Fitch Ratings Investment Analyst Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process included a 30-minute session with the Criteria Officer focusing on behavioral questions about past projects and experience. This was followed by a 30-minute technical interview with the Associate Director, which involved a coding exercise. The process concluded with a 30-minute behavioral interview with the Chief Criteria Officer, designed to assess executive-level suitability.

I had an interview with 2 senior analysts. It was mostly technical and motivational questions, with specific questions about secured bonds. After that, there was an Excel test where I had to answer 6 questions in English in a Word document. It wasn't too hard, but it's good to know it's in English, even though I applied for a role in Paris.

Applied through LinkedIn. Got called in for an in-person interview about 3 weeks after applying, which I figured meant hiring takes a while. No initial phone screen, but the interviewers acted like I had one. First HR mistake. The in-person interview had four 30-minute slots with team members. Mostly behavioral questions with a couple of simple accounting technical questions. A week later, I was asked to come in for a writing assignment, where I had to write a one-page report on a made-up company using info from Fitch. This didn't require any specific skills, it was just a writing test. The person in charge said they 'forgot' to give this to me during the in-person interview - second mistake. HR called me that same afternoon with a verbal offer for an Analyst position and actually increased my starting salary by $5k because I mentioned having another offer. It was weirdly quiet for about 5 days after that. Then HR called again, admitting they made a mistake and asking if I'd be interested in a Credit Associate role (entry-level) because of my limited experience (about 1 year in investment banking). They also offered $10k less than the previous offer. I reluctantly accepted and was told I needed to complete an online assessment to finalize things. This involved two 30-minute assessments, one for writing and one for basic math. I took the practice tests and did well, getting 8/10 on math and 8/8 on writing, so I felt confident for the real ones. About a week later, after several unanswered emails trying to reach HR, I got an email saying my performance on the online exam wasn't good enough for an offer. I repeatedly asked the HR contact for feedback and my exam results, but never got them, and she refused to discuss it over the phone. This whole process was incredibly frustrating and confusing, lasting about 3 weeks. HR really needs to improve their hiring process.