I started my research on job opportunities by connecting with potential employee referrals. Once I found a referral I had to apply online mentioning the name of that person. After about a week I got an email for a phone interview.
The interview over the phone was very quick, about 15 min. I was asked to go over my CV, familiarity with financial asset classes and which specifically, recent news in the financial world (which you can easily look up on bloomberg news site).
The second interview was one-on-one in person. In my case it happened in the Madrid office. The interviewer was not punctual and I had to wait for her 45 minutes in addition to 30 min of my early bird arrival. She did not ask much about my past work experience. It almost seemed like they do not care what you did in the past, you just have to shine in that same moment and setting. She asked a bunch of questions on bonds, derivatives, and common financial concepts. To sum up: call/put options, CDS, interest rate swap, market cap, relationship between bond price and coupon rate. Besides there were questions about recent market events. If you speak foreign languages, they would test this too.
The outcome was that I need additional training that is why she offered Sales and Analytics opportunity, which is very entry level. Holding an MBA that was not an option for me.
In general I was dissatisfied with the company for several reasons.
- It was very difficult to differentiate the seniority level of each of their positions online; they do not make it clear. Be prepared, if you apply for more than 1 position, to explain what was your reasoning behind applying to each. I applied to about 5 and could not remember all of them. They checked that history.
- They blatantly disregard your past credentials. Even if you did almost a volunteering project for them in a different field.
- The office is a show off with stuffed kitchen and bathrooms, yet its clear frugality approach with regards to the salary. I would prefer the other way around, though:)
Hope that helps!