatest strength as an employee?
9. What role do you tend to play in a team?
10. What was your biggest challenge with your previous boss?
11. What would your previous co-workers say about you?

Long-term Objectives

1. Describe your ideal career?
2. Don't you think that you are overqualified for this job?
3. What are steps to succeed your goals?
4. What competition do you see if you take up this job?
5. What do you do other than work, do you have any hobbies or interests? Why would you be willing to give them up for such a demanding job?
6. Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10 years
7. Why did you select to join us?
8. Why do you want to work here?

Most Popular Questions

1. Describe yourself in one word. Prove it to me on or off your resume.
2. How does the government raise or lower interest rates?
3. What did the DOW, S&P, and NASDAQ close at yesterday?
4. What do you think investment bankers do each day?
5. What is a DCF?
6. Where did our stock close yesterday?
7. Why are interest rates so important to Wall Street?
8. Why investment banking? Why this bank?
9. You will often be expected to "get up to speed" very quickly. How do you analyze information and arrive at a decision? Give me an example.

Problem Solving

1. Give an example of a difficult decision you had to make at your last job. How did you solve it? Follow-up: Why did you choose that method instead of another solution?
2. Give me an example of a time when you could not complete a project or meet a deadline because you did not have enough information. What did you do?
3. How do you typically handle yourself under pressure or stress? Describe a difficult situation you encountered with a supervisor or co-worker and how you handled it.
4. How would you value a company that had no earnings?
5. Most of us can think of an important decision we would make quite differently if we could do it over. Any examples from your experience?
6. What are some examples of important types of decisions or recommendations you are called upon to make in your past/present position?
7. What has been a stubborn or recurring problem you would have liked to solve in your current job, but haven't yet?
8. What methods do you use to make decisions? Please give an example of your approach.
9. What role do you play in group situations?

Technical

1. Can you define IPO?
2. Company`s assets, liabilities, and owner’s equity are presented in one document. Do you know what is the name of this document?
3. Do you know what the term Take Over means? Why do you think are take overs so popular nowadays?
4. Do you know what was the nominal income of US economy in 2010? And how does it differ from a real income?
5. Walk me through the major lines of cash flow.
6. What do you think is a financial product with the best perspective for 2015?
7. What is a discounted cash flow?
8. What’s the link between the balance sheet and the income statement?