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How to prepare for market-related interview questions



Interviewers at (insert your favourite investment bank or asset manager):" You said you are passionate about capital markets. What's your view on the current S&P 500 valuation and how would you allocate a $1 million portfolio across different asset classes?"


90% of finance job seekers be like: "...hmm...I think...hmm..."

This interview question will quickly reveal three things:


  1. Do you have a genuine interest in the markets?

  2. Do you follow the market news regularly?

  3. Do you have an opinion backed by data and facts?


Not sure where to start? Below is what I did when I was seeking an analyst role in capital markets.


  1. Read market news daily: CNBC, Bloomberg, Financial Post, Wall Street Breakfast by Seeking Alpha are my favourites

  2. Read great investors' writing: Ben Graham, Warren Buffett, Howard Marks, Stan Druckenmiller, Ray Dalio etc.)

  3. Start investing, ideally with real money. Why? You want some skin in the game. (Got $100? You can get started today with WealthSimple and trade stocks commission-free)

  4. Form your opinion backed by relevant data points and facts. Better yet, show interviewers the holdings in your trading account and their performance

  5. Bonus point: Want to nail the interview and stand out from the 1,000+ candidates? Start reading Nassim Taleb's Incerto (10x more useful than my CFA education and 100x more useful than my CPA education - this is coming from the mouth of a CFA & CPA)


-Shawn

 

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