Rothschild & Co interview questions, and the assessment center
Rothschild & Co hires students through an online application and assessment, a first-round interview online or in person, then an assessment center with a further interview with senior colleagues, a collaborative group exercise and a case study. You can send up to seven applications worldwide in a recruiting cycle.
Updated
- A test with no clock. But the deadline is firm, and the link can take up to three working days to arrive.
- First round, online or in person. About your experiences, skills and motivations.
- Then an assessment center. A senior interview, a group exercise and a case study.
- Seven things it looks for. From communication and drive to being comfortable with numbers.
- Seven applications a cycle. Worldwide, and duplicate profiles are not considered.
What Rothschild & Co says it looks for
Its own list, from the students pages:
Good communication skills
Exceptional written and verbal communication, because the work is building solutions for clients.
Drive and ambition
Someone who sets a high bar for themselves and gets results that stand out.
Sound judgment
Commercial awareness paired with critical thinking: challenge assumptions and reach well-reasoned conclusions.
Creativity
Curiosity, insightful questions and fresh thinking on problems.
Execution, teamwork and numbers
Executional excellence, teamwork, and being comfortable with numbers, which it calls paramount.
How Rothschild & Co's process runs
From its students pages and FAQs. The site is global, so check your program's posting for local detail.
Apply, test, first round, assessment center
Step 1
Apply
Online, through its search opportunities page. Your resume and cover letter can't be edited after you submit.
Step 2
Online assessment
Not timed. The link can take up to three working days to arrive, there are no extensions, and a result from earlier that year can be reused.
Step 3
First-round interview
Online or in person at one of its offices, about your experiences, skills and motivations.
Step 4
Assessment center
A further interview with senior colleagues, a collaborative group exercise and a case study, testing analytical thinking, communication and teamwork.
Rothschild & Co does not publish how long each stage runs or what the case study covers. We don't have reliable candidate reports on its US process.
12 questions to practice for Rothschild & Co
Each one tests something on Rothschild & Co's list, from communication and judgment to numbers, in the order you'd meet them.
The first round4 questions
Your experiences, skills and motivations.
Walk me through your resume.
What a strong answer does
Rothschild & Co tells you to explain gaps on your resume up front. Do the same out loud, then finish on why advisory. Practice it, see a model answer
- “What would you leave out if you had one minute?”
- “Which experience is most relevant here?”
Why Rothschild & Co?
What a strong answer does
It asks what makes it different from other financial institutions. Name one difference and why it matters to you. Practice it, see a model answer
- “Which business area would you join?”
- “What recent news about us caught your eye?”
Why advisory, and not a bank's trading or lending side?
What a strong answer does
Its Global Advisory work is advice to clients. Show you want that work and know what an analyst does in it. Practice it, see a model answer
- “What does an analyst do in the first month?”
- “Why not sales and trading?”
Tell me about a time you pushed for more than was expected.
What a strong answer does
Drive and ambition. Show the bar you set yourself and what it took. Practice it, see a model answer
- “Was it worth the cost?”
- “What did you give up?”
Judgment and teamwork4 questions
The assessment center tests analytical thinking, communication and teamwork.
Tell me about a decision you made with incomplete information.
What a strong answer does
Sound judgment: the assumption you made, how you tested it and what you'd change. Practice it, see a model answer
- “Which assumption was weakest?”
- “What would have changed your mind?”
Tell me about a time you challenged an assumption.
What a strong answer does
It asks you to challenge assumptions and reach reasoned conclusions. Show the evidence you used. Practice it, see a model answer
- “How did the other person take it?”
- “Were you right?”
Tell me about a time a team's result depended on you.
What a strong answer does
Teamwork and execution. Your part, the deadline and how you kept others moving. Practice it, see a model answer
- “What did you do when someone fell behind?”
- “What did the team do better than you alone?”
In a group exercise, a teammate pushes a weak idea. What do you do?
What a strong answer does
Build on what's useful, add evidence, keep the group moving to an answer. Assessors watch how you treat others. Practice it, see a model answer
- “What if the group backs them?”
- “How do you make sure quiet members are heard?”
Numbers and the case study4 questions
It calls being comfortable with numbers paramount.
How would you value a company?
What a strong answer does
Its graduates use DCF and trading and transaction comps. Name all three and say which you'd trust for this company. Practice it, see a model answer
- “Which method would a seller like best?”
- “What would make comps misleading?”
Walk me through a DCF.
What a strong answer does
It calls comfort with numbers paramount, so say each step as a calculation: project the cash flows, discount them at WACC, add a terminal value, then take off net debt to reach equity value. Practice it, see a model answer
- “Perpetuity growth or exit multiple: which would you use here?”
- “Where does the cost of debt come from?”
A client asks whether to sell a division. How would you approach it?
What a strong answer does
Value it as part of the group and on its own, find the likely buyers, then weigh price against what the group loses. Practice it, see a model answer
- “Who would pay most, and why?”
- “What could stop the deal?”
Walk me through a sell-side M&A process.
What a strong answer does
Prep the materials, approach buyers, run bid rounds, then negotiate and close. Know what lands on the analyst's desk at each stage. Practice it, see a model answer
- “Why run an auction instead of talking to one buyer?”
- “What goes in the information memorandum?”
More to prepare with
Mistakes that cost Rothschild & Co candidates
Missing the test deadline
There are no extensions, and an unfinished assessment means an incomplete application.
A generic why
It asks what makes it different from other financial institutions. Have an answer.
Only academic examples
It asks for examples from different situations, not just your studies.
AI-written answers
Using AI to write answers or during assessments can get the application withdrawn.
How to prepare for Rothschild & Co
Rothschild & Co's own top tips, stage by stage.
Before you apply
Refine your resume
One page, clear headings, achievements first, gaps explained.
Before the first round
Know the firm
Its business areas, core values and recent news, and a range of examples beyond your studies.
Before the assessment center
Practice a case and a group task
Talk through numbers out loud, and practice building on other people's ideas.
On the day
Listen, then ask
It says ask if you're unsure what is being asked, and ask it questions too.
Rothschild & Co's own tips and rules
From its students pages and FAQs.
Your resumeOne page
A consistent template with clear headings and bullet points, one page at the start of your career, and gaps explained up front.
Rothschild & Co: internshipsPreparationKnow what makes it different
Research its main business areas, core values, recent news and what sets it apart, and be ready to say why it appeals to you.
Rothschild & Co: internshipsIn the roomAsk if unclear
Listen carefully, ask questions if you're unsure what is being asked, and give specific examples of the skills it looks for.
Rothschild & Co: internshipsAI toolsPrep yes, answers no
AI can help you understand the role or practice questions. It must not write your answers or be used during assessments or interviews.
Rothschild & Co: FAQsGraduate classAbout 200 a year
Graduates start as Analysts with a four-week Global Graduate Training Programme, and the whole intake meets in London first.
Rothschild & Co: graduatesPractice the first round, out loud
Say your examples out loud to Soreno's AI interviewer. It asks what you actually did, pushes for specifics and gives you a score. Free for 7 days.
Questions people ask
What is the Rothschild & Co interview process?
An online application and assessment, a first-round interview online or in person, then an assessment center with a further interview with senior colleagues, a collaborative group exercise and a case study.
Is the Rothschild & Co online assessment timed?
No. Its FAQs say the online assessment is not timed, but there are no extensions to the deadline.
What happens at the Rothschild & Co assessment center?
A further interview with senior colleagues, a collaborative group exercise and a case study, designed to show your analytical thinking, communication and teamwork.
How many Rothschild & Co applications can I submit?
Up to seven worldwide per recruiting cycle. Applying to the same program in different regions counts toward the seven.
Can I use AI for my Rothschild & Co application?
For preparation, yes: understanding the role, structuring your thoughts, practicing questions. Not to write answers, and not during assessments or interviews.
How many graduates does Rothschild & Co hire?
It says around 200 a year from all over the world, starting with a four-week Global Graduate Training Programme.