Hey good luck for it!!! I went to one of their interviews last year for a internship role as at that time I was in my penultimate year at University. They will either: Grill you like there is no tomorrow and you’d just wish to get out of there. They will ask you questions like what bad things you’ve heard about Macquaries, explain EMH, and tough behavioral questions. Or be very nice and polite and talk about you, what you have studied/experience etc. They grilled me to such a point I wanted to tell em I’m going to flag and take another offer. They tend to ask you questions like 99^2 etc (squared q’s usually). There is one easy method I’ve used in the past to answer such useless questions from HR. Think in this way 99^2=(100-1)*(100-1) 100*100=10000 100*-1*2=-200 -1*-1=1 =>10000-200+1=9801 That is a way easier way for me. I got asked that question in the Macquaries interview and I didn’t prepare for it but I used that method. As the horrible interview finished the HR and markets guys asked me if I had any questions I asked em what is 101^2. 2min later with a pen and paper they both gave wrong answers. Pretty much how you think the interview is going you got the job. They will be either nice or on a power trip.
I got asked what 99^2 was in my first round interview and got it right also I did 99 * 100 = 9900 and then 9900 minus 99 = 9801. I wasn’t prepared for it either I was lucky that I thought that up. That’s funny that you asked them 101^2 back. That is great! Did they like that you asked them that? Did you end up getting an offer?
I’m sure the question made them feel a bit uncomfortable as they couldn’t do it in their head and made 'em feel silly. It was one of my worst job interviews and if I got the job I would decline it. When they asked me what’s 99^2 I asked 'em why they are asking me that question (there was no hint of sarcasm from my side, it was a polite question). They laughed and said they wanted people who are quick thinkers on their feet in stressful situations.
Aye, i had similar questions in my interview with MBL earlier this year. I got a question on compounding growth rate :/, finding a mathematical pattern (ie sum all numbers from 1-50, which i can now do :D). Was totally taken by surprise with those questions and wish i had googled their interview techniques before going in.
So when they ask these math questions, do they give you a pen and paper or you have to do it in your head?
Sorry for the delay, N.Van. I wanted to wait until I heard back before I posted anything specific to my interview. Every time that I have heard of these math questions being asked or I have been asked them they let you write it down. (you should have your own pen and paper) Low and behold on of the final round interviews I had with Macquarie, the guy was just a complete douche. He asked me for like the square root of 200,000 or 20,000 (I don’t remember). I asked him if I could work it on paper, and he said “I’d prefer you didn’t.” now I don’t mind these math questions in interview situations anymore. they used to freeze me up, but I am good with math and when i write them out I usually come up with a nearly precise answer at the least. This guy was just a complete d!ck for not letting me write it down. I still came up with an answer that wasn’t very far off, but that was after me freezing up about it. He was also nasty about other things, like having me explain duration to him, and then saying “oh really? are you sure that is what duration is?” Every other person I interviewed with and met was nice and the interviews went well. This guy was just a nasty prick. And btw I didn’t get the offer.
Tough luck LICandidate. Do you mind if I ask what position were you interviewing for? Position and Location, if you dont mind…
I wanted an analyst position in their IB Funds in NY. I really wanted the position.
L1 Candidate…tough luck … that guy sounds like an ass…I would not want to work for such a person… If you want to get into IB…and you have the resources and time; do a MBA and get in as an Associate rather than an analyst.
Thanks bm and N.Van. I don’t want IB. I was applying mainly for their infrastructure funds which are run like PE funds. I want to go into PM and I do not want to go for an MBA, at least not initially. Maybe an exec MBA in the future, but I am getting married in Sept. and i am not in a position to do an MBA now. Yes, he definitely was an ass. The reason I still wanted to work there was because I wouldn’t have been working for him.
Welcome to the boat LICandidate. Did the exact same path as you did but in Toronto (final interview douchebagery included) for the same position.
Thanks Alayle I wish I could find more comfort in that, but considering how the on campus recruiting at my school is basically over and I have no offers… I can’t.
I know the feeling, it lasts 2-3 days then you’re off to something else (perharps better). I respect the Macquarie firm and what it does, actually all of the people I met there were nice and all, except for the last interview round. Oh well, live and learn
Yar it stings mate, I know the feeling about Macquarie. You will get over it though, trust me!! If they are going to select staff based entirely on those merits you do not want to work for them!
Had an interview with Macq bank and it was (i thought) one of my worst ever… there were two guys interviewing me and they were complete d**ks… really condescending, and talking down my academic achievements (which were alot better than theirs…i know because i asked them)… we got to a point in the interview where we talked about tenure/employee turnover, and he said “if you cant give me one good reason why you will still be working here after a couple years (as opposed to finding a better position within the bank) this interview is as good as over”… i’d had about enough and just wanted to walk out… i didnt get the job, but funnily enough, my agent told me they were impressed and that it was a good interview… weird…
Thanks guys. At least there seems to be a consensus, so I am not the only one. Honestly, I found out last night and I am over it already. I wanted the offer, but I am developing a thick skin from the rejections.
Good to hear mate! I’ve been rejected from a lot of positions due to my marks, ie ~75% average apparently is not good enough for these roles, but i can assure you the people they hire have 0 people skills and will just number crunch for them. Organisations like Macq bank expect high turnover of staff, especially for grad positions due to scouting/burning them out, thus they will take the cream of the crop for a few years and let them leave rather than building a model employee for 10+ years. It seems that grad positions while are prestigious in obtaining, somewhat become redundant as the employers often see them as expendable assets. But hey, that is just me and quite possibly my bitterness towards to the organisation. (I’m soo glad their share price finely took a beating 
:D)
I would suggest you should look on the positive side of things, I looked at it like this when I got denied. 1. I don’t care they are A-holes. 2. If i got it I’d be working from 6:30am to 10pm and weekends-FLAG. 3. Pay is good, but not worth the free time I lose out on. 4. I wouldn’t learn anything concrete as a grad there (i.e. I wouldn’t be surrounded by the top executives and see how the real side of the business is done like you do in a small firm) I would learn some gay process they have and work on it endlessly. I suppose they spared you your best couple of years by not giving you the job, as maybe you wouldn’t suit an environment full of egos, arrogance, backstabbing etc. Couple of my friends and me worked in some top investment banks as interns and to tell you the truth it’s not all that it seems to be. Yes Deutche Bank has a personal butler, ABN Amro will shoot you off to Monaco for their Xmas party and you might impress some girls. In the end you work 70-80 hours a week and you earn 80k. If I were you hunt around for small firms, they will pay you the best, teach you the most and make you work hard in such a way that it is useful for you. Look at their team profiles on the websites, look for what they’re like, google them etc. Just keep looking and you’ll be fine! Good luck and don’t stress
camsincles Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Good to hear mate! > > I’ve been rejected from a lot of positions due to > my marks, ie ~75% average apparently is not good > enough for these roles, but i can assure you the > people they hire have 0 people skills and will > just number crunch for them. Organisations like > Macq bank expect high turnover of staff, > especially for grad positions due to > scouting/burning them out, thus they will take the > cream of the crop for a few years and let them > leave rather than building a model employee for > 10+ years. It seems that grad positions while are > prestigious in obtaining, somewhat become > redundant as the employers often see them as > expendable assets. > > But hey, that is just me and quite possibly my > bitterness towards to the organisation. (I’m soo > glad their share price finely took a beating > :D) haa. you have clearly no idea what you are talking about. staff turnover is relatively low relative to the other ibanks and they don’t kick their analysts out after 2-3 years.
enzoin10 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I would suggest you should look on the positive > side of things, I looked at it like this when I > got denied. > > 1. I don’t care they are A-holes. > 2. If i got it I’d be working from 6:30am to 10pm > and weekends-FLAG. > 3. Pay is good, but not worth the free time I lose > out on. > 4. I wouldn’t learn anything concrete as a grad > there (i.e. I wouldn’t be surrounded by the top > executives and see how the real side of the > business is done like you do in a small firm) I > would learn some gay process they have and work on > it endlessly. > > > I suppose they spared you your best couple of > years by not giving you the job, as maybe you > wouldn’t suit an environment full of egos, > arrogance, backstabbing etc. Couple of my friends > and me worked in some top investment banks as > interns and to tell you the truth it’s not all > that it seems to be. Yes Deutche Bank has a > personal butler, ABN Amro will shoot you off to > Monaco for their Xmas party and you might impress > some girls. In the end you work 70-80 hours a week > and you earn 80k. If I were you hunt around for > small firms, they will pay you the best, teach you > the most and make you work hard in such a way that > it is useful for you. Look at their team profiles > on the websites, look for what they’re like, > google them etc. > > Just keep looking and you’ll be fine! > > Good luck and don’t stress true. it’s always good to look at the positives in any situation - this attitude will get you far out in life. but in the end, if ABN, Deutsche or GS offered you an investment banking analyst position, you would take it…