Sanford C. Bernstein Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 56 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
9 roles · 56 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Sanford C. Bernstein.
Sanford C. Bernstein
Sales Associate
Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
It was a really smooth process. They asked behavioral questions and some basic questions about the markets. There were some questions about your strengths and weaknesses, your investment portfolio, and why you'd be a good fit for the role.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you describe your approach to managing client relationships?
Sanford C. Bernstein
Associate
Entry Average Positive experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Presentation
The interview process had 3 rounds: first with HR, then with a senior Associate, and finally with the MD. The company visited a b-school in India for on-campus recruitment. They asked for an equity research report on a chosen sector and stock pitch.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- What recent news has caught your attention?
- What are the current market trends you're observing?
Sanford C. Bernstein
Trading Associate
Entry Average Positive experience Accept offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Take home Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Coding
I first submitted my resume online. A few weeks later, I had a phone call with my future boss, where we talked about the job and my background. Then, I was invited for a full day of interviews. I met with my boss, his subordinate, two other directors, and the head of the trading floor. Most of them asked about my experience, especially in computer science. One manager gave me some simple problems to solve during this 6-hour marathon, which included a lunch break and a call I had to take. Two days after that, I had to send in some code and answer questions about it. I got an offer two weeks later and we negotiated for about a week.
Confirmed questions5 questions
- Looking at this stock price graph, can you identify exploitable patterns for a large sell order and speculate on their causes?
- Can you tell me about your background and why you're interested in trading?
- Could you elaborate on your general background and your specific experience with computer science?
Sanford C. Bernstein
Equity Research Associate
Entry Easy Neutral experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Take home
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
I had a phone interview with HR first, and then a 1:1 with HR. They gave me a basic case study, like estimating the number of Starbucks. The HR person had me repeat numbers a few times, and I don't think she fully grasped my concepts as she was writing everything down to pass along. It's a bit of a bummer because you can't really have a deep discussion with HR if they aren't equity researchers. She also asked for my GPA and GMAT scores. It wasn't a tough interview. The next step was supposed to be a modeling test. I felt I was less qualified than the other candidates and never heard back. The HR person said she'd let me know, but never responded, which is pretty common these days. A simple rejection email would be nice. Still, it wasn't a hard interview, but dealing with HR is usually not great for the interviewee because they focus on specific profiles instead of a true assessment of your ability to do the job.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- What are your GPA and GMAT scores?
- Can you estimate population numbers and predict revenue growth or losses?
- Estimate the number of Starbucks locations.
Sanford C. Bernstein Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Sanford C. Bernstein interview reports.
“How many dogs are there on this earth compared to the amount of hair on a dog?”
Read reports →“What's the market size of the US TV market?”
Read reports →“Are there more deceased individuals beneath the ground than living people above it?”
Read reports →“What were Anheuser-Busch's beer revenues in 2008?”
Read reports →“What was the number of ipods sold by Apple?”
Read report →“How much cement would be required to build a wall between Mexico and the US?”
Read report →“Can you estimate the number of passengers that fly with Ryanair annually?”
Read report →“What is the market size of Tide pods in the US?”
Read report →“What is your estimate for the daily traffic of the Beijing subway?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 56 Sanford C. Bernstein interview reports.