We asked W. P. Carey Alumni: What are your tips on how to best prepare for finance role interviews?
Here is what they shared:
- Research the Company
- Meditate, Relax, and Be Easy on Yourself
- Know Yourself
- Make Sure You Are Technically Sound
Research the Company
So you made it past the resume review and you secured the interview, congrats! Now is the time to prepare for the interview. When I was making my rounds as a recent graduate looking for a job, I found that my best friend in preparing for an interview was GlassDoor.
For those who are not familiar with the platform, it is essentially a Yelp page for company workplaces. Employees can leave reviews of company culture and anonymously share their pay and compensation, and the best part for your upcoming interview is that they can also share what the interview and hiring process looked like.
What I would recommend is that you look up the company you are interviewing with, find your position, and then review what the process looked like for others (you may find the questions they will ask). If you cannot find your exact position with a company, you can also look at related roles with other organizations.
Matthew Johnson, BS Marketing and Finance ‘20, Paid Media Manager, MWI
Meditate, Relax, and Be Easy on Yourself
Do some deep thinking about what parts of the potential role really speak to you. Once you have that, consider where you would want to go within that role and listen to what comes up for you. Frame your questions to fit your interests, as this will authentically convey your excitement for the role.
Relax and be yourself. Outside of technical questions, which have a correct answer, most interviewers are only looking to see how you would fit the team/company and how your thought process works.
Be easy on yourself. Most interviews will end without a job offer and, as personal as this feels, it’s not; keep this in mind as you go through the process. Sometimes rejection can weigh so heavily that it will affect how you show up, which could sink an interview that you may otherwise nail.
Eben Paul, BS Finance, CFO, Sabbatical
Know Yourself
Sharing real-life stories during an interview is a great way to show your skills and experiences and how they can apply to the finance role you are interviewing for. It can help you stand out from other candidates and connect with the interviewer.
When preparing your stories, try to focus on situations that showcase your problem-solving skills, ability to work in a team, attention to detail, and other relevant skills for the finance role. Practice telling those stories before the interview to ensure that you can deliver them confidently and effectively.
William Nolde, BS Accountancy ‘97, VP of Finance, DraftKings
Make Sure You Are Technically Sound
Before going into an interview, make sure that you brush up on your technical knowledge. Make sure you know the basics off the top of your head, such as standard accounting rules, and be able to explain core financial concepts, such as the time value of money, WACC, etc.
With the basics covered, begin expecting technical questions your interviewers may ask based on the role you are applying to. A great resource, especially if you are looking to get into investment banking, is the 400 Guide by Breaking Into Wall Street.
Thor Abbasi, BS Business Data Analytics ‘22, Co-founder and Head of Operations, Zivoe Dev, LLC
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