400 Frequently Asked Questions In Quantitative Finance
Be punctual This shouldn’t need saying. If you can’t be
on time for your interview how can they expect you to
put in 12-hour days? If you are going to be late (and
assuming it was unavoidable) telephone ahead with an
accurate ETA. The best strategy is to schedule having
a coffee before the interview, a little caffeine and sugar
may well help, and this is a useful time buffer. Probably
the worst bit about being late is not what it does to
the interviewer, but what it does to you. The idea is to
present yourself as cool, smart and in control. If you’ve
been stressed out dealing with transport you knock a
few points off your performance.
Set traps Although some questions are set in advance,
most interviewers like to drill down based upon your
answers. Thus you should try to mention areas where
you feel confident in answering hard questions. This
is best done subtly, by phrases like ‘‘this is quite like
X, but the answer is Y,’’ where X is a bastion of your
competence; or by saying thoughtfully ‘‘this isn’t like
X at all,’’ if you feel you are being drawn into an area
where you will sink.
Show you can do things We mention this in the CV section,
and here’s a chance to ‘‘casually’’ drop in things you’ve
done that show you can dig in and finish the job. It’s OK
to mention problems you overcame, and the lessons you
learned from initial difficulties. Good managers are scep-
tical of people who claim to glide effortlessly through
life, and don’t want to be there when such a person
hits a rock. Practical ability is therefore something that
you will need to demonstrate a little more than theory.
You wouldn’t have reached this point if you didn’t have
a respectable record for absorbing theory, so the next
step is to see if you can apply what you’ve learned.
When asked your motivation for moving into finance,
it’s worth asking yourself if this is a reason.
