Online Application
For the initial stage, I submitted my CV and they asked for a lot of my background information too. There was no cover letter but they asked for a 300-word summary of why I wanted the role.
How to respond for success
I think it was making myself sound like a rounded individual that made me stand out. It's not just about making the application about how smart you are but about other things you do outside of your academics. Everyone applying has equivalent, or similar, grades so showing how you stand out is the key here. Definitely showing a really wide range of skills with evidence can be the best way to make yourself stand out. Make sure to utilise your university's career services - I spoke to one woman just before I had an interview and she helped me tailor my CV as I needed to as well. Start working on it sooner rather than later - the earlier application is sent in the better. The application closing wasn't until end of September/ beginning of October but I started working on my CV in August.
Expect a 2-month wait before progressing to the next stage.
HireVue Interview
This stage is a Hirevue pre-recorded interview, where they asked around 7/8 pre-recorded questions. I made sure to do test interviews with my friends, find out specifics about Goldman, their competitors and especially what skills I could bring to the role. They give you a question and 1 - 2 minutes to think of your answer then you speak from anywhere between 1 to 3 minutes.
Example task
There was a question based on 'your greatest weakness/strengths'. A lot of things are asked about your personality, so try to relate all questions that they ask back to your skills and strengths. You need to show a range of traits from self-awareness of your weaknesses to confidence in your strengths.
How to respond for success
JobTestPrep is a website that I used to help me with lots of different applications for companies. This is a website that will help with simulated assessments. Goldman Sachs isn't a company they have on there but they have lots of examples of what you may be asked for other investment banks, such as Deutsche Bank.
I wore smart clothing for my interview and I tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible. In the time that you have to think about your response to the question they give, make sure to have a paper and pen in front of you to jot down your points of what you would say so that you aren't blindly making it up when they want to hear your response.
Expect a month and a half wait before progressing to the next stage.
HireVue Interview
This stage is a Hirevue pre-recorded interview, where they asked around 7/8 pre-recorded questions. I made sure to do test interviews with my friends, find out specifics about Goldman, their competitors and especially what skills I could bring to the role. They give you a question and 1 - 2 minutes to think of your answer then you speak from anywhere between 1 to 3 minutes.
Example task
There was a question based on 'your greatest weakness/strengths'. A lot of things are asked about your personality, so try to relate all questions that they ask back to your skills and strengths. You need to show a range of traits from self-awareness of your weaknesses to confidence in your strengths.
How to respond for success
JobTestPrep is a website that I used to help me with lots of different applications for companies. This is a website that will help with simulated assessments. Goldman Sachs isn't a company they have on there but they have lots of examples of what you may be asked for other investment banks, such as Deutsche Bank.
I wore smart clothing for my interview and I tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible. In the time that you have to think about your response to the question they give, make sure to have a paper and pen in front of you to jot down your points of what you would say so that you aren't blindly making it up when they want to hear your response.
Expect a month and a half wait before progressing to the next stage.
Final Interview
For this final interview, I practised with my friends, the interview was an hour and a half long and I presented myself in the same way that I did for my Hirevue interview. Smartly dressed, enthusiastic, and confident. Ensure that you're comfortable with what you're wearing because you'll be sat for a while and won't have a chance to move around.
Example task
I remember that a lot was tailored to the specific role I'm doing though so make sure to know your role and what you like about it. Try and think of something that you do/enjoy that makes you unique too and how you can relate it to why you'll be good at the job. I remember being asked about a weakness of mine, and I'd most definitely advise against saying "I'm too hard working".
How to respond for success
Make sure to prepare questions for your interviewers too! The interviewers aren't people in HR, they're going to be specific to your role - I asked something like what they found difficult about the job I think. Also don't be afraid to ask for a couple of seconds to think about what you'll say as a response - you're only human!
