How to Answer “Why do you want to work at our bank?” in Investment Banking Interviews
“Why do you want to work at our bank?” is one of the most common investment banking interview questions—and it’s easy to undersell if you treat it like a formality. In an analyst process, this question is your chance to prove you’ve done targeted research, understand the role, and can articulate a credible, bank-specific motivation.
In this investment banking interview prep guide, you’ll get a repeatable structure, what interviewers are listening for, and an analyst-level response you can tailor in minutes—without sounding scripted.
What Interviewers Listen For in This Behavioral Question
Interviewers use this prompt to separate candidates who want an offer from candidates who want this bank. They’re assessing whether your motivation is specific enough to sustain the long hours and steep learning curve, and whether you understand what different platforms actually offer (coverage vs product strength, deal types, client mix, and training).
They’re also testing communication under pressure: can you lead with a clear headline, support it with two or three concrete proof points, and avoid rambling? In practice, this is a “fit” question that rewards the same skills as technicals—structure, prioritisation, and relevance.
Finally, they’re looking for signals of long-term alignment: the kind of analyst you want to become, what skills you’re prioritising (execution reps, modelling, client exposure), and how the bank’s culture and team environment will help you perform. A strong answer links your story to the bank’s platform with specific, verifiable reasons.
Investment Banking Interview Prep Framework for “Why Our Bank”
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Step 1: Deliver a one-sentence headline (bank-specific)
Start with a direct headline that answers the question immediately and names two bank-specific reasons. Keep it crisp enough that it would still work if the interviewer cut you off after 10 seconds.
A strong headline usually combines: (1) platform fit (what this bank is known for in the groups you’re targeting) and (2) learning environment (training, reps, responsibility, culture). Avoid generic claims like “great culture” unless you can anchor them in something you’ve observed (people you spoke to, what stood out about the team’s day-to-day, how feedback works).
Example headline template: “I’m targeting your bank because I want to start in a platform that [specific strength in a product/coverage area] and where analysts get [specific development/exposure], which fits how I want to develop in my first two years.”
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Step 2: Prove you’ve done your research with 2–3 tailored pillars
Pick two or three pillars and back each with one concrete detail. Good pillars include: relevant deal experience in your target sector, distinctive product strength (e.g., M&A execution, ECM, LevFin), analyst responsibility, and the specific style of the team (collaborative execution, staffing model, mentorship).
Aim for details that don’t require name-dropping confidential information: publicly announced transactions, themes from earnings calls/press releases, or patterns you noticed across conversations with professionals. If you mention deals, state what you learned from them (complexity, cross-border element, sponsor dynamics) rather than just listing logos.
This is also where you can subtly show you understand the full process: you care about reps that improve your modelling and judgment. Even when you’re preparing for ib technical questions (or polishing a dcf interview answer), the best candidates connect the technical skill-building to the platform where they’ll apply it.
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Step 3: Connect the bank to your “why IB / why analyst / why now” story
Tie your motivation to a credible personal through-line. Interviewers want to hear that you understand what the analyst role actually involves—execution work, detail, tight deadlines—and that you’re opting into it for the right reasons (learning velocity, team-based problem solving, building transaction reps).
Make the connection explicit: “Because I want X skill/reps, I’m choosing Y environment, and your bank is a strong match because Z.” This keeps your answer from sounding like a memorised company pitch.
If you have prior exposure (internship, off-cycle, student investment club, part-time role), translate it into what you want more of: deeper modelling reps, more live deal cadence, more client interaction. This naturally supports valuation interview prep without turning the answer into a technical monologue.
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Step 4: Close with a commitment line and invite the next question
Finish with a forward-looking close that signals conviction and makes it easy for the interviewer to move on. One sentence is enough: reiterate fit, mention the group(s) you’re most excited about (without sounding inflexible), and show you’re ready to put in the work.
A clean close also helps if the interviewer is stress-testing your motivation. You’re not trying to “win” the conversation—you’re trying to make your rationale feel steady and specific.
Closing template: “That combination—[platform strength] plus [development environment]—is why this is one of my top choices, and why I’m excited about the analyst role here.”
Analyst-Level Answer You Can Deliver Out Loud
I want to work at your bank because it combines a platform where I can get strong execution reps in my target areas with an analyst environment that will develop me quickly.
First, I’m drawn to the strength of your franchise in the types of transactions I want to work on as an analyst—complex mandates where the team is deeply involved in advising clients and driving outcomes, not just producing materials. In my research and conversations, what stood out is the consistency of deal exposure in the groups I’m targeting and how the team positions itself with clients.
Second, I’m prioritising an environment where analysts are pushed, supported, and given real responsibility. The people I spoke with were specific about coaching, feedback, and how analysts get involved in modelling and the key workstreams as they ramp. That matters to me because I’m taking investment banking seriously as a training ground: I want to sharpen my fundamentals through constant reps—building and defending assumptions, improving my valuation work, and being able to explain my thinking clearly.
Finally, the fit feels genuine. I like fast-paced, team-based work where details matter, and I’m looking for a place I can commit to for the full analyst program, learn from strong associates and VPs, and contribute from day one. That’s why your bank is one of my top choices.
- Lead with a bank-specific headline; don’t build up to the answer.
- Use 2–3 pillars (platform, development, personal fit) and support each with one concrete detail.
- Show you understand the analyst job (execution, detail, reps) without turning it into a technical answer.
- Close with conviction and make the transition easy for the interviewer.
Common Pitfalls (and What to Say Instead)
- Sounding interchangeable: praising “culture” or “prestige” without any bank-specific evidence or a link to your goals.
- Listing deals with no insight: name-dropping transactions but not explaining what about them attracted you (complexity, client type, product mix).
- Over-indexing on one factor: e.g., only talking about brand name or only about exit opportunities instead of the actual analyst experience.
- Repeating your resume: turning the answer into “walk me through your background” rather than explaining why the platform fits your motivations.
- Being overly rigid on group preference: sounding like you’ll only accept one team, instead of showing interest with flexibility.
- Going too long: a strong answer is typically 45–90 seconds unless the interviewer asks you to expand.
Likely Follow-Ups: Competitors, Groups, and Deal Interest
What do you know about our investment banking group specifically?
Highlight 2–3 specific points: a product/coverage strength, the type of mandates you’ve seen publicly, and what you learned from conversations about analyst responsibility.
Why us versus our competitors?
Pick one differentiator you can defend (deal mix, team structure, training/feedback, client access) and tie it to what you want to learn as an analyst.
Which group do you want and why?
Name a preferred group with a clear reason (skills and interest), then add a second option and show openness to where you can contribute most.
How have you prepared for the analyst role?
Mention structured preparation across technicals and communication: modelling/valuation practice, reviewing transactions, and rehearsing concise explanations under time pressure.
Tell me about a recent deal you followed—why did it interest you?
Briefly describe the situation, the strategic rationale, and one learning point (valuation driver, capital structure choice, or process complexity).
How to Practise: From Valuation Interview Prep to Delivery
- Write your answer as three bullets (platform, development, personal fit) and practise a 60-second delivery that still sounds natural.
- Collect 4–6 “proof points” you can rotate: 1–2 public deal references, 1–2 team/culture observations from conversations, and 1–2 personal skill goals (execution reps, modelling, client exposure).
- Stress-test it with variations: “Why this bank?”, “Why our team?”, and “Why not competitor X?” so you can stay consistent.
- Pair fit prep with technical reps: after a mock dcf interview answer or valuation walkthrough, practise linking your motivation back to where you want those reps.
- Use AceTheRound to run timed mocks and get feedback on structure, specificity, and whether your answer sounds bank-tailored rather than memorised.
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