The best thing to prepare yourself is to be the man for the job and that takes years of commitment, not days. It's not by reading some financial news 2 days b4 to "know" what's going on in the markets right now or by telling them that you will really work hard if you get the job that you'll get anything. That will only help. This is the survival of the fittest. Competition is fierce. Where did you work the last 2 summers? Nowhere, ah ok, so your at CFA level 3? Right? Or you read some extra books that made you a better student so you have an above 4 GPA? Or you worked on some research project for some teachers and you have something to show? Good luck.
As somebody who has interviewed over 500 people in the last 2 years here is what I would say - as you do not have any experience, really get prepared, study everything you can over the next two days. Know everything (or at least as much as you can) about the makets. -at the same time do not spit out a textbook, everybody going in to the interview will have the same type of knowledge so don't tell the interviewer what you read but tell him how it will apply to the position. -s for the people who say confidence, I could not agree more, going in like you are going to get the job, but not like you need it. Hope that helps
First mistake was posting the firm name in this thread. I've deleted all the instances, but next time, use your head. Google can be your worst enemy.
You need to show how you can add value. As you ask them questions about their operation try to find any deficiencies and then suggest improvements on the fly and how you could assist in that. Many years ago, in college, I was competing for a highly coveted engineering co-op job. I did that I landed the job.
Nice Get very early. Recruiters interview so many people that they get tired in the last interviews. First impressions last, and if you are the first (or among the first), your interviewer will remember you.
lol, love that one. At least someone who has "served" the industry for many years and knows what professionals like, LOL.
I gotta second this. I don't get the praise that the interviewer and his school give this firm. It's not all that so stop acting like it is. This tidbit should be your basis for the interview strategy. I see a few posters saying "confidence" which means little without explanation. Become the interviewer, not the interviewee. After the initial questions, start asking about the firm, their strategies and focus, why they choose those strategies & focus, what they think of the current trends in PE/VC, talk about the hot new fields that PEs & VCs are jumping into (so research), ask them how they feel about those. Ask about exit strategies, which have changed in the last few years. You will stand out, which is key. After that, it's simply whether you were likeable and your resume.
It's "they're" not "their". Might just be a typo, but even a typo can sink an otherwise excellent job application. Second, make sure you know everything about the firm. If you haven't pored over their accounts, looked up the founders and their career background/life story, if you don't know who they do business with and what their approach is, then you are at a disadvantage because some other applicant will have done all those things. Third, have a good, not generic, answer for "why do you want this job?". 'Because I want to be rich' or 'because I want to be a big swinging dick and score with models' is not an acceptable answer, even if it might be the truth for both you and the guys at the firm already. Finally, I think it's a big edge if you know your weaknesses (everyone knows their strengths), and if the job role plays to your strengths not your weaknesses. Most people are either thinkers or doers, starters or finishers, someone is usually either a people person or a lone wolf - it's important to know which you are, and then target roles that suit you, and be able to then explain that convincingly to the interviewer. E.g. if you are a go-getting extrovert then sales or other client-facing roles are good for you; if you are a diligent introvert then research is best; if you are an short-attention span introvert then you are probably better as a trader, etc. Someone who is applying for job as project manager better be able to point to things on their CV that showed they managed projects at school. Someone who is applying for trainee fund manager better have 1-2 years+ in investing in stocks with their student loan while at college etc. A budding analyst better be able to give verbal summaries of the investment case for 3-4 stocks.