Behavioral / Frameworks
Perfecting Technical Delivery
Master the game of technical interviews. Learn the strategy, tactics, and frameworks (TECH4, CALC, DEAL, TREND) to deliver structured answers under pressure.
"The game is the game." — Avon Barksdale, The Wire
Technical interviews are a performance. This guide covers four domains: The Game (players and metrics), The Strategy (defense and offense), The Tactics (answer frameworks), and Your Regime (training protocol).
For behavioral questions, see the Behavioral Interview Guide. For the complete framework reference, see Investment Banking Interview Frameworks.
The Game
"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else." — Richard Branson
Every technical interview has the same structure: two players with asymmetric incentives, a predictable sequence of rounds, and a scoring system that rewards more than correctness.
The Players
You
- Enthusiastic, sharp, well-prepared
- White/yellow belt (learning, not mastery)
- Proving you belong
The Interviewer
- Sleep-deprived
- Asked this question 10 times today
- Will be up until 3am tonight
- Just got an email from an MD
The Rounds
The Strategy
"The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy." — Sun Tzu
Protect the downside first. Nail the basics, stay composed. Then play offense—control the conversation, steer toward strengths, show separating depth.
Core Tenets
- Simple — Plain language; break complex concepts into pieces
- Direct — Answer first, then elaborate
- Concise — Say what needs to be said, then stop
Defense (Protect the Downside)
- Accuracy — Zero defects on fundamentals
Tactics
"Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast." — Navy SEALs
Frameworks are the skeleton of your answer. They let you organize thoughts under pressure without inventing structure in real-time. Each framework maps to a specific question type.
Framework Quick Reference
Your Regime
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." — Aristotle
Knowing the frameworks isn't enough—drill them until automatic. Two phases: learn the material, then practice delivering under pressure. By interview day, structure should be muscle memory.
Phase 1: Theory
- Readings, videos, podcasts
- Structured curriculum learning
- Engage with the material—think with it
- Technicals are a game now, but an operating system later
- Start with the Learning Pathway
Phase 2: Practice
- Speak answers out loud
- Mock interviews—see the
Takeaways
- Understand the game. You're proving competence, clarity, and character to someone exhausted and looking for reasons to decide.
- Defense first. Get fundamentals right, stay composed, don't talk yourself into trouble.
- Offense second. Once safe, control tempo, drop breadcrumbs, show depth.
- Frameworks are your skeleton. TECH4 for concepts, CALC for math, COMPANY/DEAL/TREND for market knowledge. For behavioral, use HERO, CREI, STAR PUNCH.
- Drill until automatic. Structure gives freedom. When frameworks are muscle memory, focus on delivery and connection.
For the complete framework reference, see Investment Banking Interview Frameworks. For behavioral questions, see the .