Over the course of three long days in New York City, I interviewed with five variegated investment banks and gained priceless interviewing experience. Had someone been generous enough to brief me prior to my visit to the Big Apple, my experience would have been much easier, not to mention much less stressful. Fortunately, my suffering was worth it; I landed a job.

Now, I would like to impart some of my wisdom gained in the trenches and help ease the beginning stages of your professional search. So here is the dirt, as garnered from five banks, ranging in size from very small (17 investment banking professionals) to bulge-bracket firms (largest Wall Street firms). Regardless of the firm, there are several questions, about both quantitative and qualitative issues, that you can expect. Let's dive right in.

Qualitative Questioning

First of all, you can bet on being asked exactly why you want to pursue a career in investment banking. While this isn't a trick question, your answer needs to be strong and honest. Do not make this question more difficult than it is.

Then, prepare your answer for that traditional interview question: Where do you see yourself in five years? Understand that this question is hunting for certain information, namely DEDICATION. Think and act in terms of commitment. It is not in your best interest to imply that you have any intention of leaving the firm, except after a two-year program (or a smaller bank's equivalent) in order to pursue an MBA. This is a good opportunity to inquire about the firm's tuition-assistance programs, if you are indeed interested.

Expect to spend some time on the strengths and weaknesses discussion. There are no right or wrong answers to this question. Here you have your best opportunity to showcase your true skill set. This question is in the bag.

~ Bulge-bracket banks tend to ask about working in teams. Try to prepare a detailed situation in which you worked under an extreme amount of pressure (i.e., very little sleep) and performed successfully. This is how to convince them that you can perform as an analyst working for 24 hours straight without making any mistakes towards a two-day deadline. You can elaborate on your fantastic leadership skills and uncanny abilities to work well with diverse groups of people.

Now for one very important word to the unwise: NEVER pad your resume. This is the single, key documentation that your interviewer has; be prepared to answer questions on every aspect of your resume. Be able to expand on your professional and academic duties and achievements. Adding extraneous information, especially if you stumble over questions that delve deeper into these items, will only make you appear uninformed and dishonest.

Quantitative Questioning

Now on to the real juice: quantitative reasoning. Think of this as an investment banking interview question to put your money on: How you would value a company? Know how your valuation methods would differ according to the type of company you are valuing (i.e. hi-tech versus shipping). Utilizing multiples of sales would be more advantageous in a situation in which earnings have yet to materialize (think tech start-ups), whereas earnings multiples would be more appropriate in a firm with a more value-driven approach. Much of this reasoning involves the simple integration of current events occurring within the financial sector and quantitative lessons from the classroom. Aside from knowing multiples and their applications, you should be comfortable with the DCF analysis as well as the evaluation of ratios posted by comparable companies.

Tax issues mainly involve knowing what items are listed on the balance sheet, income, and cash flow statements. And, more importantly, know how to integrate the numbers off of your income statement into a profit/loss statement.

~ Preparation

As you can see, a little preparation will take you a long way. Spend just 15 or 20 minutes reviewing this sort of information prior to interviews and the process will be much less nerve-wracking and much more successful. Remember, when presented with scenarios that are unfamiliar, relate them to situations in which you were comfortable. With a hypothetical case, relate it to a case study you have done in class. If you are not a finance or economics major, try and relate the case to familiar present day events. To all those who are dedicated, keep pounding the pavement, and you will find your niche. Good luck!