Weve looked at the interview questions at Goldman Sachs. Weve looked at the interview questions of J. P. Morgan. And weve looked at how body language in an interview might kill your chances of landing a job.
But what should you expect if you get an interview with Morgan Stanley? The questions below are based on what people who got interviews with Morgan Stanley in 2022 were asked. They cover IBD, sales and trading, and technology roles. Remember, dont forget the soft skill questoins are as important as the technical.
Earning a coveted spot at prestigious investment bank Morgan Stanley requires outshining the competition. This comprehensive guide explores Morgan Stanley’s culture, sample interview questions, tips to impress, and strategies to thoroughly prepare.
Follow these insights to master your Morgan Stanley interviews and launch your dream finance career at one of the world’s top financial institutions
Morgan Stanley Company Overview
Morgan Stanley is a multinational investment bank providing services including wealth management, securities trading, investment banking, and more. Key facts:
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Founded in 1935 and headquartered in New York City.
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Employs over 60,000 workers in over 40 countries.
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Key business areas include institutional securities, wealth management, and investment management.
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Main competitors are Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Credit Suisse.
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Revenue topped $53 billion in 2020.
Morgan Stanley’s Culture and Values
Morgan Stanley emphasizes excellence, integrity, innovation and giving back. Their principles include:
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Driving innovation through technology, new products, and creative solutions.
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Fostering work-life balance, flexibility, and professional growth.
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Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion through education and recruiting.
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Maintaining rigorous risk management and compliance standards.
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Encouraging employees to volunteer and give back to communities.
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Upholding strong ethical values in all dealings.
Common Morgan Stanley Interview Formats
Be prepared for various interview styles:
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Screening interviews assessing core competencies.
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Technical/case interviews testing financial modeling, valuation, market knowledge.
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Behavioral interviews focused on past performance and fit.
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Panel/group interviews with multiple interviewers.
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Superday interviews involving multiple rounds.
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Virtual interviews via video platforms.
How to Prepare for a Morgan Stanley Interview
Thorough preparation is key. Strategies include:
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Researching Morgan Stanley’s business, clients, culture, and current events.
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Rehearsing your answers to common Morgan Stanley interview questions.
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Brushing up on technical skills like financial modeling, valuation, accounting.
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Reviewing your resume in detail and preparing examples that prove each accomplishment.
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Crafting stories highlighting leadership, ethics, communication, and other competencies.
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Developing thoughtful questions to ask interviewers.
Sample Morgan Stanley Interview Questions and Answers
Practice responses to these typical questions:
Traditional
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Walk me through your resume.
Provide a concise overview of your background and particularly relevant experiences. -
Why are you interested in Morgan Stanley?
Show you understand their business and culture. Highlight your passion for finance. -
Where do you see your career in 5 years?
Present realistic growth trajectory aligned to the firm’s offerings.
Technical
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What are the most important metrics for valuing a company?
Highlight fundamentals like P/E ratio, EPS, free cash flow. -
How would you value a start-up company with negative earnings?
Discuss methods like comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, DCF using projected earnings.
Behavioral
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Tell me about a time you faced a conflict with a team member. How did you handle it?
Emphasize empathy, open communication, finding common ground. -
Describe a situation where you had to influence peers or get buy-in for an idea. How did you convince them?
Highlight persuasion, logic, relationship building, persistence.
Case-Based
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Our client is considering acquiring a distressed retail chain. How would you assess the pros and cons?
Demonstrate strategic thinking, M&A valuation, evaluating synergies. -
The CFO wants help improving working capital efficiency. What levers would you recommend?
Discuss strategies like negotiating favorable supplier terms, reducing inventory via JIT, optimizing payables/receivables.
How to Stand Out in Morgan Stanley Interviews
Distinguish yourself by:
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Demonstrating deep knowledge of markets, finance concepts, and Morgan Stanley thought leadership.
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Conveying genuine passion for the firm and role.
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Backing accomplishments with data-driven results and quantifiable impact.
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Asking intelligent, strategic questions.
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Exhibiting strong communication skills, intellectual curiosity, and leadership presence.
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Emphasizing collaboration, ethics, positivity – Morgan Stanley cultural values.
Smart Questions to Ask Morgan Stanley Interviews
Prepare some thoughtful queries such as:
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How do you see the skills needed for this role evolving over the next 5 years?
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What differentiates top performers on your team?
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What training programs support professional development?
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What attracted you to Morgan Stanley?
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How is performance measured and feedback given?
Following Up After the Interview
Be sure to:
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Get interviewers’ business cards to facilitate follow up.
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Send thank-you emails reiterating your fit.
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Follow up politely if you don’t hear back when expected.
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Negotiate offers reasonably and accept/reject promptly.
Morgan Stanley Interview Tips
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Arrive 10-15 minutes early.
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Dress professionally – business formal attire is safest.
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Greet interviewers with eye contact, a smile, and firm handshake.
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Listen attentively and answer confidently. Limit nervous gestures.
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Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when framing responses.
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Send follow-up thank-you notes reiterating your interest.
Mastering Difficult Morgan Stanley Interview Questions
If faced with challenging questions:
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Take a moment to gather your thoughts.
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Ask for clarification if needed.
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Answer concisely and stay positive.
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Redirect the conversation to your accomplishments and strengths.
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For technical issues, explain your systematic problem-solving process.
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Emphasize your strong learning orientation.
With extensive preparation showcasing your finance acumen, competitive drive, and cultural fit, you will impress any Morgan Stanley interviewer. Research the firm inside out. Practice responding to all likely questions. Project confidence and remain cool under pressure. You’ve got this!
IBD questions from Morgan Stanley interviews
What is a DCF valuation?
What deals in the space have you been following?
What is the common debt-to-equity ratio?
What is balance sheet equity?
Walk me through a LBO.
What are some common valuation methods?
How would you value a coffee shop
Describe some trends in M&A deals recently.
Explain the revenue structure of the last company you worked at.
Explain levered and unlevered beta.
Tell me about an industry that is impacted by Covid.
Fit / Competency questions from Morgan Stanley interviews
Walk me through you resume.
Tell me about yourself.
What are Morgan Stanley’s corporate values?
Why are you a good fit for Morgan Stanley?
Why did you apply to Morgan Stanley?
What can you add to Morgan Stanley?
Tell us about your qualifications.
What are your future goals?
Why are you the best person for this position?
Give an example of how you handled a difficult situation and the outcome.
When was a time you worked well in a group? Describe it.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
Tell me about your work history.
Have you ever dealt with difficult people? How did you do it.
What made you interested in Morgan Stanley?
Tell me about a struggle at school that you overcame.
What do you like about your current position?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Tell me about a time when you solved a conflict.
Tell us something unusual about yourself.
What do you think about working with people from different backgrounds?
Describe yourself in three words.
Give me an example of a challenge you had to overcome.
How would you bring new ideas and perspective to Morgan Stanley?
Why did you leave your previous job?
How would you sell Morgan Stanley?
Give me an example of a time you’ve been wrong about something.
What is your greatest accomplishment.
How do you manage your workload when you are faced with several projects and deadlines?
Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.
Describe a time when you have been able to demonstrate flexibility?
When you were able to stay friendly with someone who was mad or upset, tell me about it. Describe the situation, your actions, and the outcome.
Tell me about a time that you used technology to make a decision
What would you say is your greatest leadership quality?
Tell me about a time youve been innovative.
Whats unique about Morgan Stanley?
What is one thing not on your resume that you would like us to know?
What are your long term career goals.
Describe a time when you had to make a big decision with limited information.
If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
Use 3 adjectives to describe yourself and explain why you used these 3 adjectives.
What would you do if another team was trying to push more work onto your team?
One of our values is giving back. How does that principle apply to you?
Describe a time when you made a decision based on limited information.
What can you bring to this company?
MORGAN STANLEY Interview Questions & Answers! (Interview Preparation, Top Tips & Example Answers!)
FAQ
How to prepare for an interview with Morgan Stanley?
Is the Morgan Stanley interview hard?
How many interview rounds are there in Morgan Stanley?
How do you express interest in an interview at Morgan Stanley?
Express your interest by asking the interviewer questions. Be sure the questions are relevant and specific. Enhance your understanding of what we do and who we are so you avoid generic questions like, “What is the culture like at Morgan Stanley?” Do more than state your interests.
Does Morgan Stanley ask ‘behavioral’ questions?
The information in this guide is based on an analysis of over 60 Morgan Stanley interview reports (from real candidates for analyst roles), which were recorded between 2016-2021. And here’s one of the first things you’ll want to know: Morgan Stanley emphasizes “behavioral” questions in its interviews.
Does Morgan Stanley ask technical questions?
And here’s one of the first things you’ll want to know: Morgan Stanley emphasizes “behavioral” questions in its interviews. However, unlike its rivals Goldman Sachs and J P Morgan, it also focuses heavily on technical questions. So, if you want to prioritize your preparation, then you’ll want to pay close attention to the questions section below.
How do you prepare for an interview at Morgan Stanley?
Prepare with practice tests and study relevant topics. I interviewed at Morgan Stanley The interview process consisted of technical questions about Counterparty Credit Risk, aptitude and Logical reasoning. The interviewer was trying to understand knowledge and analytical skills. Prepare well for the interview. All the best! I applied online.
