Barclays Capital, debt capital markets/IBD, (graduate)

Question:

Tell me about a time when you had to sell something.

Answer:

told them about a time I had to raise sponsorship for an event I was organising (Incidentally I obtained Barclays sponsorship for that event, so this queston was a godsend for me. Yes, one can be lucky sometimes.) I was essentially selling sponsorship packages. What they liked was how I explained the creativity and adaptability involved in tailoring packages to the needs of the target organisation, which I treated as 'clients'. Thus acquiring information about the clients and thinking about their needs first was key. I told them about my honest and open style, to create a trustworthy impression. They also wanted to know how I approached firms (through what medium), and if I thought it is important to always be honest and open in every situation.

Question:

Tell me about a time when you had to take a big risk.

Answer:

This was a tough question as I could not recall ever taking a big risk besides in ways irrelevant to the role. I said that my career choice in finance was in a way a risk given the financial crisis but that it is ok to take a risk when you are aware of the consequences and why you are doing it. I don't think they found this very impressive.

Question:

Why do you want to become a 'greedy' banker?

Answer:

This was obviously a question (with particular reference to the recent financial crisis and the response of the media to it) intended to catch me off guard. I laughed to acknowledge this but then responded seriously to the ethical questions it raised. I expressed my belief in the pivotal role the bank plays in society and the economy especially regarding credit. The key function of the bank is to gain information to be able to distinguish good from bad borrowers/lenders. Thus I said I didn't want to become a greedy banker but a banker who finds creative solutions within an overall responsible framework the relation to which one should constantly re-assess. I then talked a little bit about regulation, and this ended up in a good discussion with the interviewer.

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.