Internia

Financial Analyst Interview Experiences

JPMorgan Chase

Financial Analyst

New York, NY

Summer 2025No Offer

University of Texas at Austin · Finance

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 1 past internship

Hard Interview

Multiple roundsBehavioralVirtual

Phone screen then panel interview 50 min. SQL questions and dashboard experience then culture fit

Questions Asked

  1. 1.How do you calculate net present value?

Goldman Sachs

Financial Analyst

New York, NY

Summer 2025No Offer

Georgia Tech · BSBA

3rd year · 3.7+ GPA · 1 past internship

Hard Interview

Multiple roundsStressfulIn-Person

Did a hireVue with like 7 questions with 30 second prep each and the timer really pressures you. Superday was four interviews in a row and by the third one it gets exhausting. One of the MDs wanted to know about recent treasury yield movements. Started at 8am went past noon couldnt have been more tired afterwards

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Tell me about a time you worked closely with a business unit to support a decision
  2. 2.Whats the difference between a fixed budget and a flexible budget?

Brookfield Asset Management

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026Accepted

Western University · Economics

4th year · 3.7+ GPA · 3 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralFast processIn-Person

Made an offer the same week. Single round with a managing director, about 45 minutes. Resume walkthrough and why real assets and infrastructure, why Brookfield over other alternatives managers. Very loose format. Short process for a firm this size imo

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Tell me about a financial model or analysis you built and how it was used

RBC

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2023No Offer

York University · Economics

1st year · 2.1-2.4 GPA · 0 past internships

Hard Interview

Multiple roundsTechnicalStressfulVirtual

Superday format, first two were behavioral and laid back but third one was supposed to be technical and had me pitch a long and a short and I completely froze on the short pitch. The Canadian economy and recent news also came up, would've been fine if I had just prepared a short pitch beforehand.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.How do you calculate return on equity?

Canada Life

Financial Analyst

London, ON

Fall 2025No Offer

University of Waterloo · Accounting and Financial Management

2nd year · 2.9-3.2 GPA · 0 past internships

Average Interview

BehavioralTechnicalMultiple roundsUnexpected Questions

First screening with HR was basic background questions. Second with a manager covered what I know about life insurance products and financial reporting. Review recent insurance accounting changes if you're applying here.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What is purchase price allocation and when does it arise?

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026Accepted

Queen's University · Commerce

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 1 past internship

Easy Interview

BehavioralFast processVirtual

Fast process for a pension fund, went through my resume, relevant coursework, interest in pension fund management. One question about how they differs from a typical asset manager and I had a solid answer for that

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What is a co-investment and why do LPs value having access to co-investments?

RBC

Financial Analyst

London, ON

Winter 2026Accepted

Western University · Ivey HBA

3rd year · 3.7+ GPA · 1 past internship

Hard Interview

Multiple roundsBehavioralTechnicalVirtual

Superday was three zooms in a row and the last one was all technical, DCF walkthrough and had me pitch a stock. First two were pretty chill though mostly why RBC why capital markets type stuff. And a lot of questions about Canadian current events

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Whats the difference between gross margin and net margin?

CIBC

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026Accepted

University of Waterloo · Mathematical Finance

4th year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 2 past internships

Hard Interview

TechnicalCase studyMultiple rounds

Had a Hirevue with like 8 questions, a lot of stress, then three 30 minute interviews in a row so you need a bunch of different stories ready. They asked what I knew about CIBC in the news too so do your research beforehand.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What do you know about CIBC that made you apply?
  2. 2.How do you approach reconciling data from two different financial systems?

CIBC

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026No Offer

York University · Business Administration

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 1 past internship

Average Interview

In-PersonStressful

STAR behavioral, time you took a risk led a team balanced multiple commitments. covered resume projects but no technical questoins was mostly conversational and background check took a while after

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Can you tell me why you applied to CIBC?
  2. 2.How do you calculate free cash flow

Goldman Sachs

Financial Analyst

New York, NY

Summer 2024Declined Offer

University of Michigan · Finance

4th year · 3.7+ GPA · 3 past internships

Hard Interview

Multiple roundsBehavioralIn-PersonStressful

Prepped hard for Hirevue 7 behavioral questions and it paid off, superday was three interviews two behavioral about leadership and failure and one about equity market views. Pitched consumer staples stock and they pushed back hard on valuation but I defended it, took a PE offer

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What is a budget vs. actual variance report and how would you present a large gap?
  2. 2.How do you evaluate whether a capital project is financially viable using NPV and IRR?

QuadReal Property Group

Financial Analyst

Vancouver, BC

Summer 2025No Offer

Simon Fraser University · Business Administration

2nd year · 2.1-2.4 GPA · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralResume ReviewGhosted

Nothing for three weeks then rejection. Started with an HR screen, then interview with a manager asking about finance experience and why real estate

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Describe a time you had to synthesize a large volume of information quickly

Fairfax Financial

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026Accepted

University of Waterloo · Accounting and Financial Management

3rd year · 2.5-2.8 GPA · 1 past internship

Easy Interview

BehavioralFast processVirtual

Fairfax runs a co-op program for Waterloo students so the process felt specifically tailored. Applied through WaterlooWorks. Single interview with someone from Northbridge Financial, one of their subsidiaries. went through my resume and basic finance knowledge about the insurance holding model. Very friendly and relaxed

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Whats the difference between gross return and net return for a private equity fund?

Manulife Financial

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2025Accepted

Queen's University · Commerce

2nd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

ConversationalFast processVirtual

HR interview then some questions about basic financial statements, what they are used for and when to use them, communication from recruitment was bad

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Whats the difference between capex and opex?

National Bank of Canada

Financial Analyst

Montreal, QC

Summer 2026Accepted

Concordia University · Commerce

2nd year · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralMultiple roundsVirtual

Know your resume and follow Canadian financial news. Basic behavioral to start, then finance technicals and Excel modeling concepts, then a senior behavioral. Three rounds, about 21 days.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.How do you manage the pressure of tight monthly or quarterly close deadlines?
  2. 2.What are common drivers of gross margin compression in a business?

CNA Insurance

Financial Analyst

Winter 2024Accepted

Wilfrid Laurier University · Business Administration

3rd year · 3.7+ GPA · 1 past internship

Multiple roundsBehavioralTechnical

Two interviews back to back, one behavioural with HR, the other more techincal with a financial analyst. Understand the process of insurnace and how accounting may differ for an insurance company vs. a typical retail store

CIBC Capital Markets

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Fall 2025No Offer

University of Ottawa · Commerce

2nd year · 2.9-3.2 GPA · 0 past internships

Average Interview

BehavioralTechnicalMultiple roundsVirtual

Friendly interviewer but didn't land it. Mostly behavioral across two rounds, some working capital and interest rate questions

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What's a rolling forecast and how does it differ from an annual budget?
  2. 2.How do you prioritize competing requests during a busy reporting period?

National Bank of Canada

Financial Analyst

Montreal, QC

Summer 2026Declined Offer

HEC Montréal · Commerce

2nd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

TechnicalBehavioralIn-PersonMultiple rounds

Pretty straightforward role. Round with two analysts, they asked about financial statement analysis, basic modeling concepts and why National Bank specifically

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Tell me about a time a key assumption in your forecast turned out to be wrong
  2. 2.What are deferred revenues and how are they recognized?

Questrade

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Fall 2025No Offer

Wilfrid Laurier University · Business Administration

2nd year · 2.9-3.2 GPA · 0 past internships

Average Interview

Pre-recordedVirtualGhosted

9 behavioural questions on a Hirevue and writing tests then round 2 was only 20 minutes with a manager who went into TFSAs RRSPs and why you'd pick one over the other

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Whats the difference between gross profit and gross margin?

Fidelity

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Fall 2025Declined Offer

Carleton University · Economics

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 1 past internship

Easy Interview

BehavioralVirtualFast process

No case or modeling. Single interview about resume and sectors I follow. Got another offer I preferred so declined

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Explain how changes in working capital affect cash flow

OMERS

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026Accepted

University of Toronto · Commerce

2nd year · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralSlow processVirtual

Took 35 days, they warned me upfront about the long process possibility. HR then virtual with my future manager. Standard behavioral imo

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Tell me about a time you identified a risk others had overlooked
  2. 2.Whats the difference between a hedge fund strategy and a long-only equity mandate

FTI Consulting

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Fall 2025No Offer

Dalhousie University · Finance

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 1 past internship

Average Interview

BehavioralTechnicalUnexpected QuestionsVirtual

Asked about insolvency proceedings in Canada and working with ambiguous information. Very specific practice area, should have researched more beforehand

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Walk me through how you'd diagnose why a client's customer satisfaction scores are declining.
  2. 2.Tell me about a time you managed a complex project with many moving parts

Scotiabank

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026Accepted

University of Toronto · Economics

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 3 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralVirtual

The coffee chat was lowkey an assessment, heads up. One interview after that covering my background, global markets knowledge and some commodity price questions. About 2.5 weeks total.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Whats the difference between a trailing and a forward P/E multiple?
  2. 2.Explain the difference between a direct and indirect cash flow statement.

Saputo

Financial Analyst

Montreal, QC

Summer 2026No Offer

McGill University · Commerce

3rd year · 2.9-3.2 GPA · 1 past internship

Average Interview

TechnicalBehavioralMultiple roundsVirtual

Met the plant controller and someone from corporate finance. Cost accounting in manufacturing, standard costing and what causes variances. Mini case on raw material price fluctuations

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What is a bridge analysis and when do you use it in financial reporting?
  2. 2.What is variance analysis and how would you explain a budget versus actual gap?

British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI)

Financial Analyst

Victoria, BC

Fall 2025No Offer

Simon Fraser University · Finance

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 1 past internship

Hard Interview

TechnicalCase studyBehavioralMultiple rounds

Built a basic DCF and presented via screen share. Good process, no offer though. HR call first then the modeling test.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Explain what infrastructure assets are and why large institutions like them
  2. 2.What metrics would you use to evaluate an investment manager's track record?

Unilever

Financial Analyst

Summer 2025Accepted

University of Toronto · Economics and Finance

2nd year · 2 past internships

Resume ReviewCase studyTechnicalVirtual

The internship spanned across summer in dubai and was a great experience with a lot of freedom and responsibility. Got me doing real work from day 1

OMERS

Financial Analyst

Fall 2026Accepted

Western University · Business Administration

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 1 past internship

EasyBehavioral

Asked me basic questions like tell me about yourself, expand on what you did in this class etc. Got the offer a day later

Techtronic Industries

Financial Analyst

Fall 2024Accepted

Wilfrid Laurier University · Business Administration

4th year · 3.7+ GPA · 2 past internships

BehavioralConversational

Show your interest in process efficiency and experience with financial analysis and the interview should be a breeze

BMO

Financial Analyst

Ottawa, ON

Winter 2025No Offer

Carleton University · Commerce

2nd year · 2.5-2.8 GPA · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

Pre-recordedBehavioralVirtual

Recruiter call then 30 min with a senior developer, basic technical and behavioral like why BMO and side projects

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Walk me through how you'd conduct a business case for a capital investment
  2. 2.Describe a time you automated or improved a manual financial reporting process

Oxford Properties

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Winter 2026No Offer

University of Waterloo · Accounting and Financial Management

3rd year · 2.5-2.8 GPA · 1 past internship

Hard Interview

Case studyMultiple rounds

Second round they gave me the case the morning of and I had to present same day. I underestimated how much they expected on the valuation side and they pushed hard on cap rates and my assumptions. Didn't make it past that.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.How do you prioritize when multiple deals or asset reviews are running simultaneously?
  2. 2.What's the difference between a gross and net lease structure?

Desjardins

Financial Analyst

Montreal, QC

Summer 2025No Offer

HEC Montréal · Finance

2nd year · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralIn-PersonUnexpected Questions

Most of the interview was in French was barely able to keep up. Phone screen first, then in person. All behavioral and fit

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Whats the difference between accrual and cash-basis accounting?
  2. 2.Explain what a financial restatement is and what typically causes one.

JPMorgan Chase

Financial Analyst

New York, NY

Winter 2026No Offer

McMaster University · Commerce

3rd year · 2.9-3.2 GPA · 1 past internship

Average Interview

BehavioralMultiple roundsPre-recordedVirtual

Still didn't make round 3 somehow. hireVue then two zoom rounds, all behavioral, no hard technicals.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.How do changes in inventory levels affect the cash flow statement?
  2. 2.Describe a time you identified a cost-saving opportunity through analysis
  3. 3.How do you calculate EBITDA from a set of financial statements?

PSP Investments

Financial Analyst

Montreal, QC

Summer 2026Accepted

University of Ottawa · Commerce

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 3 past internships

Average Interview

Case studyBehavioralMultiple roundsVirtual

Have a real answer for why u want to work in the pensions domain. HR behavioral then team interview with a mini PE case

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Whats the difference between a secondary market transaction and a primary fund commitment?

CRA

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2025Accepted

University of Toronto · Rotman Commerce

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 2 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralSlow processVirtual

Aapplied in October heard back in February for a summer position. 30 min interview with two CRA employees, behavioral stuff about teamwork and dealing with difficult clients and strengths then they also had a written exercise at the end where you respond to a scenario.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What is scenario analysis and how do you use it in planning?

AIMCo

Financial Analyst

Edmonton, AB

Summer 2026Accepted

University of Alberta · Finance

2nd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 0 past internships

Average Interview

BehavioralTechnicalMultiple roundsIn-Person

Culture seems really good, co-op students were visible and present during my visit. HR phone screen, then a team interview with good people who went through company values and past experience. Third round was more technical, basic accounting and investment concepts. Edmonton location is a bonus if you're from Alberta

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What's the J-curve effect in private equity?
  2. 2.What is CAPM and what are its main limitations?

Fairfax Financial

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Winter 2026Accepted

University of Toronto · Commerce

4th year · 3.7+ GPA · 3 past internships

Hard Interview

TechnicalIn-Person

One interview, no pre recorded screens or assessments. Two senior people from the investment team, quite technical. Went into insurance underwriting fundamentals, portfolio evaluation methodology and had me go over how I think about risk and return in a value investing framework like they use at Fairfax. Very focused on whether you actually understand the Hamblin Watsa approach to capital allocation. If you haven't read their annual letters you'll struggle

Questions Asked

  1. 1.How do sovereign wealth funds differ from pension funds in their investment mandates

Lululemon

Financial Analyst

Vancouver, BC

Summer 2026Accepted

University of British Columbia · Commerce

3rd year · 3.7+ GPA · 1 past internship

Average Interview

TechnicalCase studyMultiple roundsVirtual

General fit call first then second round with the finance team. Variance analysis, how I'd approach an FP&A problem and a brief case on sales trend interpretation. Very UBC heavy team

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Describe a time you explained a financial concept to a non-finance audience.

Toyota

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026Accepted

University of Waterloo · Accounting and Financial Management

3rd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 1 past internship

Easy Interview

BehavioralMultiple roundsVirtual

Quick phone screen with behavioral stuff then a second call with three managers. Why Toyota, leadership examples, resume deep dive. Cambridge plant role. Offer came fast, about two weeks

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Tell me about a financial model or analysis you built from scratch
  2. 2.How do you build a sensitivity table in Excel

BMO Capital Markets

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2025No Offer

Dalhousie University · Finance

2nd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralVirtualFast process

Screening then one interview with a manager, very behavioral. Why BMO, tell me about a time you analyzed data under pressure, how do you stay current on markets. No modeling questions at all. Heard back in about a week saying they went with someone else. Wish they'd done something technical so I had a chance to show what I knew

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Walk me through how you'd build a three-statement financial model
  2. 2.How do changes in foreign exchange rates flow through the income statement and balance sheet
  3. 3.Whats the difference between a fixed and a variable cost? Give examples from a real company

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)

Financial Analyst

Montreal, QC

Winter 2026Accepted

HEC Montréal · Finance

3rd year · 2.9-3.2 GPA · 4+ past internships

Easy Interview

Pre-recordedBehavioralVirtual

VidCruiter screen then casual team interview. Mostly fit and motivation, light technical. Got it later in the week

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Describe a time you and a colleague disagreed on an investment conclusion.
  2. 2.What is duration and how does it measure interest rate risk?

Great-West Lifeco

Financial Analyst

Winnipeg, MB

Summer 2025Accepted

University of Manitoba · Commerce

2nd year · 2.9-3.2 GPA · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralVirtual

Casual format, single interview with a manager. Strengths and weaknesses and then a situational question about what I'd do if I noticed a colleague cutting corners. Basic knowledge of the insurance market and what they do. Winnipeg based also

Questions Asked

  1. 1.What's the payback period of an investment and when is it a useful metric?
  2. 2.How would you build a headcount planning model for a business unit?

RBC

Financial Analyst

Summer 2026Pending Outcome

York University · Business and Computer Science

2nd year · 0 past internships

very good experience but i haven’t heard back yet it was behavioural

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

Financial Analyst

Ottawa, ON

Summer 2025Accepted

Carleton University · Economics

4th year · 3.7+ GPA · 2 past internships

Easy Interview

TechnicalBehavioralMultiple roundsSlow process

Almost 2 months but they were upfront about the timeline. HR interview about career goals first, then panel with two managers, all STAR method. Wanted examples of analyzing financial data. Also had a short Excel modeling test

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Tell me about a time you found a material error in a report before it went out
  2. 2.What key financial metrics would you track to assess a business's health

RBC

Financial Analyst

Summer 2025Accepted

McMaster University · MBA

2nd year · 3.3-3.6 GPA · 0 past internships

1 HR round and one interview with the hiring manager mainly bahavioural focused

Power Corporation

Financial Analyst

Montreal, QC

Summer 2025No Offer

McGill University · Finance

3rd year · 4+ past internships

Average Interview

BehavioralTechnicalMultiple roundsVirtual

Knew some of their subsidiaries and holding company structure but not enough. Two rounds, second one really tested that knowledge.

Questions Asked

  1. 1.Walk me through how you'd analyze a potential equity investment
  2. 2.What is the efficient frontier in modern portfolio theory?

Edward Jones

Financial Analyst

Toronto, ON

Summer 2026Accepted

Brock University · Business Administration

2nd year · 2.9-3.2 GPA · 0 past internships

Easy Interview

BehavioralPre-recorded

Role is client facing so they cared about communication way more than modeling. Video interview then background check. Nothing but behavioral, motivation for financial services and handling difficult client situations

Questions Asked

  1. 1.How would you model working capital changes in a revenue forecast?
  2. 2.How would you explain EBITDA to someone outside of finance?

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