I’ve been working with a few clients recently on interview coaching (hiring market really seems to be heating up at the moment).
A big part of interview preparation is anticipating likely questions. It got me thinking about difficult interviews I’ve had in the past, and in particular challenging interview questions.
During my undergraduate degree I was in the final round interview for a front office investment banking summer internship in London. Investment banking is notorious for grilling their candidates during the interview process, to see how they respond under pressure – and is insanely competitive with hundreds of applications per role.
I was asked, “If I was designing a transport system, would I install more entrances or exits?”
What do you think? How would you have answered?
I’m going to be honest…I panicked a bit. Thankfully, I think the interviewing manager had warmed to me (we had bonded over his connection to Ireland already) and he gave me a gentle steer by asking me to imagine the flow of traffic. Getting the interviewer to like you can go a long way!
Anyway, the answer I gave (which I guess was the correct one because I ended up getting the job offer and completing the internship) was more exits. Why? Imagine a train station – people arrive at different times before a scheduled departure. But once a train arrives, everyone exits at more or less the same time – suggesting a need for more exit than entry flow capacity.
Want help preparing for interviews (including how to handle difficult interview questions?) Read about our interview coaching package below (includes interview tips sheet to help you get the most out of the 1.5 hour coaching session, and written feedback after the session).