Nomura: Equities interview (graduate)

byAnonymous

1 January 2008

2 minute read

Question:

What have you done to prepare for this interview?

Candidate's answer:

I've read through your website and looked at the internet.

Question:

Have you had any other offers?

Candidate's answer:

No.

Question:

Can you describe a situation in which you worked as a member of a team to achieve a goal?

Candidate's answer:

During my coursework I helped solve some difficult calculations for my team mates.

Question:

When have you shown initiative by doing something original to solve a problem?

Candidate's answer:

I proposed to set up a charity to help reduce the birth rate in African villages.

Question:

What's your greatest achievement and why?

Candidate's answer:

Black belt karate. It required eight years of training and discipline and has influenced my outlook.

Question:

Do you have any questions?

Candidate's answer:

No.

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These questions were provided to us by a candidate claiming to have interviewed at the institution named above. We cannot guarantee that these were the actual questions asked.

AUTHORAnonymous

Insider Comment

Pr
Present and Correct
1 December 2008
Trader, trader, trader. What is a 'top 3' uni? I will assume you mean you went to LSE (and even then it's a questionable third for economics) . And what is 'talent'? Surely a large part of any definition (and the only real gauge if you are still a student) is academic talent (or 'booksmarts' as you like to scribble with your crayon).
And..... you put forward completely paradoxical points. Who 'lost' all this cash - was it the 'booksmart traders' at the expense of the 'talented traders'? As stated in my earlier post, if you (as the apparent alpha male/stereotypical clown) believe that HR are 'stupid' - surely it should be much easier to demonstrate that you have 'talent' etc etc etc.
Also, your primitive attempts at irony are, well, primitive.
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Tr
Trader
27 November 2008
Who's complaining about unis? I went to a top 3 uni. I am now a trader.
Doesn't change the fact that HR are a bunch of retards.
Also, you can get all the grades you want, they mean nothing if you want to be trader; this game is about talent, not booksmarts. HR, as noted, are too stupid to see this.
I could be wrong, I mean, it's not like a bunch of booksmart traders have lost a few billion worth of banks' trading funds recently.
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An
Anonymous
26 November 2008
These interview questions and answers are clearly a joke. The 'candidates' probably just wrote this for the sake of writing so they can be entered into a draw to win an iPod nano.
Reply
Pr
Present and Correct
26 November 2008
As with 'Anon, Hedge Funds' above, there is one thing I can never understand with the people who post comments on here. Virtually all of you bemoan the fact that I-banks demand candidates from the top Universities, require solid 'A' Level grades and pay well (can you identify the link?). At the same time many claim to know all about their chosen field (despite their lack of a decent degree, professional qualification or work experience), but still feel somewhat inconvenienced by 'HR meddlers' who hold the key to their careers.
Instead of complaining about the lack of opportunities and lack of regard you are so clearly expecting, why not just play the game? If HR Interviewers are as stupid as you each make out, then surely it should be even easier to persuade them that you're the right candidate for the job. Similarly, you should know exactly what they are expecting of you. Again I repeat, play the game.
Getting into a top University is a 100% meritocratic process - good grades = good university = good career prospects. The meritocratic reward system that (I assume) most people are hoping for in a career with an Investment Bank is similalry true if the recruitment process.
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An
Anonymous
25 November 2008
Agreed with Trader. HR have no clue of what is important. All they know how to do is go through a check list of questions with what they are told are good and bad responses.
The only HR I know who were in IBD or markets are usually the HR Heads and they are not usually the ones interviewing. However, most graduate level interviews are conducted exclusively by bankers from the beginning.
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