What makes Goldman Sachs different from others in the investment banking and finance industry?
Your interviewer is curious about what you have to share, and how aligned your answer is aligned with how Goldman Sachs would answer. Every hire serves as a representative of the company, and it's the job of every recruiter to determine whether a candidate can be entrusted to represent the views of the company. So, when considering how you would navigate this question, research how Goldman Sachs distinguishes itself from its competitors. For example, one of their business principles states, "Our business is highly competitive, and we aggressively seek to expand our client relationships. However, we must always be fair competitors and must never denigrate other firms."
In most interviews, it isn't uncommon for a candidate to be asked several similarly phrased questions, but which have different denotations from each other. These questions often serve as a test of your attention to detail, and whether you can distinguish their denotations from their connotations. For example, in this same set, you'll be asked whether you have applied to any of their competitors. So, when answering this question, avoid oversharing. Just stick to the question asked.
The goal of your response should be to showcase that you've researched the organization and are excited about what differentiates Goldman Sachs from other potential employers in the investment banking and finance industry. Here are a few more of Goldman Sachs' purpose and value statements that could be applied to how they distinguish themselves in their industry. "Our people are our greatest asset. We say it often and with good reason. It is only with the determination and dedication of our people that we can serve our clients, generate long-term value for our shareholders and contribute to the broader public."
And one of their business principles says, "We consider our size an asset that we try hard to preserve. We want to be big enough to undertake the largest project that any of our clients could contemplate, yet small enough to maintain the loyalty, the intimacy and the esprit de corps that we all treasure and that contribute greatly to our success."
"While preparing for this interview, I saw that Goldman Sachs has made significant strides in the past 12 months in efforts to close the gender investing gap. I appreciate that Goldman Sachs has identified that women-owned businesses often do not get the investments they deserve. I was thrilled to read about the company's initiative to invest millions into private, late-stage, women-founded, women-owned, or women-led companies. This example is just one of many that set Goldman Sacha apart from its competitors and why I am eager to join this thoughtful organization."
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