Citigroup Interview Guide – Secure Your Top Job in Finance!

Citigroup is always on the hunt for ambitious and talented individuals to join their investment banking team. But putting your foot in there as a student or a fresh graduate isn't just about having good grades and financial know-how. It's also about knowing what to expect and how to perform the best in interviews.

In this detailed guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to impress Citi's recruiters and land your dream job in investment banking.

What Is the Recruiting Process at Citigroup Like?

Although the recruitment process at Citi is as rigorous as other major financial players, it is a bit different than other financial institutions because they have so many programs for students and fresh graduates to choose from.

Let’s break the whole process into step-by-step stages:

1. Find a Program and Apply

The first step is to go to the jobs section of the Citigroup website, click “Students & Graduates, and select “Find a Program” from the sub-menu.

Next, choose a location, and then select from one of the following opportunities:

• Apprenticeship: This program provides an opportunity for you as an undergraduate to earn while you learn, know everything about financial services, and benefit from the education, experience, and mentorship. You’ll be considered for the permanent position at the end of your apprenticeship.
• Pre-Internship: These short-term programs take place during spring breaks or other times and introduce you to the opportunities at Citigroup. As a successful pre-intern, you may get the chance (after assessment) to work as an investment banking analyst afterwards.
• Short-term Internship for Summer Analysts: A 10-12 week paid program for undergraduates over the summer that exposes you to training, social events, as well as professional experience. If you succeed here, Citi will offer you a full-time role when you leave college.
• Long-term Internship for Placement Analysts: This paid program offers the same opportunities as the short-term summer analyst role. The difference is that you will be placed in a long-term commitment that can last anywhere between 6 and 24 months. With so much exposure, Citi absolutely makes sure that you perform at your best when you join them after exceeding in this long-term internship.
• Full-Time Analyst: Citi full-time analyst roles are also offered if you are in your last year of undergraduate, which also trains you to interact with clients and senior management to give your career a push.

After picking one program, choose “BCMA Investment Banking” on the next page, select a role offered in your preferred location, and click Apply. Next, create an account and sign in to the Citigroup portal to upload your CV and cover letter.

Your application will undergo an initial screening process, and Citi will notify you within 7-10 business days whether it is approved.

2. Online Assessments

If Citi shortlists your application, you’ll be invited to complete a few online assessments. These tests usually cover numerical reasoning, logical thinking, and sometimes situational judgment. This helps Citi recruiters make sure that you can handle the analytical demands of investment banking.

3. First Round Interview (Phone/Video)

After passing the online assessments, you’ll get an invite from Citi to attend a one-on-one phone or video call interview for behavioral and competency-based questions to see how good of a fit you are.

In rare cases, Citi recruiters may also ask you basic questions about:

• Financial analysis
• Valuation methods
• Investment banking principles.

4. Assessment Center

The next step is a visit to a Citi assessment center, especially for graduate or student roles. Here, you’ll get involved in group exercises and skills tests, where you are evaluated on teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving.

5. Final Round Interviews (Superday)

If you’ve passed the above stages, the last one is attending a Superday at one of the Citi centers or institutions for in-person interviews. You’ll meet multiple senior bankers, mostly MDs. They’ll ask you complicated questions (fit and technical) related to investment banking and engage you in a case study, which you may also take home over the weekend to prepare better.

During these final interviews, the interviewing panel further assesses your problem-solving skills, knowledge of capital raising, mergers & acquisitions, and other financial advisory services, as well as your cultural fit within the organization.

After clearing this stage, you’ll receive a job offer (contingent on passing background checks) with details about compensation, benefits, and the start date.

What Is the Timeline for the Recruiting Process at Citi?

The recruiting timeline at Citi for students and fresh graduates after applying to investment banking roles is fast and may take only one to two months:

• Online Assessment: 1–2 weeks after the application deadline.
• First Round Interview: 1–2 weeks after the assessments.
• Assessment Center: 2–3 weeks after first-round interviews.
• Final Round Interviews: 1–2 weeks after the assessment center or first-round interview.
• Job Offer: 5-10 days after passing Superday.

Note: For some applicants, the whole recruitment process may take up to 4 months because onboarding after accepting the final offer may take another 4-8 weeks.

What Is the Acceptance Rate for Citi?

The acceptance rate for investment banking roles at Citi is highly competitive, which clearly reflects the intense demand for these positions. While Citi does not publicly disclose exact figures, estimates suggest the acceptance rate for both full-time and summer internship positions is typically in the 1–3% range. This is comparable to other top-tier investment banks like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase.

What Can You Expect in Citigroup Interviews for Investment Banking Roles?

The questions Citi recruiters ask through the different interview rounds cover your cultural fit into the company as well as the technical skills you possess in investment banking.

To help you, we’ve included some example questions below that are asked of students and fresh graduates.

Fit Questions

When interviewing for an Investment Banking role at Citigroup, the fit portion of the interview helps the interviewer see whether your personality, values, and motivations align with the firm’s culture. Below are some example questions:

• What really motivates you to work at Citi?
• How do you handle stressful situations and long working hours?
• What market story have you been following related to Citigroup’s recent deals or initiatives?
• Tell me about a time you had to meet a tight deadline. How did you manage it?
• How do you balance attention to detail with working efficiently?

Brain Teasers

In interviews, especially with senior bankers, you may face brain teasers just to analyze how you think on your feet.

Some questions can be really weird, like why there is a need to make manhole covers in round shape or how many tennis balls fit in a Boeing 747. However, others are related to investment banking, such as how you would value a company with no revenue.

You might be presented with a little scenario in these types of questions. For example, Citi may ask you about the two companies, and both of them are almost the same in every way. The difference is that one trades at 25 P/E and the other at 20 P/E. Which company would you choose to invest in? (The correct answer is “B” here. 😉)

👉 Prepare for your interview with our Brainteaser collection.

Technical Questions (Skills Test)

The technical questions in Citi interviews test your knowledge of financial concepts and the skills you possess. Here are a few examples:

• What is the impact of debt on a company's capital structure?
• How do you calculate beta in the CAPM model?
• What are the key differences between levered and unlevered free cash flow?
• How do you perform a comparable company analysis (Comps)?
• What’s the difference between enterprise value and equity value?
• If you are only provided with one statement to determine the financial state of a firm, which one would you choose?

👉 Read our article about technical questions in investment banking Interviews for more practical tips!

How to Prepare for Citi Interviews?

Preparing for Citi interviews requires a comprehensive approach, as you will need to outshine everybody else in terms of both technical expertise and strong interpersonal skills.

Take your time and connect with people who are already working at Citi to learn more about the company’s culture. It’s best to read financial magazines like Wall Street Journal to stay updated on the latest market news regarding Citi so you can answer cultural fit questions accurately.

As a student or a graduate, participate in Citi’s self-paced job simulations to know what’s in store for you as an employee. This will help you prepare better for the upcoming interviews, particularly the questions that will test your technical skills.

There’s something else you can do!

Get coaching from someone who has already worked at Citi or other investment banks and knows all the ins and outs of the interviews, especially the group rounds and case studies.

👉 Find a coach and prepare for your interview

Key Takeaways

Investment banking is about building relationships, solving problems, and working as part of a team—all things you can show off in your Citigroup interview.

You’ve already done the studying, and now this guide has helped you with every stage of the interview. So, take a deep breath, trust in your preparation, and go in with a positive mindset. This is your chance to take the first step into a successful career at one of the world’s leading financial institutions.

Remember to wear professional attire, but stay comfortable, and listen to some of your favorite tracks to calm your nerves before stepping in. Good luck. You can do it!