30+ Analyst 1 Interview Questions and Answers

The interview assesses English communication skills through speaking, reading, listening, and writing tasks.

• Speaking: Discuss your favorite food, e.g., 'I love pizza because of its versatility and flavors.'

• Hobbies: Talk about a hobby like painting, explaining how it relaxes you and allows creativity.

• Describing visuals: Practice describing an image, focusing on details like colors, emotions, and context.

• Reading: Ensure clear pronunciation and comprehension when reading a displ...read more

Group employees by department with salary > 50,000 in SQL.

• Use GROUP BY clause to group employees by department.

• Use WHERE clause to filter employees with salary > 50,000.

• Example: SELECT department, COUNT(employee_id) FROM employees WHERE salary > 50000 GROUP BY department;

I employed various techniques to prevent overfitting in my data analysis project, ensuring robust model performance.

• Used cross-validation to assess model performance on unseen data, ensuring it generalizes well.

• Implemented regularization techniques like L1 (Lasso) and L2 (Ridge) to penalize overly complex models.

• Reduced feature dimensionality using techniques like PCA (Principal Component Analysis) to focus on the most informative features.

• Split the dataset into training and ...read more

Use SQL query to select employees with odd employee IDs.

• Use the modulo operator (%) to check if employee ID is odd (e.g. id % 2 = 1)

• Write SQL query like 'SELECT * FROM employees WHERE employee_id % 2 = 1;'

Assets and liabilities are financial resources and obligations of an individual or organization.

• Assets are resources owned by an individual or organization that have economic value, such as cash, property, investments, and inventory.

• Liabilities are obligations or debts that an individual or organization owes to others, such as loans, mortgages, and accounts payable.

• Assets can be categorized into current assets (easily convertible to cash within a year) and non-current assets ...read more

I worked with data to analyze customer feedback and improve product features.

• Collected customer feedback through surveys and reviews

• Organized data in spreadsheets for analysis

• Identified trends and patterns to make recommendations for product improvements

Use SQL query with ORDER BY and LIMIT to find 2nd max number from a column in a table.

• Use SELECT MAX(column_name) to find the max number in the column.

• Use SELECT column_name FROM table_name ORDER BY column_name DESC LIMIT 1,1 to find the 2nd max number.

• Example: SELECT column_name FROM table_name ORDER BY column_name DESC LIMIT 1,1;

Derivatives are financial instruments whose value is derived from an underlying asset or group of assets.

• Derivatives can be used for hedging, speculation, or arbitrage.

• Common types of derivatives include options, futures, forwards, and swaps.

• For example, a call option gives the holder the right to buy a stock at a specified price within a certain time frame.

• Derivatives can be traded on exchanges or over-the-counter (OTC).

Assumption and concepts of accounting

• Accounting assumes that the business entity is separate from its owners

• Accounting assumes that the business will continue to operate indefinitely

• Accounting concepts include the accrual basis, matching principle, and materiality

• The going concern concept assumes that the business will continue to operate in the foreseeable future

• The monetary unit concept assumes that transactions are recorded in a common monetary unit, such as dollars or eur...read more

Trade life cycle refers to the stages involved in a trade from initiation to settlement.

• Trade initiation: Trade is proposed and agreed upon by parties involved.

• Trade execution: Trade is executed on the agreed terms.

• Trade confirmation: Parties confirm the details of the trade.

• Trade settlement: Payment and transfer of securities occur to finalize the trade.

• Trade reconciliation: Ensuring all details match between parties' records.

• Trade reporting: Reporting the trade to relevant ...read more

The golden rules of accounting are fundamental principles that guide the recording of financial transactions.

• The first golden rule is the Debit-What-Comes-In and Credit-What-Goes-Out rule, which states that all incoming assets are debited and all outgoing assets are credited.

• The second golden rule is the Debit-All-Expenses-and-Losses and Credit-All-Incomes-and-Gains rule, which states that all expenses and losses are debited and all incomes and gains are credited.

• The third go...read more

Guidelines for respective departments and studies involve setting clear objectives, defining roles and responsibilities, establishing communication channels, and monitoring progress.

• Define clear objectives for each department or study to ensure alignment with overall goals.

• Assign specific roles and responsibilities to team members to promote accountability and efficiency.

• Establish effective communication channels to facilitate collaboration and information sharing.

• Monitor pro...read more

A mortgage-backed security is an investment product that is backed by a pool of mortgages.

• Mortgage-backed securities are created when a financial institution pools together a group of mortgages and sells them to investors.

• Investors receive payments based on the interest and principal payments made by the borrowers of the underlying mortgages.

• These securities can be issued by government-sponsored entities like Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, or by private financial institutions.

• Mor...read more

Short selling is a trading strategy where an investor borrows a security and sells it with the hopes of buying it back at a lower price.

• Investor borrows a security they do not own

• Sells the borrowed security in the market

• Hopes to buy back the security at a lower price to return to the lender

• Profits from the difference between selling price and buying price

My future goal is to advance my career in IT by gaining more knowledge and expertise in emerging technologies.

• Continue pursuing certifications and training in relevant IT fields

• Stay updated on industry trends and advancements

• Seek opportunities for hands-on experience with new technologies

• Network with professionals in the IT industry to learn from their experiences

A stock exchange is a marketplace where securities, such as stocks and bonds, are bought and sold.

• Stock exchanges provide a platform for companies to raise capital by issuing shares to investors.

• Investors can buy and sell securities through brokers on the exchange.

• Examples of stock exchanges include the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq.

• Stock exchanges play a crucial role in the economy by facilitating the flow of capital between investors and companies.

An option is a financial derivative that gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an asset at a specific price within a specific time period.

• Options can be call options (the right to buy) or put options (the right to sell).

• The price at which the asset can be bought or sold is called the strike price.

• The specific time period during which the option can be exercised is called the expiration date.

• Options are commonly used for hedging, speculation, and g...read more

Accounts payable is the amount of money a company owes to its suppliers or vendors for goods or services received but not yet paid for.

• Accounts payable is a liability on the balance sheet.

• It represents the short-term debt a company owes to its creditors.

• It includes invoices, bills, and other payables that are due within a specific period.

• Accounts payable is typically recorded as a current liability.

• It is an important metric for managing cash flow and working capital.

• Example: ...read more

A custodian bank is a financial institution that holds and safeguards assets for individuals, corporations, and other entities.

• Provides safekeeping of assets such as stocks, bonds, and other investments

• Processes transactions related to the assets held

• May also provide additional services such as fund accounting and administration

• Examples include State Street Corporation, BNY Mellon, and J.P. Morgan Chase

Secondary market is where existing securities are bought and sold by investors, not from the issuing company.

• Secondary market provides liquidity to investors by allowing them to buy and sell securities after the initial issuance.

• Examples of secondary markets include stock exchanges like NYSE and NASDAQ, where investors trade shares of publicly listed companies.

• In the secondary market, prices of securities are determined by supply and demand, rather than the issuing company.

ETF stands for Exchange-Traded Fund, a type of investment fund traded on stock exchanges.

• ETFs are similar to mutual funds but trade like a stock on an exchange.

• They typically hold assets such as stocks, commodities, or bonds.

• Investors can buy or sell ETF shares throughout the trading day at market prices.

• ETFs offer diversification, liquidity, and lower fees compared to traditional mutual funds.

• Examples of popular ETFs include SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and Vanguard Total Stock Ma...read more

Repo rate is the rate at which the central bank lends money to commercial banks for short-term periods.

• Repo rate is used by central banks to control inflation and liquidity in the economy.

• A higher repo rate means higher borrowing costs for banks, leading to lower money supply and lower inflation.

• Conversely, a lower repo rate means lower borrowing costs for banks, leading to higher money supply and higher inflation.

• Repo rate is an important tool in monetary policy implementati...read more

Yes, I have experience in SOX testing.

• I have conducted SOX testing for financial controls in previous roles.

• I am familiar with the requirements and regulations of SOX compliance.

• I have experience in documenting testing procedures and results.

• I have worked with auditors to ensure compliance with SOX standards.

Equity represents ownership in a company, measured by the value of assets minus liabilities.

• Equity is the value of an asset after deducting any liabilities associated with that asset.

• It represents ownership in a company and can be in the form of common stock, preferred stock, or retained earnings.

• Equity holders have a claim on the company's assets and earnings, and are entitled to voting rights and dividends.

• For example, if a company has assets worth $1 million and liabilitie...read more

My master thesis focused on the impact of social media on consumer behavior.

• Researched how social media platforms influence purchasing decisions

• Analyzed data from surveys and case studies

• Identified trends in online shopping behavior

• Examined the role of influencers in shaping consumer preferences

Excel shortcuts enhance productivity by allowing quick access to functions without using the mouse.

• Ctrl + C: Copy selected cells. Example: Highlight a range and press Ctrl + C to copy.

• Ctrl + V: Paste copied cells. Example: After copying, select a new location and press Ctrl + V.

• Ctrl + Z: Undo the last action. Example: If you accidentally delete data, press Ctrl + Z to restore it.

• Ctrl + S: Save the current workbook. Example: Regularly save your work by pressing Ctrl + S.

• Alt + ...read more

Accounting principles are the foundational guidelines that govern financial reporting and accounting practices.

• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) ensure consistency in financial reporting.

• The Matching Principle states that expenses should be matched with revenues in the period they occur.

• The Revenue Recognition Principle dictates that revenue should be recognized when earned, not necessarily when received.

• The Cost Principle requires that assets be recorded at the...read more