BIWS 400 Questions All Technicals – Investment Banking Interview Prep Guide PDF 2026-04-10 BIWS 400 Questions All Technicals – Investment Banking Interview Prep Guide PDF.pdf
BIWS 400 Questions All
Technicals – Investment
Banking Interview Prep
Guide PDF
1 Guidehttps://www.stuvia.com/dashboard!@_)#*)(@$)($@*($@)($@*_
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,BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals 2026-04-10 BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals.pdf
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Terms in this set (357)
You've never worked in finance before. How much do you know about what
bankers actually do?
I've done a lot of research on my own.
Based on that, I know that bankers advise companies on transactions - buying
and selling other companies, and raising capital. They are "agents" that
connect a company with the appropriate buyer, seller, or investor.
The day-to-day work involves creating presentations, financial analysis and
marketing materials such as Executive Summaries.
Let's say I'm working on an IPO for a client. Can you describe briefly what I
would do?
You meet with the client and gather basic information - such as their financial
details, an industry overview, and who their customers are. You meet with other
bankers and the lawyers to draft the S-1 registration statement - which
describes the company's business and markets it to investors. You receive
some comments from the SEC and keep revising the document until it's
acceptable. You spend a few weeks going on a "road show" where you present
the company to institutional investors and convince them to invest. The
company begins trading on an exchange once you've raised the capital from
investors.
3 Page 3 of 81 Page 3
, BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals 2026-04-10 BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals.pdf
How much do you know about the lifestyle in this industry? Do you know how
many hours you're going to work each week?
I've done my homework and I understand it's going to be an 80-100 hour per
week job but I'm not afraid of that.
Can you tell me about the different product and industry groups at our bank?
Being a bulge bracket bank, Credit Suisse offers pretty much anything a client
could ask for. Restructuring, M&A, LevFin, Debt and Equity Capital Markets.
Some specific groups - Financial Sponsors, ECMS, DCMS, Ultra High Net
Worth (UHNW). Some specific industries - healthcare, industrials (my previous
interviewer), financial institutions, etc.
What's in a pitch book?
It depends.
1. Bank "credentials" (similar deals they've done to "prove" their expertise).
2. Summary of a company's options ("strategic alternatives" in banker-speak).
3. Valuation and appropriate financial models (for example, if you're pitching for
an IPO you might show where the IPO proceeds would go).
4. Potential acquisition targets (buy-side M&A deal) or potential buyers (sell-
side M&A deal). This is not applicable for equity/debt deals.
5. Summary and key recommendations.
How do companies select the bankers they work with?
Usually based on relationships. When it comes time to do a deal, the company
calls different banks it has spoken with and asks them to "pitch" for the
business. This is called a "bake-off" and the company selects the "winner"
afterward
Walk me through the process of a typical sell-side M&A deal.
1. Meet with company, create initial marketing materials like the Executive
Summary and Offering Memorandum (OM), and decide on potential buyers.
2. Send out Executive Summary to potential buyers to gauge interest.
3. Send NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) to interested buyers along with
more detailed information like the Offering Memorandum, and respond to any
follow-up due diligence requests from the buyers.
4. Set a "bid deadline" and solicit written Indications of Interest (IOIs) from
buyers.
5. Select which buyers advance to the next round.
6. Continue responding to information requests and setting up due diligence
meetings between the company and potential buyers.
7. Set another bid deadline and pick the "winner."
8. Negotiate terms of the Purchase Agreement with the winner and announce
the deal.
4 Page 4 of 81 Page 4
BIWS 400 Questions All
Technicals – Investment
Banking Interview Prep
Guide PDF
1 Guidehttps://www.stuvia.com/dashboard!@_)#*)(@$)($@*($@)($@*_
Page 1 of 81 Page 1
,BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals 2026-04-10 BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals.pdf
Save
B
I
W
S
4
0
0
Q
u
e
st
io
n
s
-
A
ll
T
e
c
h
2 Page 2 of 81 Page 2
,BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals 2026-04-10 BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals.pdf
ni
c
al
s
Students
also
studied
Terms in this set (357)
You've never worked in finance before. How much do you know about what
bankers actually do?
I've done a lot of research on my own.
Based on that, I know that bankers advise companies on transactions - buying
and selling other companies, and raising capital. They are "agents" that
connect a company with the appropriate buyer, seller, or investor.
The day-to-day work involves creating presentations, financial analysis and
marketing materials such as Executive Summaries.
Let's say I'm working on an IPO for a client. Can you describe briefly what I
would do?
You meet with the client and gather basic information - such as their financial
details, an industry overview, and who their customers are. You meet with other
bankers and the lawyers to draft the S-1 registration statement - which
describes the company's business and markets it to investors. You receive
some comments from the SEC and keep revising the document until it's
acceptable. You spend a few weeks going on a "road show" where you present
the company to institutional investors and convince them to invest. The
company begins trading on an exchange once you've raised the capital from
investors.
3 Page 3 of 81 Page 3
, BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals 2026-04-10 BIWS 400 Questions - All Technicals.pdf
How much do you know about the lifestyle in this industry? Do you know how
many hours you're going to work each week?
I've done my homework and I understand it's going to be an 80-100 hour per
week job but I'm not afraid of that.
Can you tell me about the different product and industry groups at our bank?
Being a bulge bracket bank, Credit Suisse offers pretty much anything a client
could ask for. Restructuring, M&A, LevFin, Debt and Equity Capital Markets.
Some specific groups - Financial Sponsors, ECMS, DCMS, Ultra High Net
Worth (UHNW). Some specific industries - healthcare, industrials (my previous
interviewer), financial institutions, etc.
What's in a pitch book?
It depends.
1. Bank "credentials" (similar deals they've done to "prove" their expertise).
2. Summary of a company's options ("strategic alternatives" in banker-speak).
3. Valuation and appropriate financial models (for example, if you're pitching for
an IPO you might show where the IPO proceeds would go).
4. Potential acquisition targets (buy-side M&A deal) or potential buyers (sell-
side M&A deal). This is not applicable for equity/debt deals.
5. Summary and key recommendations.
How do companies select the bankers they work with?
Usually based on relationships. When it comes time to do a deal, the company
calls different banks it has spoken with and asks them to "pitch" for the
business. This is called a "bake-off" and the company selects the "winner"
afterward
Walk me through the process of a typical sell-side M&A deal.
1. Meet with company, create initial marketing materials like the Executive
Summary and Offering Memorandum (OM), and decide on potential buyers.
2. Send out Executive Summary to potential buyers to gauge interest.
3. Send NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) to interested buyers along with
more detailed information like the Offering Memorandum, and respond to any
follow-up due diligence requests from the buyers.
4. Set a "bid deadline" and solicit written Indications of Interest (IOIs) from
buyers.
5. Select which buyers advance to the next round.
6. Continue responding to information requests and setting up due diligence
meetings between the company and potential buyers.
7. Set another bid deadline and pick the "winner."
8. Negotiate terms of the Purchase Agreement with the winner and announce
the deal.
4 Page 4 of 81 Page 4
