Any Financial Analysts/SFAs?

[dk54]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if any of you here is a Financial Analyst for a Corporation.

I have an meeting scheduled with a recruiter and wanted to impress by creating a spreadsheet report/dashboard that was relevant to the company.

I was wondering if anyone had any good ideas on a type of report to create. I was thinking something like a Accounts Receivable Aging Report used to calculate Bad Debt Expense...but I don't really have any great ideas on how to make it impressive. But this is just an initial idea. If you guys have any good ones do tell.

 

[Ruddles]

No but I've sat on the other side of the table and interviewed plenty of job applicants and to be honest I wouldn't place much weight on a worksheet they'd brought in. If I was interested in any of their IT skills I'd probably ask them a few carefully targetted questions and make up my own mind based on their responses.

I once interviewed a 'networking specialist' who went blank when I asked him to explain subnet masks!

 

[tua022012]

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I am also very interested in this subject, but the reference is very limited. You can share documents as well as experience? Thanks!

 

[Ruddles]

Are you asking dk54 about financial analysis or me about subnet masks?

(I assume the former since there's loads of information about subnet masks on the Web.)

 

[Smitty]

Welcome to the Board!

No but I've sat on the other side of the table and interviewed plenty of job applicants and to be honest I wouldn't place much weight on a worksheet they'd brought in.

Agreed, I can't think of too many interviewers who will bother to look at a workbook that you bring in, especially in the opening interview stages, where you'll most likely be dealing with someone in HR or a position not related to yours (in a big company anyway). You'd be better served to be able to have an informed conversation about the intricacies of the position itself and what you can bring to the table. As for Excel, being able to speak confidently about high level functions, code, dealing with DB queries, etc., will help, and be able to answer scenario based questions. Like "What would you do in this situation?"

 

[tua022012]

Apart from that, this link below may be useful: Financial analyst interview questions

Rgs

 

[WLHagen]

I'm a CPA and my current job title is Financial Analyst (plus "Jack of all trades, master of... well.... some of them").

Like Ruddles, I wouldn't place much weight on a spreadsheet you brought in, but if you could speak intelligently about your Excel usage (problems solved using Excel, training you've taken, etc) - that would have more of an impact than a printout of a spreadsheet. This, of course, is considering that you're not being interviewed by the HR department as alluded above, but someone more in a position to understand what you're speaking about.

Best of luck on your interview!

 

[pplstuff]

I work doing project finance/modeling. I had to do Excel tests prior to all my job offers. You shouldn't plan on going in and wowing them like that. Obviously, it's good to keep in your back pocket, as proof, but don't plan on that being the deciding factor.

If they want someone truly good in Excel, they'll ask targeted questions and have some sort of test. If they're not doing either of those things, then Excel isn't a big part of the job.

As WLHagen suggests, if you're interview is with HR... HR won't know jack about Excel compared to a good analyst. HR is just a filter, plan on wowing the person you'll be working for.