How to Get Hired in Finance: Your Complete Action Plan

Round 1: HR Screen (20-30 minutes)

Common questions:

• “Tell me about yourself” (2-minute professional story)
• “Why finance?” (Show genuine interest)
• “Why this company?” (Research beforehand!)
• “What are your strengths/weaknesses?”
• “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

Pro tip: Prepare STAR format stories (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.

Round 2: Technical Interview (45-60 minutes)

Topics you MUST know:

Accounting basics:

• Three financial statements (Balance Sheet, P&L, Cash Flow)
• How they connect
• Key ratios (P/E, ROE, Debt-to-Equity, Current Ratio)

Valuation:

• DCF (Discounted Cash Flow) basics
• Comparable company analysis
• P/E multiple valuation

Finance concepts:

• Time value of money
• Risk vs. return
• Capital structure
• Working capital

Sample questions:

• “Walk me through a DCF model”
• “How are the three financial statements connected?”
• “What happens to the three statements if inventory increases by ₹10 crore?”
• “How would you value a company?”
• “What’s the difference between EBIT and EBITDA?”

Pro tip: Practice on actual company financials. Download annual reports and analyze them.

Round 3: Case Interview (Investment Banking, Consulting)

What to expect:

• Business problem to solve
• Market sizing (“How many credit cards are there in Mumbai?”)
• Profitability analysis
• Investment decision

Framework to use:

1. Clarify the question
2. Structure your approach
3. Do calculations (show your work)
4. Make recommendation
5. Discuss implications

Example case:
“A retail company is considering opening 100 new stores. Should they do it?”

Your approach:

• Clarify: What’s their current performance? Which cities? Investment required?
• Structure: Analyze costs vs. revenue potential
• Calculate: Break-even analysis, ROI
• Recommend: Yes/No with reasoning
• Discuss: Risks, alternatives, next steps

Pro tip: Practice with case interview books (Case in Point, Case Interview Secrets)

Round 4: Final Interview (With Senior Management)

What they’re evaluating:

• Cultural fit
• Long-term potential
• Communication skills
• Passion for finance

Questions to expect:

• “Why should we hire you?”
• “What unique value do you bring?”
• “Tell me about a time you failed”
• “What questions do you have for us?” (ALWAYS have 2-3 intelligent questions!)

Good questions to ask:

• “What does success look like in this role in the first year?”
• “What are the biggest challenges the team is facing?”
• “How does this role contribute to company strategy?”
• “What’s the career path for someone in this position?”