Online Application
The initial stage involves filling out personal information and education details. After this, you upload your CV and fill out a consent form. This is followed by 3 questions assessing your suitability for the role, knowledge and motivation for applying at Citi. The online application stage will take around 30 minutes to complete.
Example task
As the role I was applying for was in Global markets, an example question is “Tell me a current market news story you have been following”.
How to respond for success
To ensure she stood out from the crowd Cindeya still attached a cover letter, even though it was not compulsory. The hiring manager will see you more positively if you can go into further detail about your suitability for the role. Include keywords from the job description. Cindeya also suggests applying as soon as possible, this ensures you have the best possible chance of being considered.
Expect a 1-month wait before progressing to the next stage.
Psychometric Tests
This stage involves a series of timed questions ranging across numerical and situational topics.
How to respond for success
One thing that really helped Cindeya was undertaking practice numerical and verbal tests online. Many banks use the same test providers, therefore similar questions appear. Practicing ensures you feel confident across all kinds of questions Cindeya recommends checking out JobTestPrep as for many top IB’s (Citi included) they offer a complete overview of Online Assessment, including inside info, sample questions and free practice tests.
Expect a 1-month wait before progressing to the next stage.
Phone Interview
The phone interview was carried out by two managers and consisted of general questions across your CV and cover letter along with competency-based questions and technical questions. Competency-based questions cover ethical dilemmas and workplace relationships, whereas the technical questions assess knowledge of financial markets.
How to respond for success
Cindeya kept it very conversational and brought up topics naturally. Reciting a pre-prepared answer will not appeal to the hiring manager. She also kept her knowledge-based answers short, concise and directly to the point.
Expect a 1-month wait before progressing to the next stage.
Assessment Centre
The final stage of the application process consists of a presentation to a panel of traders and an interview with HR.
Presentation
You are given an information sheet a few days before the assessment centre. This outlines the requirements for the presentation. You are in the shoes of either a stock researcher or a salesperson. You’re chosen equity is then presented to a panel of traders who ask you questions throughout the presentation. These questions are designed to put you under pressure and you are highly scrutinised.
How to respond for success
Cindeya’s focus was to know and understand her stock choice inside out. This meant researching all aspects of her chosen company along with the market as a whole. Having strong knowledge means it will be difficult for the panel to find gaps in your arguments, this includes knowing the downsides to your choice also.
Interview
This was the second stage of the assessment centre. The interview was carried out by an HR member and was based around character judgement as opposed to just competency. Also included in the interview were topics based around Citi, such as its core values.
How to respond for success
Cindeya suggests having a great understanding of the aims and purposes of the company and being able to speak on them naturally. Additionally, engage in conversation and ask questions. The hiring managers want to see if you are good fit in the workplace so seem approachable and willing to learn.
