On-site corporate finance interview

[WichitaDM]

So i have an onsite interview for a large corporate firm. It is for an entry level finance position. I am looking for advice on how to handle this, this is the final step after the phone interview etc. While i have had on site interviews previously i either have apparantly not handled them perfectly, or am awaiting responses from others so have never been successful.

To give a little background i have a masters degree that i recieved in december, however havent worked in like 3 years bc of poker. The interview is a fairly standard corporate interview process

30mn with hr
1 hr with treasurer
1 hr with guy who would be my boss
1 hr with person who was formerly in this position x2
15m wrapup with hr

Any advice on how to specifically nail this type of interview. Obviously we are past the point of look sharp, look people in the eye etc. Im looking for ideas on how to make an impression, or basically have a solid in person interview for this kind of a position.

Thanks ahead of time oh wise OOT.

[llayner]

Know your debits/credits - be sure to ask how much accounting you'll be doing (if any) - usually entry level is a lot of P/L smoothing.

Is finance the operation or is it for an operation (industry?)

I got a lot of questions like - why is a manhole round / how many piano tuners are in Chicago / questions that want to see how you think. If you nail those, you're typically in the door.

[ChipStorm]

OP, aside from all the standard prep stuff...

If you've been playing poker for 3 years, be prepared to describe that experience professionally, including metrics: hand play rates, win rates, capital invested, return on capital and time invested. Remember that lots of the great unwashed know nothing about our world, many probably think making money playing the game can't be done. Go into mathematical detail.

If you can impress them with careful reasoning over approaching your poker playing as a conscious professional choice, you'll be a standout and will give yourself an excellent chance.

"Finance" covers a lot of ground. Is it cash management? Control (p&l)? Capital markets?

[Ra_]

[ QUOTE ]
OP, aside from all the standard prep stuff...

If you've been playing poker for 3 years, be prepared to describe that experience professionally, including metrics: hand play rates, win rates, capital invested, return on capital and time invested. Remember that lots of the great unwashed know nothing about our world, many probably think making money playing the game can't be done. Go into mathematical detail.

If you can impress them with careful reasoning over approaching your poker playing as a conscious professional choice, you'll be a standout and will give yourself an excellent chance.

"Finance" covers a lot of ground. Is it cash management? Control (p&l)? Capital markets?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would try not to bring up poker. were you doing anything else over the 3 years you could say was your occupation? I could see many in the corporate world seeing this as a "huge red flag."

Edit: No matter how you explain it, i'd guess 50% of interviewers would see this as you have/had a gambling problem

[WichitaDM]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
OP, aside from all the standard prep stuff...

If you've been playing poker for 3 years, be prepared to describe that experience professionally, including metrics: hand play rates, win rates, capital invested, return on capital and time invested. Remember that lots of the great unwashed know nothing about our world, many probably think making money playing the game can't be done. Go into mathematical detail.

If you can impress them with careful reasoning over approaching your poker playing as a conscious professional choice, you'll be a standout and will give yourself an excellent chance.

"Finance" covers a lot of ground. Is it cash management? Control (p&l)? Capital markets?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would try not to bring up poker. were you doing anything else over the 3 years you could say was your occupation? I could see many in the corporate world seeing this as a "huge red flag."

Edit: No matter how you explain it, i'd guess 50% of interviewers would see this as you have/had a gambling problem

[/ QUOTE ]

In previous interviews i have never brought this up. I simply stated that i was focusing on grad school the last few years and they didnt ask any further. For this interview it is a little complicated because the guy who would be my boss is an acquaintance of my roommate. Because of this at least he knows that i have played poker professionally for the last several years while in school. Apparantly he doesnt have a huge problem with it or i would not be getting the interview. My roommate told me not to bring it up, however dont be suprised if it comes up.

Oh and this is not a company in the finance industry, i would simply be working in their finance department.

As far as the questions that were mentioned earlier in the thread "how many piano tuners are there in chicago". I havent encountered this type of question in past interviews, but i my gut instinct would be to make some type of an answer out of the fact that while there is no way i know how many piano tuners there would be in any city of the top of my head, a simple answer stating that the number of piano tuners would be equivalent to the demand for this service. But maybe thats just the masters in economics talking, and maybe thats a horrible answer, not sure...

[llayner]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
OP, aside from all the standard prep stuff...

If you've been playing poker for 3 years, be prepared to describe that experience professionally, including metrics: hand play rates, win rates, capital invested, return on capital and time invested. Remember that lots of the great unwashed know nothing about our world, many probably think making money playing the game can't be done. Go into mathematical detail.

If you can impress them with careful reasoning over approaching your poker playing as a conscious professional choice, you'll be a standout and will give yourself an excellent chance.

"Finance" covers a lot of ground. Is it cash management? Control (p&l)? Capital markets?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would try not to bring up poker. were you doing anything else over the 3 years you could say was your occupation? I could see many in the corporate world seeing this as a "huge red flag."

Edit: No matter how you explain it, i'd guess 50% of interviewers would see this as you have/had a gambling problem

[/ QUOTE ]

In previous interviews i have never brought this up. I simply stated that i was focusing on grad school the last few years and they didnt ask any further. For this interview it is a little complicated because the guy who would be my boss is an acquaintance of my roommate. Because of this at least he knows that i have played poker professionally for the last several years while in school. Apparantly he doesnt have a huge problem with it or i would not be getting the interview. My roommate told me not to bring it up, however dont be suprised if it comes up.

Oh and this is not a company in the finance industry, i would simply be working in their finance department.

As far as the questions that were mentioned earlier in the thread "how many piano tuners are there in chicago". I havent encountered this type of question in past interviews, but i my gut instinct would be to make some type of an answer out of the fact that while there is no way i know how many piano tuners there would be in any city of the top of my head, a simple answer stating that the number of piano tuners would be equivalent to the demand for this service. But maybe thats just the masters in economics talking, and maybe thats a horrible answer, not sure...

[/ QUOTE ]

I have the MA in econ as well and this question was at a big IBank in ny - basically, you ball park it and the answers not important, its the process you go though. Their making sure you don't throw your hands up in the air and say there's no way to answer it. There's a formal name for this type of question but I can't remember it at the moment...

And on a side note - bringing up poker worked very well for me in creating discussion. It may be because I'm a chick (my friends and I have discussed this extensively - the guy that works at the same place never brings it up and is a much more solid player). If you're a guy, it might seem degen to bring it up. Anyway, you've been in school for a few years so that has you covered on resume gaps.

[KotOD]

[ QUOTE ]


I would try not to bring up poker. were you doing anything else over the 3 years you could say was your occupation? I could see many in the corporate world seeing this as a "huge red flag."

Edit: No matter how you explain it, i'd guess 50% of interviewers would see this as you have/had a gambling problem

[/ QUOTE ]

"Uh, everything that guy just said is [censored]. Thank you."

This is certainly not the case anymore. Please stop giving bad advice. Most guys, even those in the "corporate world" you dismiss, play poker regularly or semi-regularly and those that don't are well aware that everyone around them is playing cards.

OP - Be honest about your time because they're going to find out eventually anyway.

[ChipStorm]

[ QUOTE ]
I have the MA in econ as well and this question was at a big IBank in ny - basically, you ball park it and the answers not important, its the process you go though. Their making sure you don't throw your hands up in the air and say there's no way to answer it. There's a formal name for this type of question but I can't remember it at the moment...

And on a side note - bringing up poker worked very well for me in creating discussion. It may be because I'm a chick (my friends and I have discussed this extensively - the guy that works at the same place never brings it up and is a much more solid player). If you're a guy, it might seem degen to bring it up. Anyway, you've been in school for a few years so that has you covered on resume gaps.

[/ QUOTE ]

You simply need to be prepared to discuss your poker time professionally. You don't have to bring it up, but evasion and equivocation in an interview are death. So if asked, you have to be ready to respond fully, truthfully and coherently. And if you spend enough effort thinking about that poker time, you can spin some strong, impressive answers for the open-minded but curious interviewer. That's all.

"How many piano tuners in Chicago?" The exercise is to attempt to ballpark (as llayner said), from numbers you have a better handle on. Population of Chicago? Proportion of population that plays an instrument? A piano? Frequency with which a piano might have to be tuned? Time it might take to do it?

My favorites of this ilk are,
"How many ping pong balls would fit inside a Boeing 747?"
"How many gas stations are there in the United States?"

[Bulldog]

ping pong balls: With standard equipment (seats, etc.) installed? Say 15 million.

gas stations: I'm thinking about 1 per 2,000 people, so 150,000

[DavidC]

[ QUOTE ]
Know your debits/credits - be sure to ask how much accounting you'll be doing (if any) - usually entry level is a lot of P/L smoothing.

Is finance the operation or is it for an operation (industry?)

I got a lot of questions like - why is a manhole round / how many piano tuners are in Chicago

[/ QUOTE ]

4, and if you believed that, you'll also believe that we made 1.5 billion last year.