Barclays is one of the most prestigious investment banks in the world, and landing a job there is extremely competitive. Going through numerous rounds of barclays investment banking interviews is a necessary process that all candidates must complete in order to get hired. This article will provide an in-depth analysis on the reasons why barclays interviews are so rigorous and the purposes they aim to achieve.
Barclays interviews aim to thoroughly assess candidates’ technical skills
Landing a job at an investment bank like barclays requires strong technical skills in areas like financial modeling, valuation, accounting, and Excel. barclays designs difficult technical interview questions to rigorously test candidates in these areas and filter out those who lack the requisite hard skills. Candidates must demonstrate not just textbook knowledge, but the ability to apply concepts and think through problems on the spot under high pressure interview situations.
Barclays uses behavioral interviews to evaluate soft skills crucial for the job
In addition to technical competency, barclays also cares deeply about candidates’ soft skills like communication, collaboration, work ethic, leadership potential, and culture fit. The bank uses extensive behavioral interviews to assess these qualities by asking candidates about past experiences, hypothetical scenarios, and motivations. Strong soft skills are critical for succeeding in the demanding investment banking environment, so barclays interviews rigorously vet for them.
Interviews allow barclays to assess candidates’ passion and motivation
The investment banking lifestyle requires passion and dedication. By design, barclays interviews tend to be long and grueling tests of endurance. The bank wants to gauge candidates’ motivation for the job and whether they have the hunger and drive to thrive. Candidates who display energy and enthusiasm even after hours of intense questioning demonstrate the passion barclays looks for.
Rigorous interviews help barclays maintain extremely selective hiring standards
As one of the top investment banks in the world, barclays receives thousands of applicants for only a handful of spots. Its difficult interview process allows the bank to maintain meticulous hiring standards and low offer rates. Interviewers press candidates to see how they perform under tremendous pressure. Only the very best who demonstrate top-notch technical competence, soft skills, and motivation will receive offers and make it through the gauntlet.
In summary, barclays investment banking interviews are uniquely challenging because the bank aims to thoroughly vet candidates’ skills, qualities, and motivations. By subjecting applicants to pressure cooker interviews, barclays maintains incredibly selective hiring standards and ensures only the most outstanding candidates who fit the bank’s demanding culture will ultimately be hired.