These days, interviews take place either in person, virtually, or by phone.

So in prepping for your interviews, it's important to understand how the interview will take place and to fully prepare for each to ensure you leave the very best first impressions. During the interviews, firms will expect you to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the investment banking industry, technical and problem-solving skills, and an understanding of the role, and importantly, why you want to do it, your aptitude and drive to succeed, as well as your overall cultural fit. So in advance, study the company's website, pull their annual report, and get to understand how their business fits together. Find out who you'll be meeting. Google them, check them out on LinkedIn. So before we get into some of the likely questions you'll be asked, I want to give you some basic interview ground rules. I like to call these my interview dos and don'ts. So number one, look like you mean business by dressing appropriately. Dress how you expect and how you observe investment bankers dress. And try not to let what you wear distract the interviewer from what you have to say. In a nutshell, keep it simple, professional, and appropriate.

If you find yourself on a virtual interview, choreograph your background and make sure your face is well-illuminated. Have a light source in front of you. If you decide to use a virtual background, my advice is to stick to something plain and professional. If you are not using a background, remove the clutter and any other visual distraction, making it as easy as possible for the interviewer to focus on you and what you have to say.

A calm, centered body combined with focused eye contact sends all the right messages to the interviewer that you are prepared, relaxed, and confident. So ahead of a virtual interview, try logging on to a test virtual call. Adjust your setup. Ensure the interviewers can see your head, shoulders, and arms. Rest your hands calmly on the table or desk in front of you. And importantly, remember the eyes of your interviewer on a virtual call are the camera on your laptop or screen. So align your eyes to the height of the camera, and when you wanna make a point, look directly into the camera, pausing while still looking into the camera for emphasis on virtual calls. Many of us are distracted by and start talking to the thumbnail video images of the participants on the call, and we forget to look directly in the camera. So my advice is to drag the thumbnail video images to sit directly under the camera on your computer or laptop. That way you are more likely to look directly into the eyes of the interviewer represented by the camera on your laptop or screen. Hands should always be seen when speaking, and try to remain calm and centered. Use hand gestures sparingly to make your points, but always return your hands to a calm center place on the table or desk in front of you. When it comes to your voice, for virtual interviews, test out your mic before the call for sound clarity. Take extra care when using headsets or AirPods to ensure that they're fully charged. And if you're using a remote lapel mic, ensure there's no interference with clothing brushing against it. It's always a good idea at the start to ask the interviewer if they can hear you clearly. It also gives you the opportunity to break the ice with a little small talk. During the interview, remember to regulate both the tone and the pitch of your voice to make your points and to demonstrate your engagement and enthusiasm for the topics discussed. When we're nervous, adrenaline starts to flow through our veins. And whilst we know that adrenaline, when channeled, helps us perform at the top of our game, for some of us, that can distort our perception of time, causing some of us to speak too quickly. So if that's you, compensate by adding a pause between each sentence, each thought, each idea.