just thought i’d share the entire process since i got in and i would have wanted to know before i applied.

step 1: application (30th nov / day 0)
fill in the (relatively long) online forms. standard process.
applications close end of the year like most investment banks.

step 2: online test (30th nov / day 0)
after submitting the application, you have 1 week to complete the online tests. credit suisse uses verbal and numerical tests, as opposed to other banks which replace verbal with logical. the verbal test is like english comprehension, except in a much tighter time frame. the numerical test is more of a mental ‘numeracy’ test, so a calculator didn’t save me since i’m not inclined in that area. i didn’t complete the numerical one, well the last few questions anyway.

step 3: wait for reply (18th jan / day 48)
i thought i had been rejected at this point, since cs claims to process applications on a rolling basis.

step 4: round 1 “individual screening” (24th jan / day 54)
held at smu, all applicants were invited to sit in a presentation about cs. roughly the same content i’ve heard at the 2 info sessions i attended previously. after the presentation, short networking session while i waited for my interview slot. the 10-minute interview was individual and focused on getting to know you as well as your objectives.

step 5: round 2 “group assessment” (25th jan / day 55)
held at cs, the very next day. i was expecting a large room where we would “play” group activities, but it was more of an assessed hour-long group discussion and presentation in a crammed meeting room.

step 6: round 3 “individual assessment + interview” (31st jan / day 61)
also held at cs, started with half an hour to digest a case study and prepare a presentation. then off to meet my assessor to do my 15-minute pitch, followed straight after by a detailed version of round 1. my resume was heavily scrutinised, before the competency questions came in.

step 7: cross fingers and wait (1st feb / day 62)
i got the call during class just now. dashed out to find the caller had hung up. i dialled back to no avail, and it was cat-and-mouse until break time when the familiar voice of Dan from recruitment got connected. “congratulations” was all i needed to hear, and that, is the best chinese new year gift ever.

still waiting to process some admin stuff and sign on the dotted line, but i’m very much looking forward to those 10 weeks commencing in may. awesome would be an understatement.