Investment banking behavioural interviews are an important part of the recruitment process for those interested in pursuing a career in investment banking. They are designed to assess a candidate's behavioural attributes, such as their communication skills, ability to work in a team, and problem-solving abilities. Here's what you can expect in investment banking behavioural interviews and some tips on how to ace them. 

Format of Behavioural Interviews Behavioural interviews usually follow a structured format where interviewers ask candidates about their past experiences and behaviour in different situations. The idea behind these questions is to evaluate how a candidate would react in similar situations in the future. The interviewer will look for specific examples of behaviour that demonstrate competencies that are important for the job. 

Example Questions  

Here are some examples of behavioural questions you might be asked in an investment banking interview: 
 

Let's take a look at some of these and other typical behavioural questions in more detail: 

Question: Can you tell me about a time when you had to work under a tight deadline? 

Poor Example Response: 

A poor example response would be a generic answer that does not provide specific examples or detail. For example, "I have had to work under tight deadlines in the past, and I always manage to get the work done on time." This response does not provide any specific example, and it does not demonstrate any competencies. 
 

Positive Example Response: 

A better response to the same question would be, "When I was working on a project for my previous employer, we had to deliver a presentation to a client in three days. However, we realized that one of the critical pieces of data was missing. I immediately took the initiative to find that data and was able to get it from a third party vendor. I also reached out to my colleagues to discuss the most efficient way to incorporate the new data into the presentation, and we were able to meet the deadline. This experience taught me the importance of being proactive and working collaboratively under pressure." 
 

This response shows that the candidate has experience of working under a tight deadline and collaborating with other parties to ensure that collective corporate goals/ objectives are met. 
 

Question: Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member? 

Poor Example: 

Interviewer: Can you describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member? 

Interviewee: Yes, there was this one time where a team member was really difficult to work with. They were always arguing with everyone and never wanted to listen to anyone's ideas. It made it really hard to work with them, but eventually, we just had to ignore them and do our own thing. It all worked out in the end. 

This example is poor because it does not show how the interviewee actively tried to resolve the situation or improve their working relationship with the difficult team member. It also does not show any specific actions or strategies the interviewee used to manage the difficult team member. 

Positive Example: 
Interviewer: Can you describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member? 

Interviewee: Yes, in my previous role as a financial analyst, I was working on a project with a team member who had a reputation for being difficult to work with. They would often shoot down other team members' ideas and were dismissive of feedback. I realised that their behaviour was affecting the productivity and morale of the team. 

To address this, I scheduled a one-on-one meeting with the team member and expressed my concerns about their behaviour. I listened to their perspective and shared some specific examples of how their behaviour was impacting the team. We agreed to work on communicating more effectively and being more open to each other's ideas. 

After the meeting, I made sure to keep the team member accountable by checking in on their behaviour regularly and giving them feedback when necessary. By the end of the project, the team member had become more open to feedback and collaboration, and our working relationship had improved significantly. 

This example is positive because it shows how the interviewee took an active approach to manage the difficult team member. They identified the issue, communicated effectively, and worked collaboratively to find a solution. It also highlights the positive outcome of their efforts and how it ultimately benefited the team's productivity and morale. 

Question: Tell me about a time when you faced a challenging situation in a team. How did you handle it? 

Poor example response: "I don't think I have ever faced a challenging situation in a team." 
 

This response shows that the candidate lacks experience and may not be a good fit for a team-oriented role in investment banking. Investment banks work on complex deals that require teamwork and collaboration, so candidates must be able to work well in a team. 

Positive example response: "In my previous job, we were working on a project with a tight deadline. One of my team members fell sick, and we were short on time. I stepped in to help with his tasks and also delegated some of my tasks to others to make sure we met the deadline. We were able to deliver the project on time, and my team appreciated my efforts." 
 

This response shows that the candidate has experience working in a team and is willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. It also highlights their ability to delegate tasks effectively and prioritize work to meet deadlines, which are important qualities in investment banking. 

Question: Tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision. 

Poor example response: "I usually avoid making difficult decisions." 
 

This response shows that the candidate lacks confidence and may struggle with decision-making in high-pressure situations, which is a crucial skill in investment banking. 
 

Positive example response: "In my previous job, we had to decide between two investment opportunities with similar risks and rewards. I conducted extensive research and analysis to evaluate the potential risks and returns of each opportunity and presented my findings to the team. After a thorough discussion, we decided to invest in one of the opportunities, which turned out to be profitable." 
 

This response shows that the candidate is capable of making difficult decisions based on research and analysis. It also demonstrates their ability to present their findings to a team and lead discussions, which are essential skills in investment banking. 

In conclusion, your responses to clients' behavioural questions should provide specific examples that demonstrate your skillset and highlight how employing you would be advantageous to the client. To ensure that you sound slick in the interview, we would recommend that you practice, practice and do more practice prior to your interview!