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Financial services industry interviews test the same case principles as those required to succeed in consulting interviews. In addition, financial services industry interviews test a candidate's understanding of the sector across several dimensions (see next section).
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Be aware, the type of the case you may be asked to solve can vary from interview to interview. Typical case exercises include:
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Market Sizing
Size the retail mortgage market of country A.
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Full, multi-part cases that drive to a decision
Should a consumer credit card company should launch a proposition targeting business customers?
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In-depth, written cases that are prepared beforehand and presented at interview
Prepare a strategic evaluation of Bank A vs. Bank B.
Here is a written case
I prepared for a successful interview with the Global Markets Division of Credit Suisse.
What Candidates Need to Know​
Develop a helicopter view of the financial system
In other words, understand the role different types of financial institutions and instruments play in fulfilling the primary objective of the financial system, which is to intermediate capital.
Understand the operating model of the type of financial institution you are interviewing for
For example, the operating model of a retail and business bank can be broken down into three key areas – underwriting, distribution and collections & recoveries.
Know the financial statements and metrics used to measure performance
Money is both the raw material into and the product out of a financial institution, which leads to a unique way of measuring performance. Have a solid grasp of key metrics such as Net Interest Margin, Leverage and Tier 1 Ratio.
Be aware of economic, regulatory and technological drivers affecting the industry
From regulations such as Basel, Solvency and Open Banking through to technological disruption from mobile wallets, cloud-based banking and blockchain - understand which drivers are relevant for your target financial institution.