Master interviews by thinking like a sales pro. Job interviews are sales pitches. And in this case, the product is you. Here’s the deal: You’re not just answering questions—you’re selling your skills, experience, and potential. If you’ve ever studied sales, you know the drill: build rapport, identify needs, overcome objections, close the sale. That’s your interview game plan. First things first, build rapport. Get to know the company’s vision, culture, and how they define success. The more you know, the easier it is to connect and show them you’re not just another candidate—you’re the candidate. Next, know your story inside and out. Be ready to walk them through your career path, how you’ve grown, and where you’re headed. Confidence in your narrative is key to owning the room. And then, ask the right questions. Don’t just Google generic interview questions and hope for the best. Challenge the employer. Ask about the company’s culture and first-year expectations. You could ask: “If you hire me today, how will you know in a year that I was the right fit?” The questions you ask (or don’t ask) speak volumes about your priorities and how you approach work. They reveal your mindset, experience, and what matters to you. #interviews #career #intocityprep #jobs
Into City Prep
Financial Services
London, England 152,722 followers
Career success starts here: connecting ambitious finance firms, students, and grads.
About us
At Into City Prep, we're more than a platform—we're a bridge connecting ambitious firms, students, and graduates. Our mission: foster collaboration and open doors in the finance industry. Our Unique Approach: 🚀 Empowering Connections: Unite firms seeking talent with eager students/grads, enriching finance as a whole. 🔍 Breaking Barriers: Streamline entry to finance. Our resources and expert guidance empower students and grads. 🤝 Professional Mentorship: Seasoned pros mentor students and grads, nurturing the next finance generation. Why Choose Us: 🌐 Focus Areas: Explore hedge funds, private equity, asset management, trading, venture capital, investment banking, and wealth management. 🚀 Training Internships: Gain hands-on experience through field placements and 1-1 expert training. 🔍 Guided Success: Navigate CVs, psychometric tests, interviews, and more with personalized guidance. 🏆 Proven Results: Countless transformed careers through Into City Prep's guidance. 📚 Stay Ahead: Finance evolves; we keep you current. Ready to realize finance aspirations? Discover more at intocityprep.com or contact us at: info@intocityprep.com Your path to finance excellence begins here. 🌟 Secure your spot early for exclusive training internships, personalized mentorship, and job opportunities giving you a head start in your finance career journey.
- Website
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http://www.intocityprep.com
External link for Into City Prep
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- London, England
- Type
- Privately Held
- Founded
- 2015
- Specialties
- fintech, CV, investment banking, asset management, venture capital, private equity, recruitment, career development, mentorship, and hedge fund
Locations
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Primary
1 Fore Street Avenue
London, England EC2Y 9, GB
Employees at Into City Prep
Updates
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~ The 3 Most Important Interview Questions to Prepare For ~ The first question in an interview often catches candidates off guard—and it’s one of the most crucial. It’s a simple question, yet many stumble over it, rambling without a clear direction. When that happens, the interview can quickly spiral downward. Sound familiar? The question usually comes in different forms, such as: • What do you want to be doing? • What would your ideal job look like? • What kind of projects do you want to work on? Or our personal favorite: What are you looking for that you're not getting in your current job? These questions are designed to gauge whether you genuinely want the job being offered. If your answer isn’t confident and aligned with the job description, it can signal to the interviewer that you’re not sure what you really want. The key here is to prepare a response that not only reflects your career goals but also ties them to the specific responsibilities and requirements outlined in the job description. Show the interviewer that you’ve done your homework and can see yourself thriving in the role. To do this, start by visualizing your ideal role, then match those aspirations with what the job offers. Think about the tasks you want to be doing—and the ones you don’t. This approach will help you answer with confidence and ensure your response is tailored to the opportunity at hand. Remember, employers want candidates who know exactly what they’re aiming for and see this role as the perfect fit. Don’t underestimate the power of clarity—it can make all the difference
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What is the mental model that helped Charlie Munger build his billions? The Inversion Process. Inversion involves looking at a problem or decision from the opposite point of view. For example, rather than focusing on achieving success, inversion encourages you to consider how to avoid failure. It’s a powerful tool for problem-solving and decision-making because it helps you uncover obstacles that might otherwise be overlooked. Charlie Munger explains, “If someone hired me to fix India, I would immediately say, ‘What could I do if I really wanted to hurt India?’ I’d figure out all the things that could most easily hurt India, then I’d figure out how to avoid them.” The goal is to frequently invert the problem. Instead of thinking about what you want, think about what you want to avoid. ~ Applying Inversion to Career Growth ~ When thinking about your career, inversion helps you focus on avoiding pitfalls and removing obstacles to your progress. Here are some reflective questions to help guide your thinking: • What habits or behaviors could prevent me from advancing in my career? How can I avoid or change these? • What skills am I lacking that might block future opportunities? What actions can I take to acquire them? • What would cause me to lose credibility or trust at work? How can I safeguard against these issues? • What is the worst career mistake I could make at this stage, and how can I steer clear of it? • How could I make my work environment less productive? What steps can I take to ensure this doesn't happen? By identifying potential roadblocks—whether they be procrastination, poor communication, lack of mentorship, or staying stagnant in skill development—you can focus on eliminating these factors to accelerate your career progress. Inversion is not just about seeing the world differently—it's about seeing the obstacles in your way and actively working to overcome them
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If you're job hunting and want to STAND OUT from the crowd, here's something you can do that’s virtually free... Not everyone receives their emails (they may have assistants screening them), and not everyone checks messages, but most people read their own mail. Handwritten letters also carry a completely different energy. They require time, thought, and intent, making them stand out. Sending handwritten letters can be a key part of your job search strategy. If someone helps you with career advice, they get a letter. If you meet a potential employer or a valuable connection at a networking event, they get a letter. People don’t forget when they receive something that has a personal touch.
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One of our favorite quotes from Warren Buffett is: “You don’t get rich fast…you get rich slow.” Let me tell you a story. Imagine two runners in a marathon. One is eager to win quickly and takes shortcuts, running off the marked path to gain an advantage. The other runner sticks to the course, pacing themselves steadily and following the rules. As the marathon progresses, the runner who took shortcuts gets lost and exhausted, while the steady runner gains momentum, passing them effortlessly. Success takes time in every aspect of life: business, friendships, personal development, achieving your dream role, and more. Just like the steady runner, you should aim to reach your goals as quickly as you can, but without cutting corners. Be patient and consistent. If you do things the right way, you’ll eventually surpass those who tried to cheat the process. Remember, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
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UNDER RATED BUSINESS ADVICE: Follow up with everyone. Have a meeting? Send a thank you Get someone a card. Send a note. Someone sends you a gift…thank them. And if you have a meeting and get a "no"...you get another bite at the apple on your follow up. So many of our clients have learned to turn a “no” into a yes and you could too. Take your time and craft a perfect response. Here’s a list of guidelines to help you formulate your message. Do… ✔️Use a clear, descriptive email subject (e.g. “Checking in on my application for [role]”) ✔️ Express your continued interest in the position ✔️ Tailor your message to the role you’re applying for ✔️ Keep it fairly brief and to-the-point ✔️ Touch on why you’d be a great fit and are excited about the opportunity ✔️ Offer to provide additional materials or references upon request ✔️ Finish on a note of gratitude (e.g. “Thank you for your time and consideration”) Don’t… ❌ Send a vague or generic message (e.g. a ‘cookie-cutter’ email) ❌ Use pushy/demanding language at any point ❌ Be overly casual/informal (e.g. “Hey [Name]!”) Here's en example email template. 📧 Subject: Grateful for Our Discussion Today, [Name] Hi [Name], I appreciate you making time to talk today. It was great to connect and hear more about [Name of Company]! I thoroughly enjoyed our discussion, particularly [Specific topic of conversation you and the interviewer will remember well]. As promised, here is the article I referenced about [Something related to the topic of conversation]. I'm really enthusiastic about this opportunity and look forward to learning more about the next steps. Please feel free to let me know if there's anything I can assist with from my side! Best regards, [Your Name] ————— ➡️ Follow us for more proven tips to accelerate your success. #followup #intocityprep #career #job #lifehacks
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Master tricky interview questions with confidence by following these steps. Tricky interview questions can be daunting, but don't worry—we’re here to help you navigate them with ease. Let's tackle a common one: "Tell me about a time you faced a significant challenge at work." Instead of freezing up, use the STARI method (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Implications). This little twist on the classic STAR method provides a clearer picture of your impact by highlighting the potential consequences if you hadn't taken action. In the Magnet Interview Guide, we provide detailed examples, but here’s a quick one: Situation: You worked at a retail store, and one day, all your coworkers called in sick. Task: You needed to ensure the store ran smoothly despite being short-staffed. Action: You rearranged the schedule, handled store operations, and closed a big sale. Result: By the end of the day, the business ran as usual, and sales targets were met. Implications: If you hadn’t stepped up, the store would have faced operational chaos, leading to lost sales and dissatisfied customers. This is a perfect STARI story! Now, let's address the classic "What's your biggest weakness?" question. Instead of claiming to be a perfectionist, share a real weakness and how you're working to improve it. For example, you might say you struggle with public speaking but have been taking online courses to get better. Authenticity and proactive efforts to improve always make a positive impression. In our next post, we’ll share more underrated tips that will help you standout. It will be eye-opening! #intocityprep #interviews #success #recruitment
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Into City Prep reposted this
All my Private Equity posts in one giant list (bookmark this post🔖): Private Equity is hard to break into, but the underlying concepts are not as complicated as people think. To that end, here's nearly everything I've learned on the job (mostly the hard way) consolidated into one giant list for your reference. 1. All the steps of going through a deal: https://bit.ly/3tub2Wd 2. How I learned FP&A in Private Equity: https://bit.ly/3vlxTUx 3. How the grocery store teaches you Sources & Uses https://bit.ly/3RGEUqs 4. Due Diligence roadmap: https://bit.ly/3RGS7zp 5. Adjusted EBITDA cheat sheet: https://bit.ly/3TKTzDv 6. Modeling pro forma EBITDA Adjustments: https://bit.ly/3tIM31e 7. Visualizing a private equity waterfall: https://bit.ly/3TFedoB 8. Waterfall video: https://bit.ly/3RLRyUW 9. Modeling the pro forma Balance Sheet: https://bit.ly/3S2173v 10. The 4 Phases of a Private Equity fund: https://bit.ly/3RK24Mt 11. A sample Quality of Earnings (QofE) Report: https://bit.ly/48xslFb 12. Visualizing a LBO: https://bit.ly/3TMw8Kc 13. Presenting a consolidation: https://bit.ly/3S1Pqtv 14. Gantt chart of due diligence: https://bit.ly/3REZ8Rn 15. A detailed waterfall: https://bit.ly/3S3fDYI 16. Best qualities of a PE Associate: https://bit.ly/3TMw9he 17. Sample interview question: https://bit.ly/3TMw9Og 18. How does someone in PE make money? https://bit.ly/3S0LBF6 19. Reading a banking teaser: https://bit.ly/3TL53XQ 20. The dark side of Private Equity: https://bit.ly/3RMfmb8 💥𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: CFO checklist if you might be acquired: https://bit.ly/3TM4a18 ~~~ 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟯 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀: Hey, I'm Chris Reilly, and I teach Private Equity and FP&A Financial Modeling tailored for the middle-market. 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 ⤵️ I've got a bunch of free Excel templates you can mess around with. Grab them here: https://bit.ly/3R6IvxK
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The wealth secret no one talks about. In 2009, Stanford business professor Tina Seelig split her class into groups and issued a challenge: Each group had $5 and 2 hours to make the highest return on the initial money. At the end, they'd give a short presentation on their strategy. The results were fascinating... Most of the groups followed a basic approach: ✅ Use the $5 to buy a few items. ✅ Barter or resell those items. ✅ Repeat ✅ Sell final items for (hopefully) more than $5. These groups made a modest return on their initial $5. A few groups ignored the $5. They thought up ways to make the most money in the 2 hours of allotted time: ✅ Made and sold reservations at hot restaurants. ✅ Refilled bike tires on campus for $1 each. These groups made a better return on their initial $5. The winning group took an entirely different approach. They had three core realizations: 1. The $5 was nothing more than a distraction. 2. The 2 hours of time was not enough to make an attractive, outsized return with a mini-business (like selling restaurant reservations or filling bike tires). 3. The most valuable "asset" was actually the presentation time in front of a class of Stanford students. 🤯 Realizing the value of this hidden asset, they offered the presentation time to companies looking to recruit Stanford students. They struck a deal to sell the time slot for $650, netting a monstrous return on the $5 of initial capital. The losing groups thought in linear, logical terms and achieved a linear, logical outcome. The winning group thought differently. So, what can we learn from this story? There are two types of problems: 1. Low-Stakes: Lower potential, linear rewards. Decisions are easily reversible. 2. High-Stakes: Higher potential, asymmetric rewards. Decisions are not easily reversible. With low-stakes problems, given the reward potential is low and the decisions are easily reversible, we can use shortcuts and heuristics to choose our path. We can take a logical, linear approach. With high-stakes problems, the high, asymmetric reward potential means we need to think differently. We want to take a creative, non-linear approach. Enjoy this? Share this with someone to spread the learning! #intocityprep #creativity #asymmetricthinking
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🌟 Unlock the secret to acing your next interview! 🌟 Asking the right questions can significantly increase your chances of landing that offer. Here are the top 4 questions to ask at the end of an interview and why they're important: 1. "What is the biggest challenge your team is facing now?" • This question shows your interest in understanding the current dynamics of the team and how you can contribute to solving real problems. It also gives you insight into the company's priorities and areas for potential growth. 2. "What would a new hire have to do in the first 6 months at least to meet and even exceed your expectations?" • Asking this question demonstrates your commitment to excel in the role and your willingness to proactively seek ways to meet the employer's expectations. It also provides clarity on what success looks like in the position. 3. “What is the most unexpected lesson you’ve learned whilst working here?" • This question allows you to gain valuable insights into the company culture, challenges, and opportunities for growth. It also fosters a more personal connection with the interviewer, showcasing your genuine interest in their experiences. 4. “Just so we’re on the same page, based on my application and this interview, are there any doubts or reservations you still have about me?" • Asking for feedback demonstrates your openness to constructive criticism and your desire to address any concerns the interviewer may have. It gives you the opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings and leave a positive impression of your proactive communication skills 🌟 Did you like this and want to learn more? If you’re an aspiring intern looking for an internship, help with networking, career advice, plus interview support, then look no further. This is particularly for you if you’re a student, recent graduate or looking for a flexible internship in Investment Banking, Asset Management, Private Equity, Trading, and Venture Capital. Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to gain hands-on experience and valuable insights in these competitive industries. Apply now by sending your CV to: info@intocityprep.com Seize the chance to propel your career forward and make a lasting impact! Act fast! Limited spots available for summer internships. #InternshipOpportunity #LimitedSpots #CareerBoost 🚀