Finance Associate Interview

Question

I have a super day coming up for a financial operations analyst position at an asset management firm. For their interview description, they mentioned that there would be 3 parts: Behavioral, Live Problem Solving Case, and Analytical Case (Brain teaser-like cases) (45 mins each). I understand how I can prepare for the Behavioral part but I needed some guidance on preparing for the other two. What would be some good resources to use?

Answer 1

Hey there,

I know your interview is probably long over, but I still wanted to give an answer for anyone else preparing for something similar.

For the Live Problem-Solving Case, I would expect something operational. That could be optimizing a process, resolving trade discrepancies, or handling an unexpected issue in financial operations. Practicing structured thinking with consulting-style case studies (like PrepLounge’s case library) helps, but I would also recommend to look for some finance-specific cases related to trade settlements, reconciliations, or operational risk.

For the Analytical Case (brain teasers), it's all about quick logic and mental math. Classic finance brain teasers and estimation problems are a good preparation for that. PrepLounge has some, but you can also find tons of them online if you google it.

If you already had the interview, I’d love to hear how it went. What kind of questions came up? That would also be quite helpful for others prepping for similar roles.

Answer 2

Having worked in both consulting and finance, I’d say the main difference is the focus. In consulting, it’s about big... (read entire answer)

Having worked in both consulting and finance, I’d say the main difference is the focus. In consulting, it’s about big-picture problem-solving, like helping a client expand into... (read entire answer)