Wall Street execs give inside scoop on interview process

A group of Wall Street executives, who also happen to be Arts & Sciences alumni, will visit campus later this month to give students the inside track on preparing for Wall Street interviews.

“We know that Arts & Sciences students who secure jobs on Wall Street or in consulting perform really well,” said Carl Contiguglia ‘89, Managing Director and Global Head of natural resources within the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley. “But the hurdle of landing the job in a highly selective process can be daunting.”

The February 26 4:30 p.m. workshop on campus, which is geared to first years and sophomores to help them prepare for interviews this fall, will include a presentation by Contiguglia, Scott Weiss ’00, head of sales at Melius Research, and other alumni. They’ll then do some role playing with students to illustrate typical questions and scenarios they might encounter in a Wall Street interview, and leave time for questions and answers.

Contiguglia said they’ll also point students to resources they can consult to further their understanding of basic finance concepts.

The Arts & Sciences Career Development Center offers a host of workshops and sessions for students preparing for conventional interviews, but the Wall Street process is a unique one, Contiguglia said.

“We’re going to introduce the framework and help them to know what to do to prepare for an interview on Wall Street, including the background and key applied topics they will need to know,” he said, adding that there are numerous resources that provide additional help and information. “We’ll also walk them through the do’s and don’t’s,” he said.

“We are delighted that our alumni are taking such an active role in preparing students for technical interviews,” said Jennifer Maclaughlin, director of the Arts & Sciences Career Development Center. “Arts & Sciences students possess the skill sets necessary, and are actively recruited by financial services firms.  This workshop will give students the ability to step confidently into their interviews and articulate the contributions they can make to an employer.”