Table of Contents

1. How Should I Prepare for Interviews? – technical, behavioural and company research prep; checklist
2. How Do I Build Confidence? – asking questions, mentors, owning wins
3. Everything Is a Mindset: How Do I Bounce Back from Setbacks? – handling rejection, mindset shifts Further Resources – curated links (Mergers & Inquisitions, YouTube channels, podcasts, books)

8. How Should I Prepare for Interviews?

Key Points:

• 📈 Know the Technicals (varies by role): For investing, study accounting, valuation, and market basics (DCF, multiples, etc.)
• 🔤 Know the World: Read WSJ, FT, and follow finance X to form opinions
• 💬 Know Yourself: Prepare answers to e.g. "Why finance?", "Why this firm?", “Why this team?”, “Why you” and your story

Bottom line:

"Interview prep = technical + macro + soul. Know the numbers, the news, and yourself."

Finance Interview Prep Guide

Quick Tip:

🔍 For an investor or IB role - pretend you’re pitching the firm as an investor. Know their strategy, language, and worldview—and tailor your answers accordingly.

BONUS

✅ Finance Interview Prep Checklist

🧠 TECHNICAL PREP

• [ ] Review accounting basics: Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow
• [ ] Master valuation methods: DCF, comparables, LBO (as relevant)
• [ ] Practice role-specific skills:
  • IB → Deal flow, accretion/dilution
  • AM → Pitch a stock or macro view
  • PE/VC → Due diligence, term sheets
  • Impact/Climate/Sustainable Investing → ESG metrics, theory of change

🏢 COMPANY RESEARCH

• [ ] Visit the company website (values, divisions, recent news)
• [ ] Read the latest annual report or 10-K
• [ ] Watch CEO/CIO interviews on YouTube or Bloomberg
• [ ] Read letter to shareholders
• [ ] Listen to an earnings call (especially for AM/IB roles)
• [ ] Follow relevant team leads or partners on LinkedIn

🤝 NETWORKING - In finance, IT IS ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW THAT MATTERS MORE THAN WHAT YOU KNOW!

• [ ] Reach out to alumni or professionals in the firm/team
• [ ] Ask insightful questions: “What does day-to-day operation look like?”, “What do you love about your job?”, “What are some challenges in your business these days?”, “What key industry regulations are shaping the industry landscape these days?”, “What’s on clients’ minds these days?”, “What are you most excited about these days?,” “Can you walk me through your journey wand what steps you took to get to where you are today?,” etc.
• [ ] Practice informational interviews (even 15 min helps!)

🗣️ STORY & BEHAVIORAL PREP

• [ ] Know your “Why finance?” and “Why this firm/team/role?”
• [ ] Craft a 60–90 sec elevator pitch
• [ ] Prepare 3–5 STAR stories:
  • Teamwork
  • Problem-solving
  • Failure/recovery
  • Leadership
  • Ethics/judgment

🌍 MARKETS & NEWS AWARENESS ⇒ You can ask AI to set this up for you

• [ ] Here are some inspirations for you:
• Wake-up Time: Around 4:35 a.m.
• Newspapers Read: Dimon reads five newspapers each morning in a specific order:
  1. The Washington Post: He flips through the front page, business section, and editorials to gauge national news and opinions.
  2. The New York Times: He reads the front section thoroughly, including the business section, regardless of agreement with the perspectives presented.
  3. The Wall Street Journal: Focuses on the front section and the Exchange section for business trends and financial insights.
  4. Financial Times (FT): Provides an international perspective, crucial for JPMorgan's operations in over 100 countries.
  5. The Economist: Reserved for weekends, offering comprehensive analysis of global events in regions like Pakistan, India, the UK, the Middle East, and China.Note) This structured approach to news consumption helps Dimon stay ahead in the financial world, make informed business decisions, and lead one of the world's largest banks effectively. Source: https://www.ceotodaymagazine.com/2025/02/jamie-dimons-morning-routine-for-success-how-he-stays-ahead/
• After his reading routine, Dimon incorporates exercise into his morning before heading to his office in midtown New York.
• By dedicating the early hours to comprehensive news consumption and physical activity, Dimon ensures he is well-prepared to navigate the complexities of the global financial landscape.
• [ ] Track central bank and macro news
• [ ] Follow 2–3 finance thinkers on Twitter
• [ ] Develop a light market view or opinion on recent trends

[ ] Read WSJ, FT, or Economist headlines daily

🗞️ Jamie Dimon's Morning Reading Routine Example

🏋️‍♂️ Additional Morning Activities

🎯 FINAL PREP

• [ ] Mock interview with a friend or coach
• [ ] Rehearse aloud: walk-through resume, transitions, tone
• [ ] Prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewer
• [ ] Get good sleep, dress sharp, bring your curiosity

9. How Do I Build Confidence?

Key Points:

• 🤔 Ask Good Questions💬 Mindset Shift: Curiosity > perfection. In finance, thoughtful questions signal depth and discernment—more than trying to appear flawless.
• ⚖️ Find Mentors📌 Pro Tip: Seek people who both challenge and champion you. Mentors aren’t always obvious—they could be a VP, a peer, or even someone outside your team.
• ✏️ Own Your Wins🪞 Reflective Prompt: Keep a log—small victories, moments of courage, feedback that landed. Confidence compounds when you track your progress, not just outcomes.

💬 Mindset Shift:

Confidence doesn’t come from already knowing—it comes from willingness to grow in public.

📌 Pro Tip:

Rehearse. Ask. Iterate. Then do it again. Your confidence lives in motion, not mastery.

🔮 Soul Insight:

“Confidence comes from clarity, consistency, and asking better questions.”

🎯 From the Field:

The bravest analysts I knew weren’t the loudest—they were the ones who asked the best follow-up questions in meetings. Humble, sharp, and trusted.

🌱 Quote to Carry:

“Through every generation of the human race there has been a constant war, a war with fear.

Those who have the courage to conquer it are made free and those who are conquered by it are made to suffer until they have the courage to defeat it, or death takes them.”

— Alexander the Great

10. Everything Is a Mindset: How Do I Bounce Back from Setbacks or Disappointments After Interviews?

Key Points:

• 🪞 Feel It FirstIt’s okay to acknowledge the sting—for a few hours, or even a day. Cry if you need to. Let the frustration move through your body.Go for a walk. Lift something heavy. Punch a pillow.Just don’t let the energy fester.Release, then reset.
• 🌳 “A Tree with Deep Roots Doesn't Sway”💬 Mindset Shift:When the wind comes—and it will—what matters is what you’re rooted in.Your value isn’t defined by one recruiter’s opinion.Gather feedback. Reflect honestly. Reconnect with your vision, your mission, and your inner knowing, and adjust.🔮 Soul Insight:Think of rejection as resilience training. It’s expanding your capacity—for greater responsibility, higher stakes, and more visibility.You’re not being denied.You’re being fortified for something better and bigger!💬 Reframe: No is not rejection. It is crisis avoided.🎯From the Field: I once received an offer for what I believed was my dream job. At the last minute, it fell through—and I was crushed. It even entailed the relocation to another country- and it was after I said bye to everyone at work and friends. A couple of years later, I learned the entire team had been dissolved. What felt like a setback was actually protection by the Universe. The role was never meant to hold me.📌Pro Tip: When a door unexpectedly closes, assume there’s hidden data working in your favor. Delay is not denial—it’s often strategic redirection by the universe.
• ✨ When in Doubt, Connect to Something Bigger Than You🔮 Soul Insight:Operate from service, not ego. Be a vessel.When you co-create with the universe—from a place of sincerity, alignment, and gratitude—miracles happen.Visualize your highest timeline. Speak it. Walk it. Let it call you forward.🌱 Reflective Prompt:What would it feel like to act as if my dream role is already mine—and I'm simply catching up to it?
• 🏃 Build Self-Trust Through Small Wins📌 Pro Tip: Set a goal that stretches you—and crush it.Run that 5K. Record that mock interview. Finish that prep packet.Every win becomes proof.Confidence is built through movement, an action—not thought.
• 🔁 Transmute the Energy🎯 From the Field:That spark of momentum from a win? Don’t waste it.Use it to write that email. Make that call. Finish that application.Don’t chase roles—align with your future self.Match that frequency.
• 😌 Enjoy the Journey🌱 Soul Insight: Life is short and wild and beautiful.Don’t let stress, pressure, or one rejection steal your spark.This moment will pass—and one day, you’ll be glad it did.

📌 Bottom Line:

“Rejection is just redirection. Crisis averted. Trust the detour. Train harder. Show up better. Then come back with fire and clarity.”

📖 Final Quote to Carry:

“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried.

But you’ve actually been planted.”

— Christine Caine

📚 Further Resources

📈 Technical & Interview Prep

• Mergers & Inquisitions – Deep-dive guides on IB/PE/consulting
• Breaking Into Wall Street – Hands-on modeling courses and interview prep
• Wall Street Oasis – Forum, guides, and real-life career Q&As

🎥 YouTube Channels

• Patrick Lee – Interview strategies and career storytelling
• Rareliquid – IB/PE/AM walkthroughs and day-in-the-life videos

🎧 Podcasts & News Sources

• Odd Lots, Macro Voices, Animal Spirits – Smart market perspectives
• Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Economist – Global market literacy

📱 Instagram

• @thewallstreetskinny – Careers, trends, and modern finance tips

📚 Books Worth Reading

• What It Takes — Stephen Schwarzman (Blackstone co-founder, grit and strategy)
• Principles — Ray Dalio (Bridgewater, systems thinking meets life philosophy)
• The Psychology of Money — Morgan Housel (timeless wisdom on money and behavior)

End of Guide.

Keep learning, stay grounded, and remember: the world needs more finance leaders with heart. Grow the pie instead of competing in the zero-sum game.