Interviewing at Financial Technology Partners? Eager to land the job but not sure what to expect during the interview process? You’ve come to the right place
As an elite boutique investment bank focused exclusively on financial technology, Financial Technology Partners sets a high bar for job candidates. Competition is fierce for the coveted spots on their small, specialized team
This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to thoroughly prepare for your upcoming interviews. I’ve done extensive research and spoken with insiders to uncover the most common Financial Technology Partners interview questions, best tips for navigating the process, and details on what to expect each step of the way.
Whether you’re interviewing for an investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, or other role, these insights will help you tackle the questions, ace the case studies, and impress your future colleagues. Let’s dive in!
Financial Technology Partners Interview Process Overview
The interview process at Financial Technology Partners typically follows this general sequence:
- Initial phone screening
- 1-2 rounds of video interviews
- Superday onsite interviews
Here’s a more detailed look at what to expect during each stage:
Initial Phone Screening
- 30 minute call with HR or recruiter
- Questions focused on resume, motivation, availability
Video Interviews
- 1-2 rounds total
- 45-60 minutes each
- Mix of technical finance, accounting, valuation questions
- Behavioral and fit questions interspersed
- May involve case study
Superday Onsite
- In NYC or San Francisco office
- 4-6 back-to-back interviews throughout day
- Interviewers: Analysts, Associates, VPs, MDs
- Technical and behavioral questions
- Expect at least 1 case study
The process from initial phone screen to final round typically takes 1-3 months. Be sure to follow up promptly after each stage.
Now let’s dive into the technical questions and case studies you’re likely to encounter.
Most Common Financial Technology Partners Interview Questions
Financial Technology Partners looks for candidates with exceptional financial modeling skills, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to thrive in a lean, entrepreneurial environment.
Many of the questions are open-ended and designed to assess your thought process. Interviews will dig deep into your resume, past deals you’ve worked on, transactions in the news, and finance concepts.
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and topics:
Technical Finance Questions
- Walk me through a DCF analysis step-by-step
- How do you calculate WACC? What factors determine the inputs?
- What are the pros and cons of DCF vs. multiples valuation? When would you use each?
- Explain sensitivity analysis in valuation – how is it used and why?
- What is the difference between LBO and M&A models?
- How would you value a private FinTech company? What methods could you use?
- Explain accretion/dilution analysis in M&A deals
- How are IRR and XIRR calculated? When are they used?
- Define trading comps and precedent transactions
- What factors drive EV/EBITDA multiples in Tech? How have they changed over time?
Accounting Questions
- Walk through the 3 financial statements and how they connect
- What are some differences between GAAP and non-GAAP metrics?
- How does revenue recognition for SaaS/subscription businesses differ from other models?
- Explain how DSO, DPO, inventory turns are calculated and interpreted
Market/Industry Knowledge
- What FinTech sectors/companies interest you and why?
- What recent M&A deals or IPOs have you followed? What stood out?
- How is the payments landscape evolving? Who are the key players?
- How are blockchain/crypto impacting financial services?
- What emerging technologies could disrupt wealth management and trading?
Behavioral Questions
- Why are you interested in financial technology?
- Where do you see your career in 5 years?
- Tell me about a time you balanced multiple priorities under a tight deadline.
- Describe a situation where you convinced team members to see your perspective.
Financial Technology Partners Case Study Examples
Case studies are used extensively, especially during superday rounds. The cases will relate either to financing scenarios or strategic issues faced by FinTech companies.
You’ll be expected to ask good clarifying questions before structuring your response using financial analysis frameworks you’ve learned. Maintain an interactive dialog as you think through the issues aloud.
Here are examples of possible case studies:
M&A Case
- You’re advising a payments processor looking to acquire a smaller mobile wallet competitor.
- Walk through how you would value the acquisition and determine a fair price.
- What synergies should the combined entity aim to capture?
- What risks or challenges might arise post-merger?
IPO Case
- Your client is an online lender considering an IPO in the next 2 years.
- How would you advise them on when to go public? What factors to consider?
- How should they position the IPO story to investors? Comps to emphasize?
- Walk through how you’d value the company and size the offering.
Growth Capital Raise
- You’re advising a blockchain/crypto startup seeking a $30M Series B round.
- How would you benchmark their valuation? What metrics are important?
- Should they target VC, PE, or corporate investors? Pros and cons?
- What terms would you advise agreeing to/avoiding?
Stress Test Case
- Your client is a payments fintech that just had a major security breach.
- Walk through the financial impact across revenue, margins, credit risks.
- How would you advise the CEO to communicate the incident?
- What operational responses should they implement to contain damages?
The key is demonstrating strong problem-solving skills and strategic thinking, while drawing on technical knowledge. Be prepared to get creative solving ambiguous business challenges on the spot!
How to Prepare for Financial Technology Partners Interviews
Now that you know what to expect, here are some tips for preparing:
Master technical fundamentals. Review key concepts in valuation, corporate finance, accounting, Excel modeling. Know basic LBO, DCF, M&A and trading comps models cold.
Research the firm and industry. Understand Financial Technology Partners’ deals and clients. Brush up on FinTech market landscape and trends. Identify companies and topics that interest you.
Practice modeling tests and cases. Create models for sample companies. Get friends to pitch you cases and practice responding.
Rehearse your stories. Reflect on your resume and experiences to identify stories that convey your skills. Practice telling them clearly and concisely.
Prepare 5-10 go-to questions to ask each interviewer. Ask intelligent, thoughtful questions that demonstrate your interest.
Review common behavioral questions and practice responses that highlight your strengths.
Plan your interview attire. Dress sharp – business formal is expected. Get a good night’s rest beforehand.
Arrive early. Give yourself extra time to get situated. Greet everyone you meet with confidence and enthusiasm.
With thorough preparation, you’ll feel confident tackling whatever Finance Technology Partners interviewers throw your way. Stay sharp and unflappable, and you’ll be well on your way to landing a coveted spot with this elite boutique bank!
Financial Technology PartnersInvestment Banking
Based on the Interview Insights at this company, the Interview Experience is a score between 1 star (very bad) and 5 stars (very good).
The number in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the mean of all these scores. If you move your mouse over the different parts of the doughnut, you’ll see exactly how each score was calculated.
The title percentile score is based on an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates that is applied to the whole Company Database. This is done to account for companies that don’t have many interview insights. For easy explanation, when a business gets more reviews, the belief in its “true score” grows. This makes it move closer to its own simple average and away from the overall average of the dataset. 3. 4.
Based on the Interview Insights at this company, the Interview Difficulty is a score that goes from “very difficult” (red) to “very easy” (green).
The number in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the mean of all these scores. The higher the number, the more difficult the interviews on average. This doughnut has different parts that, when you move your mouse over them, show you the 20% breakdown of each score given.
The title percentile score is based on an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates that is applied to the whole Company Database. This is done to account for companies that don’t have many interview insights. That is, as a business learns more, it becomes more sure of a “true score,” which moves it closer to its own simple average and away from the overall average of the data set. 3. 2.
Based on reviews at this company, the 20% of interns getting full-time offers chart is meant to give you a good idea of how the company hires people.
The number in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the mean of all these scores. This doughnut has different parts that, when you move your mouse over them, show you the 20% breakdown of each score given.
It uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates to account for companies that don’t have many reviews, which is how the percentile score in the title is found. To put it simply, when a business gets more reviews, the “true score” becomes more likely to be accurate. This makes it move closer to the simple company average and away from the average of all the data. 65%.
Investment Banking – Finance Technicals Mock Interview
FAQ
What does Financial Technology Partners do?
Is FT Partners hard to get into?
What is the recruiting process for FT Partners?
