My Wonderland

下午5點半，失魂落魄地回到家。

經過6個小時連續不間斷的考試和面試，早上9點後完全沒進食的狀態

我卻一點也感受不到飢餓的蹤跡。

走出那總在蒼穹下熠熠閃閃的大樓堂皇

頃刻間  我卻有種回到香港中環的錯覺 - 那總在IFC, IFC2, ICC間來回穿梭的我。

離開那我總日夜想望的Canary Wharf, 

回到距其僅15分鐘 DLR 車程的家，愣愣地跌坐在沙發上...

落下心中大石的感受一點也沒有

有的，只是想說又說不出的苦楚...

暫且...什麼都不說吧...

現在只是想趁記憶猶新，紀錄人間煉獄般的面試過程..

10:30: Arrive at reception + Induction

11:05: Test - Essay Writing (30 min)

            Please read through the 2 different articles provided and write an essay drawing the key conclusions, contrast and comparisons on views and policies held by opposing parties.

            Please also include queries/ questions you would have towards the two different industry experts.

- brief toilet break -

11:45: Test - Excel Proficiency (1 hour)

            Please complete the following 7 tasks on the laptop provided by the test administrator. 

            1. Please change the table so the Customers are listed in ascending order by Sales Rep in descending order.
 
                Please also filter the results so it shows only the 3 highest revenue figures. 

            2. Please create (different sorts of) pivot tables.
                忘了...總之是無盡的pivot table..

            3. Create Single value tables so as to monitor the changes in relation to different interest rates

            4. Nesting IF statement so the code can be correctly corresponded to the rating assigned

            5~7. 忘了.....

13:00: Test - Accounting Adequacy (30 min)

            1. Please specify where the following items would show up on a Cash Flow Statement according to the reporting regulation.
                大概有10~12項不同的item, 分別將它們歸類在operating cash flow/ investing cash flow/ financing cash flow

            2. Please specify where the following items would show up on a Balance Sheet according to the reporting regulation.
                大概有10項不同的item, 分別將它們歸類在 Current Aeests/ Non-current Assets/ Current Liabilities/ Non-current Liabilities/ Shareholders' Equity

            3. Please identify how the following items would affect Assets / Liabilities / Shareholders' Equity with +/-. If there's no effect, please leave it blank.
                大概有10項左右不同的item, 用正負號標示它們對financial statements的影響。
                （例：Repayment of LT Debt - LT Debt on CFS goes down, overall cash balance goes down on CFS & BS, LT Debt on BS goes down. So - Assets -; Liabilities -; SE unchanged）

            4. Please create the Balance Sheet using the information provided.
                很簡單的表單制作～昨晚才剛復習過，BS上的PP&E計算時需減掉depreciation 

13:30 - 14:30: Test - Verbal Reasoning (15 min) & Numerical Reasoning (15 min)

                        因為多了instructions 和 sample questions 所以多耗了30分鐘

14:30 - 15:15: Interview with Frankfurt office, Germany (45 min)

                        1. Walk me through your CV (education, work experience, etc.)

                        2. Please describe securitisation and Structured Finance

                        3. What is the main motive for companies/ corporations to set up SPVs?

                        4. What do you like and dislike about the job

                        5. What did you learn about Structured Finance during your internship at Reed Smith?

                        6. Why Structred Finance? Why us? Why rating agency?

                        7. Brief conversation in Russian (one of the interviewers is Russian)

                        8. Why should we choose you?

15:15 - 16:00: Interview with London office (45 min)

                        1. What does the rating agency do? (credit risk management, expected loss,....)

                        2. What documentation/ aspects would you require/ look at when approached by an issuer/ borrower wishing to set up SPV and issue bonds? (loan-to-debt ratio)

                        3. Explain securitisation and Structured Finance

                        4. Other similar questions as above

                        5. Describe your understanding of the job description

                        6. Level of Excel proficiency

                        7. Brief conversation in Russian (one of the interviewrs is from Moscow)

16:10 - 16:25: Test - Specific Knowledge (15 min)

                        1. If a company's current ratios is 2.0 and is to pay off notes payable in cash, how would the current ratio and asset turnover change  (increase/ decrease)?

                        2. Which one of the following is not off-balance-sheet (OBS) treatment?
                            有4個選項..忘了

                        3~10. 想起來再補....

老公回家時，買了一束好美的玫瑰.....
"I am so proud of you", he said.