Factset

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what kind of things i need to go over for the numeracy test, my maths skills are not great so some guidance on what to cover would be great, and any further things to go over for any of the other test on the assessment day.

Thanks

As far as I could tell the tests were specific to factset, certainly the finance and excel ones were. I didn't recognise any of the hallmarks of the usual SHL/Mendas etc.type stuff. Which was refreshing. You get 90 minutes to do all three tests. More than enough time so don't panic.

Excel test - easy, basic formatting and creating charts from data. Makes you use a few simple formulae like MAX() and SUM(). Only thing you might not know how to use that they ask is the VLOOKUP formula. Google it. It's easy really though.

Numeracy - Multiple choice, basic questions and a few brain teasers involving things like speed calculations. Know how to calculate percentages and ratios quickly and you'll be fine. They give you a basic calculator for this by the way. Some of the questions are really bizarre in how easy they are, for example I think one of them was literally 'what is 3/8 of 72' which is easy even without a calculator.

Finance - Again multiple choice. Only really a challenge if you aren't from a finance background. It's a mix of interpretation from given data, basic finance knowledge (e.g. what PER and EPS are) and some knowledge of the financial markets (e.g. if company xyz is the biggest company on zzz exchange what region of the world are they from).

I passed the tests, but screwed up the interview so if I were you I'd focus on preparation for that. The tests are all stupidly easy. I had them done and checked over twice within an hour.

Hi,

Thanks for the insight to the assessment day.

I have just been invited to the telephone interview for the consultancy role, but cannot find any sort of info on their website that outlines what questions they will ask, can you give me some suggestions?

Also, I have read through the forums, but not sure about what follows the telephone interview. it straight from the telephone interview to the assessment day, or is there an intermediate step?

Cheers

Hi shimmi_shammi,

i have the phone interview this week just wondering if you could offer some advice on what came up in the phone interview?

Hope yours was ok,

thanks!!

No worries

My telephone interview was literally 5 mins, I got rejected. What I would say though is prepare a very good answer for why consulting, why Factset. Look at the competencies listed that they're after. I doddled about, wasnt prepared and consequently, muckiest up the interview.

Obviously, standard, give me a time where you worked in a team etc

Have their website in front of you, so you can do some last minute research if they try to through you

Maybe look up their share price and how it has moved over the last 6,12, 24 months, will be impressive for what do you know about the company

Shimmi_shammi,

Thanks a lot for the info and im sorry about your rejection.

Good luck.

Reda

@ reda.diouri

hi, what questions did you get asked in your phone interview?

shimmi just wrote them. I havent had mine yet. Till next wednesday. When is yours?

what competencies do they look for?

hi, I plan to apply for summer 2012 as well. Would you please share your telephone interview info here? PS: have they started recruitment process? seems you guys are being interviewed already...

i maybe wrong, but i think they closed their app. process on the 17th

i maybe wrong, but i think they closed their app. process on the 17th

Hi, I've got my phone interview coming up. Does anyone know what kind of competency questions they ask? Any help would be much appreciated.

Ok guys. Just had my interview. It was short and not hard at all. Im sure everyone will be alright.

Why MSc in your specified field? (If you did an MSc of course) What do you know about FactSet? Why finance? What do financial consultants at FactSet do? (If you applied for that role). Give me an example of when you had to use communication skills. And a few CV questions.

Final thoughts: Make sure you research the company thoroughly, and that you show good communication skills, because they value that a lot at FactSet (again depending on the role).

Good Luck

I just had mine too. As reda.diouri said it was rather short. Here is what I was asked:

Why a BSc in your field? A time when I had to work in a group at university and what key skills I had to use. What made my team successful? What skills a consultant at FactSet may need? A time when I had to use MS Excel- I got stuck on this one because I didnt remember my excel functions :(

Good luck to everyone.

anyone had their a/c yet?

I think the position for summer is still open...

Has someone submitted the CV for summer?

Any update for the Jan intakes? should be assessment center now...

got mine mönday!

i gave my tests on wednesday..hvnt heard back fromt hem as yet..any news guys??

When did you gave your tests?/?

what tests did you do?

I did 3 tests.. Maths, finance and excel

oh, you mean at the a/c? What kinda questions did you get for excel? Anything on pivot tables? Same question for the maths and financial?

Thanks!

oh, you mean at the a/c? What kinda questions did you get for excel? Anything on pivot tables? Same question for the maths and financial?Thanks!

No not A/C.. After you clear you telephone interview you are invited to sit for these tests and then finally A/C.. No nothing on Pivot tables, basic formatting and Vlookup..

really? I got put straight to the a/c after the phone interview, although i applied for consultancy.

Thats strange coz i also applied for the consultancy role. When did you had your A/C.

my A/C is tomorrow! kinda weird how you have to do that to get to a/c, and i didn't. Kind of worried as i havent used excel in ages! and the micro teach is worrying me too!

Whats all is included in your AC??? does it also include microtech and group exercise..

Anyone applied for the summer graduate position, got any reply from them??

Hey

How was the A/C

r

Hey

How was the A/C

r

I have my AC on tuesday, can anyone give me more advice on the sort of questions that you come across for the Finance and Excel test. Also some questions given in the interview?

hi, can anyone help me with what to write on my cover letter for factset consultantancy position. i here they are still open.

thanks.

Has anyone got past the 3 tests and the 20 min interview stage yet? What is after this stage?

I have passed the 3 tests and the interview as well and they sent me an email that it's microteach and a group exercise next... but it seems like nobody wants to share info on that :(

Oh well done man...wen did you take your tests? how long was it till u heard back from them after your tests centre? i had mine on tues feb 21st..waiting for that email!

i did my tests on 16th Feb (Thursday) and they got back to me on tuesday (so 3 working days). they should get back to you soon :) so no worries :) how did you find it? i thought you have passed it already :) so i was gonna ask you about the final stage haha

Yeah i found the tests pretty easy especially excel and numerical. I kinda knew what to expect using this forum and a mate who had already sat the tests.Lol nah havent passed it....I just literally got an email inviting me back for the next stage! What is this microteach thing?! What date have they invited you back for? Have you done your microteach thing yet?

i have an assessment centre on the 1st of march :) how about you??? is it same day???

congrats on getting through to the next stage...

yeah microteach worries me a bit... still dont know what to do :( hard to come up with something you can teach in 10 minutes!!!! :(

yeah same mines on the 1st march as well...yeah you to, well done for getting through.

yeah the microteach is a little daunting, im gonna make my decision tonight as what to do for it and then use the next 3 days to prepare for it. I think the most simple ideas are the best. Don't choose something to complicated, cos like they are just trying to see how you would teach a skill and communicate/interact with other people. It's something very similar to what you would be doing as a consultant at facset.

Good luck!

yeah i agree :) it definitely must be something simple. i'll think tonight as well :) hopefully it will go well. it's only ten minutes so we do not need to read a lecture :) which makes me feel a bit better :)

i wonder how many more candidates will be there on a day :) seems like it's just us two haha :)

yeahh i think there will be others because ther is meant to be a group exercise as well, so im guessing there will be like 4-6 ppl ther?

yeah thank god its only 10 mins! i dunno wt i'd do if it was longer...but so far i've got like shoe lace designs, poker chip tricks and a few other ideas to choose from... what u thinkin on doin?

also is ur AC at 10.45am or later ?

A very useful resource for those taking the Factset consultancy interview:

http://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/FactSet-Interview-RVW686873.htm

This fellows blogs about his interview in minute detail:

http://thenoughtygraduate.blogspot.com/2010/09/interview-4-factset_30.html

Very interesting and informative, plus some funny points we can all relate to in interview situations :)