Credit Suisse Behavioural Q's

Credit Suisse Behavioural Interview Questions

A comprehensive guide to the most frequently asked behavioural questions in Credit Suisse investment banking interviews.

Q1 What is something not on your resume that you wish you could have included?

HOW TO ANSWER

• Choose a meaningful experience or quality that reveals a positive trait applicable to investment banking, such as resilience, creativity, or leadership in a non- traditional context.
• Briefly narrate the story behind this experience. It could be a personal project, a significant challenge you overcame, or a skill you developed outside of formal work or academics.
• Focus on the lesson learned or the quality it demonstrates. For example, overcoming a personal challenge shows perseverance and determination.
• Conclude by explaining why this quality is important to you and how it would contribute to your success as an analyst.

Q2 For some people it is religion, for others it is family. What grounds you?

HOW TO ANSWER

• Answer genuinely while maintaining a professional tone. This question assesses your stability, values, and ability to handle pressure.
• Identify a core principle or source of stability that is meaningful to you. Examples could include a commitment to continuous learning, the discipline of a particular hobby or sport, or the perspective gained from mentors and family.
• Explain how this principle or support system grounds you, especially during challenging or high-stress periods.
• Subtly connect this back to the demanding nature of banking, demonstrating that you have a strong internal foundation to maintain balance and resilience.

Q3 It's late at night, and you're preparing a pitch deck for a sell-side M&A process due in the morning. You cannot reach your VP or MD, but you suspect there's a significant error in the client's valuation methodology. What do you do?

HOW TO ANSWER

• First, do not send the deck. Your primary responsibility is to protect the firm from distributing potentially incorrect analysis.
• Thoroughly double-check your own findings to be certain there is a likely error. Clearly document your reasoning, calculations, and the specific assumptions you are questioning.
• Prepare two versions of the key slides: one reflecting the original numbers and another with your proposed corrections. Use footnotes to clearly explain the changes and the rationale behind them.
• Draft a concise, professional email to your VP and MD summarizing the issue. Attach both versions for their review and state that you will await their guidance before proceeding. This demonstrates sound judgment, initiative, and analytical rigor.

Q4 Tell me about a time you had to bring together people from different business units to achieve a goal.

HOW TO ANSWER

• Use the STAR method to structure your answer.
• Situation: Describe the project and why it required cross-functional collaboration.
• Task: Clearly state the common goal that needed to be achieved.
• Action: Detail the specific steps you took to facilitate communication, align objectives, and manage different perspectives to foster a collaborative environment.
• Result: Explain the successful outcome of the project and what you learned about cross-functional teamwork.

Q5 Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult subordinate.

HOW TO ANSWER

• Situation: Describe the context, the team, and the subordinate's specific difficult behavior (e.g., missing deadlines, poor quality work, negative attitude).
• Action: Detail the steps you took. Start with a private conversation to understand the root cause. Provide clear, constructive feedback and set specific, measurable expectations. Offer support and resources, and document your conversations.
• Result: Explain the outcome. Ideally, the subordinate's performance improved. If not, describe the professional steps you took next. Emphasize lessons learned about leadership, communication, and performance management.

Q6 Tell me about a cause that is important to you.

HOW TO ANSWER

• Identify a specific cause you are genuinely passionate about.
• Explain concisely why this cause resonates with you personally.
• Describe your involvement, whether through volunteering, fundraising, or advocacy. Be specific about your actions and contributions.
• Conclude by subtly linking a positive trait demonstrated through your involvement (e.g., commitment, empathy, initiative) to your character.

Q7 Tell me about a time when you had to deal with something being done that was unethical.

HOW TO ANSWER

• Situation: Describe a specific situation where you observed an action that clearly crossed an ethical line (e.g., plagiarism, misrepresenting data, breaking a clear rule). Keep it professional and anonymous.
• Task: Explain the dilemma you faced and your responsibility to act.
• Action: Detail your response. A strong answer often involves addressing the person directly and privately first. If that fails or is inappropriate, explain your decision to escalate the issue to a manager, professor, or compliance officer.
• Result: Conclude with the outcome and reinforce your commitment to integrity, explaining that it's a non-negotiable principle for you.

Q8 How do you build relationships?

HOW TO ANSWER

• Show Genuine Interest: Ask thoughtful questions and actively listen to understand others' perspectives and responsibilities.
• Be Reliable and Proactive: Consistently deliver high-quality work and look for opportunities to help teammates before being asked.
• Maintain a Positive Attitude: Be approachable, coachable, and maintain composure under pressure.
• Follow Through: Build trust by always doing what you say you will do.

Q9 Tell me about a time you prioritized forming a relationship.

HOW TO ANSWER

• Situation: Explain why building a specific relationship was important for a project's success or your own development.
• Task: Your goal was to build trust and establish a collaborative connection.
• Action: Describe the specific, proactive steps you took, such as scheduling a coffee chat, offering assistance on one of their tasks, or making an effort to understand their work and challenges.
• Result: Detail the positive outcome - a stronger working relationship that led to better collaboration, more efficient work, or a successful project outcome.

Q10 If you had an autobiography, what would you title it?

HOW TO ANSWER

• Choose a title that reflects a core personal or professional theme, such as resilience, curiosity, or continuous improvement.
• Example: 'Always Day One' to show a commitment to constant learning and avoiding complacency.
• Example: 'The Power of Preparation' to highlight your work ethic and attention to detail.
• Briefly explain the 'why' behind your title, connecting it to a key aspect of your character that would make you a good analyst.

Q11 Tell me about a time when you had to build team consensus.

HOW TO ANSWER

• Situation: Describe a situation where your team had differing opinions on a significant decision.
• Task: Your goal was to get everyone to agree on a single path forward to avoid stalling the project.
• Action: Explain how you facilitated a discussion. This should include making sure all viewpoints were heard, using data or logic to evaluate options, and identifying common ground or a potential compromise.
• Result: Describe how the team reached a consensus. Emphasize the positive outcome of moving forward in a unified way.

Q12 What's the dynamic between the associate and analyst and how will you handle that?

HOW TO ANSWER

• The Associate acts as the project manager and first line of review. They delegate tasks to the Analyst, provide guidance, and are responsible for the quality of the Analyst's work product.
• The Analyst is responsible for the execution of tasks - building models, creating slides, and conducting research - with speed and perfect accuracy.
• Be reliable and detail-oriented to earn their trust.
• Communicate proactively; provide updates on your progress and flag any potential issues early.
• Be coachable and receptive to feedback, viewing it as a tool for improvement.
• Your goal is to make your Associate's job easier by producing excellent, error-free work.

Q13 What accounting and finance coursework have you completed or will you have completed prior to the role?

HOW TO ANSWER

• Be specific and list the most relevant courses.
• Group them logically: 'In accounting, I've taken Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting. In finance, my coursework includes Corporate Finance, Investments, and Financial Statement Analysis.'
• If you have taken advanced courses like Valuation or Mergers & Acquisitions, highlight them.
• Briefly mention one key takeaway or project from a particularly relevant class to demonstrate genuine understanding, e.g., 'In my Valuation class, I built a full DCF model for [Company], which gave me a strong practical foundation.'

Q14 Tell me about a time you had to take over another person's work.

HOW TO ANSWER

• Situation: Explain the circumstances that required you to take over the work (e.g., a teammate was sick, left the project, or was falling behind).
• Task: Describe the specific deliverable and the deadline you were now responsible for.
• Action: Detail how you efficiently got up to speed. This includes reviewing the existing work, identifying gaps, and prioritizing the remaining tasks. Emphasize your positive, team-first attitude.
• Result: State that you successfully completed the work on time and to a high standard, ensuring the team's overall success.