Behavioral / Stories
Banking Stories & Whys: Crafting Compelling Interview Responses
A comprehensive guide to crafting specific, genuine, and sourced responses for investment banking interviews—from your personal story to why banking, why this firm, and what questions to ask.
Quick Reference
| Question Type | Framework | Key Principle |
|---|---|---|
| Tell me about yourself | HERO | Narrative arc with clear progression |
| Why banking? | CREI | Claim backed by evidence |
| Why this firm? | CREI | Firm-specific touchstones |
Universal Principles
Every response must meet three criteria:
Specificity
Your response should be unique to you, apply only to banking, and only to this firm. Answers that work for consulting, PE, or other banks fail this test.
Weak: "I became very interested in deals—I'd like to learn all there is to know about them and I know banking is the best place to do that."
Authenticity
Reveal something real about who you are and what drives you. Generic or rehearsed answers signal low conviction.
Weak: "Well [pause] I see a lot of special things about this bank…"
The HERO Framework
The Question: "Walk me through your background" or "Tell me about yourself"
Most candidates recite their resume chronologically. A narrative arc makes you memorable.
Framework Structure
- Setup: Who you are, where you came from (geography/background)
- Challenge: A friction point or difficulty you faced (financial, academic, cultural)
- Turning Point: The specific moment that shifted your focus to finance
- Resolution: What you achieved after that pivot
- Future Path: Why this specific bank is the logical next step
Evaluation Criteria
The CREI Framework: Why Banking
The Question: "Why investment banking?" or "Why are you interested in banking?"
Opinions need backing. This structure forces you to prove assertions immediately.
Framework Structure
- Claim: Direct answer to the question (your motivation)
- Reason: The "because" behind your claim
- Evidence: Concrete proof from your past that validates the claim
- Impact: Why this matters / what you'll bring to the role
Evaluation Criteria
Convey genuine passion. Your energy should be palpable—this isn't a steppingstone.
The CREI Framework: Why This Firm
The Question: "Why our bank?" or "Why are you interested in [Firm Name]?"
Use CREI again—but your Claim is about the specific bank, and your Evidence comes from research and networking.
Framework Structure
- Claim: Why this bank specifically (1-2 clear reasons)
- Reason: The logic behind why that matters to you
- Evidence: Touchstones—specific deals, conversations, or firm attributes
- Impact: How this aligns with your goals
Evaluation Criteria
Reference what makes this bank distinct—insights from coffee chats, recent deals, unique positioning. This separates prepared candidates from those who swapped in the bank name.
Candidate Questions
The Moment: "Do you have any questions for me?"
Evaluation Criteria
Level Stratification: Prepare questions for different levels. Do not ask juniors and seniors the same questions. Match the interviewer's knowledge and priorities.
Schema Validation: Use this to fill gaps in your mental model of banking and the firm. Demonstrate intellectual curiosity.
Conversation Quality: Questions should lead to positive dialogue. Avoid yes/no questions or anything that puts the interviewer in an awkward position. The best questions make them excited to answer.
Summary
Every answer: specific, genuine, sourced. Prepare until answers feel natural, not memorized. The goal is authenticity backed by preparation.
For behavioral questions and scenarios, see the Behavioral Interview Guide. For the complete set of frameworks, see Investment Banking Interview Frameworks.