5 Interview Questions Investment Banking Interns Need to Nail

5 Interview Questions Investment Banking Interns Need to Nail5 Interview Questions Investment Banking Interns Need to NailAlthough most investment banks in North America and Europe have already hired their 2013 summer intern classes, banks in Australia are just beginning to accept applications for their latest internship programs, and bewerbungsinterviews are on the way. For those interested in an investment banking internship, here are five interview questions every prospective intern should be able to nail.1. What interests you most about a career in investment banking?This is one of the most common questions used to assess a candidates interest in and understanding of the investment banking division. You need to be aware of the key skills and attributes demanded of professionals working in this area and be able to demonstrate examples of how you possess these skills. Be ready to articulate why you think you are a suitable candidate and what qualities you bring to the table. Candid ates need to be analytical, detail-orientated, enthusiastic, hard-working and responsible. The use of examples will best illustrate this.2. What differentiates this company from other companies you are interviewing with?This question tests to see if you have conducted research about the industry and in particular about the firm you have applied to. As a starting point, visit the company website to learn as much as you can about the firm, its structure, divisions and core values. In terms of researching the industry, make a habit of regularly reading the financial press and keeping up to date with market trends and recent transactions. The key is to demonstrate that you have an interest in and understanding of the financial world beyond what you have learned in class. Researching the firm in this way will demonstrate to your interviewers that you have a genuine interest in the company, which is sohonigweinhing that they will be looking for.3. Which industry or product teams interest you and why?There is no right or wrong answer to this question. The aim is to assess whether or not you have an understanding of how the investment banking division is broken down. In general, there are industry teams and product teams. Industry teams provide industry-specific expertise and guidance, and work with the appropriate product teams to generate ideas about potential transactions. Product teams specialize in a particular financial instrument and partner with the industry teams to execute a variety of transactions. Different people have unique reasons for joining different teams. Some may be interested in the more product focused teams such as the mergers and acquisitions team, whereas others will be more interested in a particular industry focused team, for example metals and mining.4. Provide an example of a situation where you had to manage multiple competing deadlines? Were the deadlines met? Multis can be drawn from every area your academic work, previous work experie nce, as well as extra-curricular activities or voluntary work. The key will be to explain the challenging situation, how you prioritized the different tasks, actions you took towards ensuring the deadlines were met and the result or outcome of the situation. If you did not manage to meet all of the deadlines, it is important to show what you learned from this and how you would tackle a similar situation in the future. 5. Tell me about a time or a project when you faced a crisis late on a Friday night and there was no one you could contact for help or advice. What did you do?To succeed in investment banking, the ability to work independently and respond quickly to unexpected situations is essential. This type of question is asked to see if you take a calm and practical approach under pressure. Dont forget to demonstrate your common sense, forward thinking abilities, ability to take initiative and problem-solving skills. The ability to review the situation post-crisis in order to prev ent similar situations happening again would also help get you credit when answering this question.There are numerous types of questions and variations of the above that you might come across in an interview (in fact, there are so many that it would be impossible to outline them all here). In a nutshell, it is important that you structure your answers, portray confidence and adopt an honest approach during the interview. Think about each question before responding and do not be afraid to ask for further clarification on what the interviewer is asking. If you dont know the answer, its ok to say so but make sure you offer an alternative suggestion or point of view which demonstrates the knowledge you do have and steers the conversation in a direction that you are more equipped to answer. This will help your interviewers to see how you think on the spot. Finally, make sure you have read and understood the job description and that you are comfortable speaking in detail about anything th at you have included on your resume or within your application. Good luck with your interviewsThis post was sponsored by J.P. Morgan.Read Morejpmorgan.com/careers

Why You Shouldnt Ask About Salary History When Hiring

Why You Shouldnt Ask About Salary History When HiringWhy You Shouldnt Ask About Salary History When HiringHiring managers, heres something you need to be aware of An increasing number of local and state governments are passing legislation to help close gaps in pay. One way they are doing this is by prohibiting employers from asking job candidates about their salary history. Some recent examples are in California, Delaware and Oregon, as well as New York City and Albany, N.Y. And it seems likely that more cities and states will enact similar legislation in the future.While you will want to seek legal guidance about what exactly your company should do to comply, it might be best simply to avoid behauptung types of inquiries altogether when trying to determine compensation levels for new hires. So just take the question off the table.Salary history isnt a relevant factor anywayThe new laws arent the only reason to avoid asking about a job seekers salary history. You should set a pay sor timent in advance and stick to it when hiring for a position. The range should be based on the skill set and experience required and what the market demands, not on what candidates you interview have earned before.In fact, communicating in advance to candidates the pay range youve set can actually enhance your hiring process. It can weed out applicants who arent satisfied with what youre offering. And, if you struggle to attract suitable applicants, it could alert you early that your pay range isnt realistic.Base compensation on solid dataBe sure to use reputable resources when setting pay ranges. Among the best are the Salary Guides from Robert Half.GET THE SALARY GUIDESThe compensation figures in our guides are based on actual placements made by our recruiters and their knowledge of the latest market conditions and hiring trends. has published our Salary Guides every year for decades, so you can be confident youre getting reliable and timely data.With our guides, you dont have to rely on national or industry averages either we report starting salary ranges for each position by percentile, based on candidate experience level and skills, as well as the complexity of the job duties. The guides also allow you to fine-tune salary ranges to your city.Laws can change and evolve over time. The important thing when youre entering into salary discussions is to focus on the compensation range youve set for the position, not a candidates past pay. Youll increase your chances of offering a compelling salary that attracts talented applicants, and youll stay out of hot water.

How to Answer Price Questions on a Cold Call

How to Answer Price Questions on a Cold Call How to Answer Price Questions on a Cold Call Veteran cold callers are no doubt familiar with the following scenario: the prospect answers the phone, you give your name and opener, and before you can go any further the prospect says, Whats the price? Sounds promising if the prospect is already asking about a price, right? Wrong. Most of the time, a question about price this early on is a trap. The prospect is just looking for something he can say no to so that he can get you off the phone. No matter what price you quote at this point, the prospect will likely reply that its too much and then hang up the phone. At this point, its premature to talk about pricing even if the prospect is interested. For one thing, you dont know for sure yet if the person youre speaking with is a decision-maker  or even a prospect at all. So the best response at this point is something along the lines of, Before you start looking at the possibility of purchasing, Id like to ask a few questions to confirm that our product is a good fit for your needs. If the person youre speaking with says okay, then go ahead and ask your usual qualifying questions. But if he refuses and again asks for a number, you have a few different options. First, you can test to see if hes one of the rare prospects who happen to be ready to buy at the moment you call him. Say something like, Do you already have enough information about our products that youd feel comfortable buying today if the price is right? If he says yes, go ahead and quote a number. If he says no, then ask again for permission to ask him a few questions. Quoting a Range of Prices Another possibility is to quote a wide range of prices. For example, if you have several different products at different price points or if your products come with a variety of options and packages that affect the price, you can quote a range between your very lowest priced offering and your highest price offering and then say, In order to give you an accurate price quote I need to ask a few more questions to determine your needs. It is a powerful way to demonstrate to the prospect that youre not meaninglessly stalling him, you really do need more information to proceed. If you only have one product or theres only one option that would fit this type of prospect, then you dont have the option of quoting a range of prices. Instead, if the prospect insists on hearing a number, you can tell him the price and then follow with a statement like, However, I would hate for price to be the deciding factor, so we can discuss more specifics about pricing once I know a little more about your specific situation. This keeps his mind a little more open to the possibility of adding value that will make the price you just quoted more palatable. Sometimes the question of price will rise up a bit later in the sales process, but still sooner than youre ready to commit to a number. For example, when you walk into the appointment that you made during your cold call, the prospect might greet you by asking you for a price. As a rule, its safer to not give a specific price until youve had a chance to establish value with the prospect. If the price comes first, the prospect will be weighing everything you say against that price â€" assuming he doesnt just say no thanks as soon as you give a number. So if a prospect asks for a price quote as soon as you walk into the appointment, use whichever of the above responses seem to fit best.

Lessons in Finding Your Passion and Your Purpose

Lessons in Finding Your Passion and Your Purpose Lessons in Finding Your Passion and Your Purpose Lessons on finding your passion from charity, the classroom and the board room can put your job search on a different track.Raison d’etre.I just love that phrase. It means, “reason for existence.” If you want to maintain your enthusiasm and make the effective decisions necessary to accelerate your career, it is critical to take the time to clarify the purpose of your career, the purpose of your work group and the purpose of your organization.Being excited all day won’t help you find a purpose in your work. Knowing the reason why you, your group and your organization do what you do will generate a steady flow of passion even in the worst of times as long as you really believe in the purpose of that work. If not, then find the work that has the purpose you want.My book, “The Management 500,” is about management lessons from the history of auto racing. As I peeled back the layers of the auto-racing onion, I found a heart. A great, big, pulsating heart.The secret to the succe ss of NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula 1 racing is passion. Drivers, engineers, mechanics, crew chiefs, crew members and fans alike derive incredible passion from a simple purpose: a desire to win the race.One of my favorite moments in my research was finding an original copy of Enzo Ferrari’s 1964 autobiography. One sentence stands out above all the others. He wrote:“Fate is to a good extent in our own hands if we only know clearly what we want and are steadfast in our purpose.”Coming in second: a sports exampleCarl Edwards was named the NASCAR.com 2008 Driver of the Year. How did he do it? He finished in second place in both the season-long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the season-long NASCAR Nationwide Series. This means that from February through November of 2008, Carl competed successfully over the course of 36 races in two different leagues. It would be like a professional baseball team coming in second in the American League and second National League in the same season. And where does his passion come from? He has an extraordinary desire to win races.Articulating your purpose: a not-for-profit exampleDan Harbaugh is president of Ronald McDonald House Charities in St. Louis. He is one of the most consistently passionate people I’ve ever met. I’ve known Dan for 10 years and have seen him make presentations to hundreds of people, have discussions in small groups and attend seminars as a student in the very best of economic times and the very worst. In every situation he brings an extraordinary degree of passion. Where does this passion come from and how can he possibly sustain it so consistently? The answer lies in his purpose. He absolutely believes in the purpose of RMHC, which is primarily to provide a home away from home for the families of very sick children. With that purpose in mind, he continues to march forward with enthusiasm.Helping others: a small-business exampleElaine Floyd is a small-business owner with two busy teenagers and a very bus y husband. She is one of the most passionate people I’ve met in the past 15 years. She is the president of EFG Inc., which helps clients craft their messages into professionally published books. From where does Elaine draw her passion? She finds enormous excitement and satisfaction in helping other people get out their message by combining cutting-edge computer technology with the creative flair of high-end book publishing.Remembering the little things: an education exampleMatt Miller is a grade-school principal. He brings more passion to his work than almost anyone I know. I’ve seen him get four hundred kids to scream and yell about reading books. I’ve seen him get students to cheer for each other for being kind to one another. I’ve seen him wander into classrooms, accept trays in the cafeteria and pat kids on the back. I’ve seen him snap two fingers and get hundreds of loud kids to become instantly quiet. And where does his daily enthusiasm come from? He wants kids to su cceed in life, and he understands that it’s the little things that make for long-term, life-long success.Supporting someone else’s purposeRoy Spence is chairman and CEO of GSDM Idea City, which over the past 20 years has been the advertising agency for BMW, ATT, Wal-Mart, AARP, Southwest Airlines, the PGA Tour, American Red Cross, and a host of other major organizations. He is the most passionate person I’ve ever met, and his purpose is to help organizations make a difference in the world. And he’s very good at it. Every time I walked into GSDM’s building, I felt as though I was stepping into the Disney Company back in the 1930s, when Walt Disney was actively involved. The creative energy pulsated throughout the building.In the more than 40 meetings I attended at GSDM, someone asked the same question: “How will this idea support the purpose of this client’s business?” Everything at GSDM Idea City revolved around this question. If the idea did not support the client o rganization’s purpose for existence, then it was rejected. It was this passionate commitment to finding and supporting the client’s purpose that helped lead to extraordinary breakthrough results for many of these organizations.Simplification: a management-consulting example (mine!)Our purpose at The Coughling Company is to democratize great management performance. We empower executives and managers in all types of organizations to achieve great performance by demystifying and simplifying management processes that can be applied immediately.The reason why The Coughlin Company exists: We want executives and managers in every organization to be able to convert resources into value that drives extraordinary, sustainable results. We believe great management performance is the foundation for an ongoing strong economy and that it can happen in any organization.Downtime is a terrific time to prepare for greatnessIf your career or business has slowed, don’t waste a minute worrying. Ins tead use this time to clarify your answers to these three critically important questions: Why do I do what I do for a living? Why does my work group exist? What purpose is our organization (or your career) trying to fulfill? The first step to building an extraordinary career, team and organization is to know the reason behind the activities. This clarification will help you and others decide what to do and, more importantly, what not to do. With a clear purpose, you can sustain a focused effort over the long term and generate extraordinary results.

Aiming for a Better Vision with Multiphysics

Aiming for a Better Vision with Multiphysics Aiming for a Better Vision with Multiphysics Aiming for a Better Vision with Multiphysics Case study provided by COMSOL Presbyopia is a natural effect of aging in which a loss of elasticity in the lens of the eye causes far-sightedness. As a result, your visual accommodation gradually declines, as your eyes can no longer effectively change their optical power to maintain a clear image or focus on an object as its distance varies. The current solutions to this problem are at opposite ends of the treatment spectrum: You can either wear a pair of glasses or opt for an invasive surgical solution that could compromise the quality of your vision. A novel solution developed by medical device company Kejako will provide a viable treatment that treads the middle ground between surgery and spectacles. Their 3-D parametric full-eye model is providing invaluable insights into the root cause of the eyes degeneration over time. As a result, Kejako is edging closer to an innovative solution that will delay the need for reading glasses or invasive surgery for over 20 years. Simulation results showing eye deformation and ray tracing in far vision. Ray focusing after traveling through the eye optical system. Dark colors represent higher ray density. Personalized Treatment Options Our solution has the potential to become the next generations standard of care in personalized ophthalmic anti-aging medicine, said David Enfrun, Kejakos cofounder and CEO. Kejakos solution is designed to treat the root causes of presbyopia and features a series of noninvasive laser eye surgeries, which are prescribed from when a patient starts to develop presbyopia until cataracts develop. This keeps a patients visual accommodation amplitude above where spectacles are required. To correct presbyopia, the team is combining the noninvasive treatment with simulation to provide an all-in-one solution called phakorestoration. Their simulation work features a 3-D parametric full-eye model, which the company developed using multiphysics simulation. In 2016 we started to work with COMSOL because of the multiphysics nature of the software and the high quality of customer support, Enfrun said. The full-eye model has the potential to provide a personalized treatment for every patient. This is important because every patient is different in terms of their physiology and the severity of their presbyopia. Various components of the eye that needed to be taken into consideration for the multiphysics model. Eyeing the Physics To create an accurate 3-D parametric model of the eye, a full description of this organ must be taken into account and several physics phenomena be considered. We needed a complete solution, including the mechanics and optics of the eye. We wanted to model the entire eye and adapt its properties to look at different outcomes, said Aurélien Maurer, RD engineer at Kejako and eye model project leader. The team also wanted to model the gradient of the refractive index as light penetrates the crystalline lens, so they coupled structural mechanics and ray optics. No one before had looked at the relation between the mechanical deformation and the refractive index gradient in the crystalline lens, so we decided to put this in a model and test it against the existing results in the literature, said Maurer. The teams dual approach of modeling both the mechanical and optical elements of the eye was validated using existing measurements. If we only model the mechanics or the optics, then we do not get all the information we need. But if we put all of this together, thats where the magic happens, Maurer added. Multiphysics Focus Using geometries from statistical measurements and standard optical coherence tomography imaging techniques, the team began to develop their model by imaging the eye and then translating this information into a parameterized 3-D geometry imported in the COMSOL software. The mechanical elements of the eye were then modeled, including the complex muscle ligaments that pull the lens into shape and the viscoelastic properties of the vitreous fluid that fills the eye. The fibrous nonhomogeneous nature of the sclera was also modeled. According to Charles-Olivier Zuber, a biomedical PhD student at Kejako and Rostock University, Germany, The sclera is the white part of the eye and it is made of collagen fibers. Because those fibers are made of collagen, we needed to examine their nonlinear mechanical properties in a multiphysics environment. The ray optics capabilities of the software were used to trace the light rays, modeling the refractive properties of the lens and ray focusing on the retina, considering parallel incoming rays (as if they were emitted by an infinitely far source). This enabled simulations of the patients sharpness of vision and the objective amplitude of accommodation to be determined. Ray focusing of the eye optical system (cornea and crystalline lens) can be simulated. The ability to model this vast range of parameters was key to the creation and success of the 3-D parametric full-eye model. What we appreciate about COMSOL is that we have access to all of these parameters driving the geometric configuration, material properties, and physics involved. Such flexibility is very helpful to improve our comprehension of the problem and find the most effective solution, said Zuber. Curvilinear coordinate system used to represent the anisotropic material properties of the lens. The GRIN distribution is shown. Give us a GRIN Multiphysics simulation allowed the team to deduce some of the non-measurable mechanical properties of the lens, including the gradient of refractive index (GRIN) used in the 3-D parametric model of the eye. The refractive index of the human eye lens has subtle fluctuations and this creates a particular reflectance pattern. The GRIN consists of spatial continuous variation of the refractive index over the lens, which increases from the surface to the center. This repartition has a strong influence on focalization of light, aberration, and thus visual acuity. Through simulation, the GRIN of the eye lens can be calculated, which is vital to understanding how light passes through the structure. The GRIN value is incredibly difficult to measure directly, but its incorporation into the teams parametric model was vital to ensure the accuracy of the model and, subsequently, the effectiveness of any proposed treatment. Simulation for All The team is now building simulation apps using the Application Builder available in the software to extend the reach of its 3-D parametric full-eye model and prepare the company for market maturity. Once the multiphysics model is packaged into a simulation app with an easy-to-use interface, Kejakos work is ready for a clinical setting through a straightforward process. A clinician can use standard OCT imaging to image the patients eye. This information is sent to Kejako, where the team of experts can create a personalized 3-D parametric full-eye model. This model is then further optimized and a customized phakorestoration procedure is created. Simulation and modeling have allowed for time savings with regards to our in vivo and ex vivo tests. We will move to trial when we are confident that we can do something significant in the human body and are convinced of our solution, and COMSOL Multiphysics will help us to achieve that in a much shorter time frame, Enfrun added. Read the original case study. Learn more about the advances in modeling and simulation in Mechanical Engineering MagazineSpecial Report

The lessons most new grads have to learn in their first jobs

The lessons most new grads have to learn in their first jobs The lessons most new grads have to learn in their first jobs What lessons do most new grads have to learn their first year in their ‘real jobs’?My first post college job was as a reporter for a local Oregon newspaper called The Roseburg News-Review.I was so excited about that job. I worked as a sports writer and columnist, covering high school and college sports, with the occasional feature on local residents. I had wanted to be a journalist since I was old enough to read daily newspapers. As a kid, I studied the craft of journalism and formed an appreciation of the hard work that goes into it.By the time I graduated from the University of Oregon â€" having worked as sports editor of the daily college paper for two years â€" and started work at The Roseburg News-Review, I thought myself well-prepared for a long and fruitful career as a journalist.Turns out, this was far from the truth.I worked for The Roseburg News-Review for three years. For some of that time, I struggled to learn and familiarize myself with the more technical aspects of the job: the computerized newsroom, the telex wire services feed, how to line up photographers to cover a story. I found it challenging, too, coming up with angles and strategies to make my content entertaining and interesting. The job - even though it was what I’d dreamt up - sometimes left me feeling frustrated and longing for more.Yet, as I discovered after I left journalism â€" eventually going on to lead BookBaby â€" my time at the News-Review taught me critical lessons about business, inspiration, creativity, and diligence, all of which have benefited me my entire career. They’ve even made me a better CEO.Here are four of the most impactful lessons I learned during that first year on the job.1. Learn and respect the entire businessNo matter how big or small your organization is, having respect for every level of production will prove an invaluable asset to your company culture.If you’re the Editor-in-Chief of a major newspaper, for example, appreciating the challenges and importance of the folks who work in the print shop or the bindery is critical. For one thing, as a CEO, you need a sound understanding of your workflow from start to finish. But from a cultural standpoint, engendering and encouraging respect for every level of your business more generally fosters collaboration, synergy, and cooperation.All of those are essential ingredients for creating a productive, safe, and even courageous work environment.2. People skills are criticalThis is a truth that proves critical to achieving more meaningful levels of success.Many bosses will remain perfectly pleased with an employee who simply clocks in, does their job well, and leaves. However, in the long run, that only proves a means of professional sustenance. If you want to move forward - make connections, ascend your company’s executive ladder - you have to build relationships. In other words, you have to make people like you.Of course, this is equally critical for people who are already si tting atop their company’s respective ladder. To garner support and engender enthusiasm among your employees, you have to be able to connect with them on a more personal level.3. Don’t be afraid to make mistakesAt The Roseburg News-Review, I tried a variety of different approaches to my reporting.Many didn’t work out.At first, when I tried something only to fall on my face, I’d feel this mixture of guilt and nervousness, like I was certain I would be fired. But the truth is, that experience of failing is necessary. It’s fundamental to your eventual improvement and flourishing. That is, if when you fail, you get up, try again, and move on to the next idea.Clinging to only established ideas and strategies is a formula for stagnancy and regression.4. Develop a tough hideOf course, to pick yourself up when you fall, you’ll need thick skin.As a young reporter covering high school athletes, I often received angry letters from protective parents suggesting I’d portrayed their child unfairly. At first these, too, would make me uneasy, but in retrospect I’ve seen how critical it was that I didn’t cave in.Creativity, success, leadership â€" these things are not popularity contests. In fact, the more successful you or your company are, the more criticism you’ll attract. You must be prepared for that.Never forget where you came from.Ultimately, what the first few years of your working life can do â€" if appreciated correctly â€" is set the blueprint for the rest of your career.The lessons you learn through the challenges and struggles of simply figuring it all out will set you up for success. And that’s because your first job is where you’ll begin to foster the habits and principles that will power your work in the future â€" whether that’s as a creative, a manager, or as the leader of a company. You’ll need those fundamentals to overcome all the future challenges you’re sure to face.Looking back, this has most certainly been so for me.This p ost first appeared on Quora.

Customize this Film Editor Resume

Customize this Film Editor Resume Customize this Film Editor Resume Create this Resume Mark Harrell4821 Candlelight DriveCrosby, TX 77532(333)-941-1861m.harrell@tmail.comObjectiveTo obtain a rewarding position as Film Editor in fast paced environment to render skills and knowledge in producing a world class film and production. Summary of QualificationsWorking knowledge of Avid Media Composer, Avid DS, Final Cut, and linear editing systemsProficient knowledge of project media management techniques, video and audio transcodingKnowledgeable in NLE, import/ export protocols, and applicationsProficient knowledge of a variety of broadcast video tape recorder functionsExperience in post production facilityProfessional ExperienceFilm Editor, January 2007- PresentPoCu Films, New York, NY ResponsibilitiesAssembled and gathered all raw footage, with camera shots either recorded or transferred onto video tape. Inputted uncut rushes and sound and synchronized and stored them into files. Digitally cut the files to determine the sequence of the film and determine d what is usable. Created a rough cut of the program/ film and determined the exact cutting for the next and final stages. Re-ordered and tweaked the content to ensure the logical sequencing and smooth running of the film/ video. Video Editor, May 2004- December 2006Starz Entertainment, Englewood, CO ResponsibilitiesUsed and utilized Avid Media Composer, Avid DS, Final Cut and other liner and non-linear editing platforms to edit various programs. Utilized and used alternative equipment and configurations to obtain specialized effects for picture and sound. Actively supported, researched, and troubleshot problems areas within post-production. Provided and rendered guidance, direction, and technical support to fellow editors, production staff and engineering staff. Utilized and used broadcast signal equipment to measure and evaluate video and audio content. EducationMasters Degree in Cinematography, 2004Yale UniversityBachelors Degree in Cinematography, 2002Yale University Customize R esumeMore Sample Resumes:Film Editor Resume Film Producer Resume Filmmaker Resume Fitness Manager Resume