Module 2: Behaviourals
Recruiting | Behaviorals | Accounting | Enterprise Value / Comparables | DCF | M&A | LBO| Market questions | Brain teasers
Mastering Your Personal Story and Fit
Nailing the behavioural portion of investment banking interviews is just as important as mastering the technicals. This module gives you a proven framework for crafting confident, authentic answers to the most common questions—like “Tell me about yourself,” “Why IB?”, and “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” You’ll learn how to tell your story, articulate your motivation, and demonstrate self-awareness, all while aligning with what top-tier banks are actually looking for. Whether you’re prepping for your first coffee chat or a final Superday, this is where your personal narrative gets dialed in.
Lesson 1
Telling Your Story
Whether you’re interviewing at a bulge bracket bank or a boutique advisory, your answer to “Tell me about yourself” can make or break your first impression. This lesson breaks down exactly how to craft a clear, confident, and compelling personal story.
In this Lesson:
- Intro: Brief personal background and educational foundation.
- Experience Progression: Logical career steps leading toward finance.
- Skill Development: Finance-relevant skills gained at each stage.
- Inflection Point: Key moment that triggered serious interest in IB.
- Career Goals: How investment banking fits into your long-term vision.
- Transition Statement: Close with how you’re prepared to contribute as an analyst or associate.
Lesson 2
Why IB Structuring Your Answer
Whether you’re crafting a cover letter or preparing for interviews, having a thoughtful and personal answer to “Why Investment Banking?” is essential. This lesson breaks down the real pros and cons of the field—so you can answer the question with confidence and credibility.
In this Lesson:
- Curiosity About Business: Genuinely interested in how companies grow and transact.
- Deal Exposure: Want to work on high-impact M&A, IPOs, and capital raising.
- Skill Building: IB offers elite training in valuation, modeling, and strategic thinking.
- Team Environment: Thrive in high-performance, fast-paced teams.
- Learning Curve: Drawn to steep learning and client-facing opportunities.
- Long-Term Fit: IB aligns with long-term finance or business leadership goals.
Lesson 3
Pros and Cons of IB
Whether you’re considering investment banking as a long-term career or a launchpad into other areas of finance, it’s important to weigh the full picture. This lesson explores the real advantages and trade-offs of working in IB—beyond just the paycheck.
In this Lesson:
- Pros – Learning Opportunities: Gain technical, analytical, and business judgment quickly.
- Pros – Exit Opportunities: Strong path to PE, VC, corp dev, or staying in IB.
- Pros – Meaningful Work: Work on real deals that shape companies and industries.
- Cons – Lifestyle: Long hours and unpredictable schedules are common.
- Cons – Repetitive Tasks: Some work can be formatting-heavy or admin-based.
- Cons – Burnout Risk: Intensity can be unsustainable without proper balance.
Lesson 4
Why this Firm/Group (Coming Soon)
When asked “Why this firm or group?”, your answer should reflect thoughtful research and genuine alignment with their values and work. This lesson covers how to speak to culture, people, and recent deals—while tying it all back to your own goals and what makes you a strong fit.
In this Lesson:
- Culture: Emphasize collaboration, mentorship, or values that align with your style.
- People: Reference real conversations that showed how the team operates.
- Deals: Mention recent transactions or strengths in certain industries or regions.
- Reputation: Talk about training, deal flow, or strong leadership you admire.
- Fit: Connect firm strengths with your goals, skills, and interests.
- Specificity: Show that you’ve done your homework — mention names, groups, or deals.
Lesson 5
Strengths and Weaknesses (Coming Soon)
Discussing strengths and weaknesses is a chance to demonstrate self-awareness, professionalism, and alignment with the demands of investment banking. This lesson covers how to choose relevant strengths, frame weaknesses with growth, and deliver your answers with the right balance of confidence and humility.
In this lesson:
- Strength Example: “I’m highly detail-oriented — while organizing a campus conference with over 200 attendees, I created a tracking system that prevented scheduling conflicts and ensured every speaker had the right materials on time.”
- Strength Relevance: Tie your strengths to analyst or associate responsibilities.
- Weakness Example: “I used to struggle with delegation but learned to trust teammates…”
- Self-Awareness: Show reflection and growth — no red-flag weaknesses.
- Balance: Keep it professional — avoid overused traits like ‘perfectionist.’
- Delivery: Be confident but humble — tone matters as much as content.
Lesson 6
Situational Questions (Coming Soon)
Situational questions help interviewers assess how you think, act, and perform in real-world scenarios common in investment banking. This lesson prepares you to structure strong, specific examples that demonstrate teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and ownership under pressure.
In this lesson:
- Handling Deadlines: Be ready to discuss a time you worked under pressure.
- Receiving Feedback: Share an example where you took feedback and improved.
- Working in Teams: Highlight collaboration and conflict resolution experience.
- Problem-Solving: Discuss a challenge and how you overcame it.
- Ownership: Show initiative — times you took responsibility beyond your role.
- Adaptability: Be prepared to explain how you adjust to fast-changing situations.
Josh was incredibly helpful when it came to prepping for interviews. Whether he was giving me advice technical or behavioural questions, everything he helped me with was instrumental in helping me get a job in investment banking, and then in private equity. If your goal is to break into the industry, there’s no one I would trust more than him!
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