What is the most common question asked at the start of a behavioral interview?
"Tell me about yourself."
What are the three main financial statements?
Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement
Consumer Price Index - tracks inflation in consumer goods and services
Send a thank-you email!
Who are the big 4 accounting firms?
Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG
What does each letter in the STAR method stand for?
S- Situation, T- Task, A- Action, R- Result
What is EBITDA, and why is it important?
Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It is used to compare profitability between companies.
What was the GFC and its causes?
The GFC was the Great Financial Crisis and was caused by a housing bubble, subprime mortgages, and excessive leverage in 2008.
How long can an elevator pitch be?
About 30 -60 seconds
McKinsey, BCG, Bain
What is a red flag answer when asked "What's your greatest weakness?"
Saying "I'm a perfectionist" is seen as a cop out answer. While it sounds humble, it doesn't show a real weakness and lacks self-awareness.
What does "working capital" measure?
A firm's liquidity (Current Assets - Current Liabilities)
Whats the difference between fiscal and monetary policy?
Fiscal = actions by the government: government spending/taxes
Monetary = actions by the central bank (Federal Reserve): money supply and rates
How should you keep people updated after your call?
Following up with updates about yourself (ex: new job, research, internship)
What company's motto used to be "Don't be evil?"
Give us your elevator pitch
Introduce yourself, give some background/context, explain your aspirations and how that connects to the contact
Are there more windows or wheels in NYC?
What happens to bond prices when interest rates rise?
Bond prices and interest rates have an inverse relationship. Prices fall as rates rise.
Walk me through a networking email
Who you are
Why they're interesting to you
Respectful call to action
What IPO takes place in the Wolf of Wall Street?
Stratton Oakmont's fake IPO of Steve Madden
What are your 3 greatest weaknesses?
Give a real weakness, but it should not be detrimental to the job and you should show that you are working on it
Walk me through how the three financial statements link together

What does "bull market" mean?
Prices are rising, investor confidence is high.
You missed a networking call! What do you do?
Immediately reach out to the contact, explain yourself, and aim to reschedule
What color is most associated with Wall Street Firms and finance logos?
Blue because it represents trust and stability.