Citi Corporate Banking Interview 1 Prep

Why Corporate Banking?

Insight other aspects of Bank

Growth of long term relationships

Tangible Position taken when underwriting

Why Citi?

Culture

Collaborative, Meritocracy, friendship with upper management

What suprised you most = how inviting and approachable upper management is

Like BC Story

Visiting Headquarters

Asses Credit Worthiness of Company

Ratio Asset Liabilities

Greater than 2 means credit good

Tell me about a situation where you worked in a group

Deloitte Case competition

Situation

Task

Action

Result

How can you apply your leadership experience in the workplace?

Walk me through your resume

Heights Capital

No Limits

Catering / Prep Cook

Editor

Investment Club

Interests = basketball & philosophy

Walk me through the 3 Financial Sheets

Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows

IS = Profitability of Company

Revenue - Expenses

= Net Income

Specified over period of time

Balance Sheet just a snapshot unlike IS

Shows A, L, and SE

A = L + SE

CF = summary of amount of cash and cash equivalents entering and leaving company

NI adjusted for non cash expenses and non cash income to get cash from operating

Cash investing and financing added to get net change in cash for year

Why do you like to take on responsibilities?

S = short deadline and group member cannot meet

T = make a pitch for Heights Capital

A = take on increased responsibilities to ensure meet deadline

R = 17% return off proposed trade and a greater sense of accomplishment b/c contributed more and very competitive / prideful in work

Tell me about yourself

Present

Past

Future

Analyst Heights Capital studying Finance and Business Analytics, focus on technical trading but transitioning to more equity and debt valuations

From Houston and Mcallen TX, nationally ranked Debater recruited by Boston College

Very extroverted and competitive person who enjoys fostering relationships and a hard task

Company like from Credit perspective

Johnson & Johnson. At AA it has higher credit ratings than the United States itself. Very strong balance sheet and strong ability to service its debt with excess cash once expenses taken out of revenue. Debt profile managed well and its ratio of Assets to Liabilities suggest extremely strong credit.

"Describe a situation in the past where you demonstrated strong team-work."

S = Case competition on short Deadline with 3 team members

T = Coordinate as a team to maximize our presentation in the given time and handle all cost structure and finances for pilot program

A = Strong early group planning followed by highly individualized work

R = Optimized presentation that played to our strengths but was cohesive and structured

"What is your management style?"

Not someone to intimidate, foster relationship with team and are easily approachable

Hands off but always ready to assist

Internally motivates team

"Tell me about a time you valued one of your team member's effort more than your own?"

S = Create a Pitch with other first year analyst for Heights Capital

T = Asses thesis for trade on Macro Level

A = Contributed my portion but had no knowledge of how to actually structure the derivative

R = Relied on teammate to handle specifics and technicals of trade

Valued him more b/c my work was worthless without him and he was the backbone for allowing the trade to happen

"What do you typically do if you disagree with someone's idea?"

Contextual to situation

Respect and Deliberation provide best solution

Walk through objection and collaborate to reach best possible solution

What does leadership mean to you?

To me leadership implies certain characteristics.

A strong leader will be knowledgeable and qualified, easily approachable, a strong communicator, and willing to put the good of their team and project before their own

A leader should inspire and foster growth instead of intimidate or silence collaboration

"Can you provide some examples of good and bad leadership?"

Good = Inspiring team, strong connection and trust, knowledgeable and approachable

Bad = motivating team through fear, intimidation tactics, no self development for employees to express ideas

"How do you show leadership in the face of adversity?"

S = Create Pitch for Heights Capital down a group remember and on a tight time table

T = Organize team and structure project to meet deadline

A = Coordinated other group members to meet and laid foundation for project. Then dived up work accordingly

Emphasis on communicating to play to teams strength

R = successful pitch that returned 17%

"How would you motivate a disengaged employee?"

S = case competition but group member not contributing

T = motivate group member to meet deadline and optimize project

A = spoke with them about their current work and found out their portion was too removed from their area of study. Coordinated with another group member to change tasks

R = team member completed their portion and seemed to genuinely care about their work

Instilling self motivation and playing to teams strengths

"What inspires you?"

Opportunity

S = learning about Finance wanted to best position myself

T = join H-Cap to develop myself, very low acceptance rate

A = poured myself into crash coursing finance and over prepared for all rounds of the interviews

R = one of 7 sophomores out of over 100 applicants to make it

The opportunity to strategically position myself and maximize my potential motivated me

How do you deal with stress in your personal life?

My father taught me to be a problem solver not spotter.

Resolve issue causing stress

If irresolvable then working out distresses me and clears my head

"Tell me about a time when you did an effective job of managing a conflict?"

S = case competition but group member not contributing

T = motivate group member to meet deadline and optimize project

A = spoke with them about their current work and found out their portion was too removed from their area of study. Coordinated with another group member to change tasks

R = team member completed their portion and seemed to genuinely care about their work

"What is one of your biggest weaknesses and how do you deal with it?"

Learn best through personal experience which can entail an avoidable error

Something dealt with as matured

Shift paradigm to assume I know nothing to most effectively learn from others

This weakness is also a strength because in combatting it I make an extra effort to absorb and understand knowledge from others

What are some good things about failure?"

Motivation & Information