If you're looking to start your career in finance, Jefferies could be a great place to start. The firm is known for its strong deal flow, hands-on experience, and competitive culture – making it a great choice for aspiring investment bankers.
But like any top bank, getting hired isn’t easy. The interview process is tough, and you need to be well-prepared to stand out. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the application process to interview questions and the best ways to prepare. Let’s get started!
Jefferies is a top investment bank that competes well with the largest IB firms. In 2024, for instance, Jefferies had a global revenue market share of 2.8%, giving it the seventh position. The firm’s journey began in 1962 in Los Angeles. But the headquarters later relocated to New York. Today, Jefferies has over 30 offices across the globe covering the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
Beyond investment banking, Jefferies operates several specialized divisions that round out their full-service offering. These include research, fixed income, wealth management, equities, and corporate advisory.
Jefferies recruitment process typically involves an initial application, online assessment, phone screening, first-round of interviews, superday, and final offer. It’s not a rigid process, so you can expect some variations depending on location, mode of application, and other factors.
Here’s what each of the Jefferies’ interview stages involves.
1. Initial Application
For most candidates, the recruitment process begins with submitting an online application through the Jefferies Job Portal. A few get direct invitations to interviews through employee referrals and personal connections. Another way to submit the initial application is through your campus.
Jefferies has a graduate recruitment program for full-time analysts and associates. There’s also a summer internship program for students in undergraduate and MBA levels. For the programs, you need to check the timelines and apply before the deadline. You can also check and apply through other opportunities on the official website which are often for experienced professionals.
After the initial application, you may have to complete online assessments, which often assess numerical and verbal reasoning skills. The numerical reasoning test evaluates the ability to work with financial-related documents, while the verbal reasoning test involves reading comprehension and analysis of written extracts.
3. Phone Interview
If you pass the online assessments, you will progress to the phone screening stage. Some people get one phone interview while others can get even two. The call lasts about 30 minutes.
During this interview, you might discuss your background, motivations for pursuing a career in finance, and specific interests in Jefferies. Interviewers often ask about experiences and how they relate to the role.
4. First-Round of Interviews
Once you’re done with the screening stages of online assessments and phone interviews, your next stage is a one-on-one interview. It can either be virtual or physical. You should expect mostly behavioral questions that assess your cultural fit, usually with the HR. But don’t rule out the possibility for technical questions as well.
5. Superday or Assessment Center
The final round of interviews is a superday. The day involves a series of one-on-one interviews, group exercises, and case studies. This stage allows Jefferies to evaluate your teamwork, problem-solving abilities, and fit within the company culture. Thus, you’ll have both fit and technical questions.
Most candidates report three rounds of back to back interviews and a case study later in the day. There’s a one hour period allowed to prepare for the case study and then you present in the presence of peers and interviewers. The tricky part is that everyone in the entire group mostly presents the same case. So, you have to be good with technicals and ensure that you stand out.
👉 Learn more about this part of the recruiting process in our article on the Investment Banking Superday.
The timeline of the recruitment process at Jefferies from initial application to offer stage can be anywhere from one to two months. You may experience a shorter or longer timeframe. However, you can always know where you are at in the interview process by logging into your Jefferies account.
During Jefferies interviews, you should expect behavioral and technical questions. Although all investment banks evaluate these two areas, Jefferies is well-known for doing a comprehensive assessment on cultural fit and personal attributes during the interview process.
Some will be basic behavioral questions while others can get specific. Here are samples of Jefferies investment banking interview fit questions:
The technical portion can be tough with more weight on oil and gas sectors. Here are some examples of technical Jefferies interview questions:
If you want to go through the interview process confidently and secure your dream job at Jefferies, you must prepare thoroughly. That’s the only way you will be able to answer all of the questions and impress the interviewers.
To prepare for Jefferies interviews, do a lot of self-study, conduct mock interviews, and invest in coaching. Here’s how you can go about each of these proven interview preparation tips.
Self Study
During the interview preparation period, allocate time to self-study. Then use these sessions to research the firm well including recent deals, company culture, and values. The other areas you need to work on during self-study are technical and behavioral questions.
Ensure you understand current market trends, valuation methods, financial models, financial statements, and all other typical investment banking technical topics. These will also help you with the other IB interviews you might secure at other firms. Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with the oil and gas companies or else it might hurt your chances.
For the behaviorals, find the common questions online. Then practice how to answer them using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) which helps to structure your responses impressively.
Mock Interviews
After getting comfortable with behavioral and technical questions during your self study, consider doing mock interviews. These interviews allow you to practice your responses, receive feedback, and reduce anxiety before your actual Jefferies interview. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Ensure you create conditions similar to actual interviews. You can do this by dressing in professional attire, asking the interviewer to use a mix of expected and unexpected questions, and practicing with strangers or unfamiliar connections.
👉 On our Meeting Board, you can connect with like-minded peers and find your interview partner for practice!
Hire an Interview Coach
After doing some mock interviews, you’re ready to hear the feedback of a professional interview coach who specializes in financial services and investment banking recruitment. Coaches with investment banking backgrounds understand what Jefferies specifically looks for in candidates and can provide insider perspectives on their recruitment processes.
Beyond general interview advice, a coach can identify subtle issues in your responses, body language, or technical explanations that might escape notice in peer feedback. You may also receive customized strategies to address your specific weaknesses while enhancing your unique strengths. The interview skills you can gain with a coach extend beyond your current Jefferies interview, and provides value throughout your career advancement.
👉 Check out our Coach Directory and find the right experts to take your preparation to the next level!
Jefferies is a full-service independent investment banking and capital markets firm that ranks well across major sectors and regions. In most years, it comes up among the top 10 leading investment banks with the largest revenue market share.
The interview process at Jefferies includes an initial application, psychometric tests, phone screening, first-round, superday, and final offer. To ace this process and secure a role, you can prepare through self-study, mock interviews, and working with an interview coach.
