May 1st 收到的email,2nd才看到。收到Decision Email的时候在一脸淡定的定机票思考怎么从NYC去Cornell方便,sign in后一个大大的Congratulations Video加上迷之喜感的音乐吓得我直接关了网页(捂脸。冷静过来后就开始跟Cornell写信revoke然后转去CMU了。 这两天终于把很多事情settle了,想一想自己在CD上潜水了这么久,与Gwen的interview也在CD的帮助下非常顺利,所以写个总结帖,希望r2的小伙伴一切顺利!
背景总结
- 美本LAC,Math&Econ double,毕业一年,CFA II candidate。Internship零零散散做了不少,没有BB banks。LAC finance roots不深,有大牛,但connection还是偏弱。之前的前辈也基本很少MFE这个route,所以现在进了MSCF也算是终于进了target pool。
- GRE:V: 162 Q: 169 W: 5
- GPA: 3.7
- Other ADs:Cornell MFE
Interview with Gwen
具体问题参照之前的精华帖,完全没有区别。顺序都完全一样。。 https://forum.chasedream.com/thread-1241049-1-1.html
以下讲一些想法。纯个人经验总结,大家挑拣着有用的就好,one thing never fits all。
**Overall Suggestions **
- Know your stuff, 明确简历上的highlight,知道如何修饰你的weakness
- You need a story. An interview is a sales process, during which you sell your story to your interviewer/recruiter. 这个story可以是a person with strong devotion to quant trading, 或者是a person considering a change in his life, from science to the world of finance. 围绕这个story的核心构建你的回答。3. Principle Structure of "tell me about a situation" "tell about a time when you..." questions -- 3S理论:situation – solution – success (reference:自一个大牛学姐的整理)
Situation: 讲清楚目标或者项目和问题是什么
Solution: 你怎么解决的这个问题
Success: 得到什么样的效果,策略有效吗etc
Walk me through your resume
强烈推荐Mergers & Inquisitions 的帖子。这个问题sets the tone of your entire interview。核心在于flow与highlight。
For example,我的flow是how I explored through the world of finance from sell-side to buy-side (highlight: multiple internships), and eventually located my interest in quantitative finance (highlight: key internships)
围绕这个flow建立两点
- What I have done to pursue my goal (quantitative finance)? 围绕MSCF的三点:Math,CS,Finance
- What I want to become in the future (don't have to talk too much, since you will be given this question anyway). Point: Show your research and prove your understanding about quantitative finance. Things to know: Where do people go after MSCF? What is a quant? sell-side vs. buyside? pricing vs. investing?
Reference
http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/how-to-tell-your-story-investment-banking-interviews/
http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/walk-me-through-your-resume-top-mistakes/
http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/walk-through-resume/
Interactions
- Practice is key. 语气坚定,速度不能太快,保持微笑。我曾经喜欢在句尾吞音(声音变小),其实会显得很不自信,现在也在不断提醒自己改掉毛病。
- Raise your voice (be natural) when talking about your highlights。
- Pause between each minor parts. 跟中文的断句一样,同时allow for interviewer to make minor comments。Gwen在resume期间跟我聊了聊我的Leadership experience,还有一些club activities。
- Always remind yourself what your interviewer wants。作为一个academic program,Gwen想要的是contribution to the program and the CMU society。Contribution的定义不仅仅是你的personal success,还有community。我在interview中提到自己弹电吉他时,特意提到自己在本科的时候组了乐队,喜欢在学校的festival表演,并说到If I'm lucky enough to join the CMU community,I'll surely contribute to the community diversity and motivate the spirit of rock and Chinese music in the campus。那时她的response非常正面,也给我增添了不少信心。
Strengths & Weaknesses (Overall Suggestions 第3点)
准备好一个丰满的例子去支撑Strengths(最好的例子就是一次性体现2-3个strengths, which is the maximum amount),我提到了自己在CSA中一起host New Year的经历。Weaknesses反倒不需要很丰满的例子,重点在于如何改进。我自己提到的weakness是Tendency to over-stress myself。不讲具体改进的method,免得把大家思路卡死了。
Ethical Dilemma
这个问题一直觉得很tricky,我用的老套路,就是friends ask you for benefits (cheating, plagiarism)。3S理论,其中一定要clearly state out your decision and action。然后之前的面经提到过,考了CFA的朋友肯定顺便提一提CFA 对 ethics 的 emphasis~
Teamwork / Leadership Experience
结合strength说我觉得是最舒服也是最稳妥的,毕竟所谓teamwork一大重点就是know your strength and fit people in their best roles。同3S理论。
现下大概想到这么多吧。有想到的会陆续补充。
R2的朋友们加油!顺便给Pitts campus拉拉人气~
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