Video Interview Information and Tips for Good Performance:
Questions Being Asked:
1. How have the global financial markets performed in the period January 2nd 2024 to September 30th 2024 (inclusive) and have any particular sectors or industries performed better or worse than others? (3 minutes)
2. How do you think that different types of firm have been impacted in their ability to raise finance in that period? (2 minutes)
Overall Mark: It will be marked out of 100 and most of the marks will be awarded to content relating to the questions and how well the answers are articulated ie. please regard this assessment as an interview for a graduate role where you have one chance to give of your best and create a very good first impression.
Submission Deadline: Friday December 6th 2024 by 11.59pm
You can begin to practice with the Shortlister software using the link below. Please note that the link for completion of the video assessment will be sent to you separately via your University email address and you will NOT be completing the assessment via the link below. I am attaching the following link so that you can perhaps use some of the pre-existing video interviews on the platform. to practice speaking online and to practice your presenting skills. In any event, knowledge of the platform. will be useful to you as you apply for graduate roles as online interviews may be part of the recruitment process.
https://go.shortlister.com/marketplace/uniofliverpool
Assessment Criteria, What You Should Include and How You should Approach the Assessment:
First Impressions: 5 marks
Many job interviews have been and will continue to be held via on-line interviews. They may be in a pre-recorded format, consistent with this assessment or synchronous / live in nature. Either way, use of the Shortlister software provides valuable practice. Accordingly, students should take the assessment seriously and conduct throughout should be very professional – this would of course indicate the personal standards of any candidate to employers. At the very least appropriate attire needs to be worn for an academic interview and this would be expected for any job or postgraduate interview. For example, the wearing of caps, hats, coats, sunglasses on the head, would not give the best first impression to me or any employer. Professional working environments have exacting and high expectations of appropriate conduct and professionalism, which should also be evident in this assessment.
Evidence of Research: 15 marks
In your video assessment I expect the content to reflect clear evidence of external research and resources. Examples would be use of the following websites (see below) and also the Financial Times. Your answers should make reference to your sources and data and stats should be quoted. For example:
“According to the BBC Business website, the FTSE100 fell by x% in the period xxxx….”
You should appreciate that the “markets” incorporate more than just equities (ie. Consider bonds, equity, commodities, interest rate changes made by the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve Bank, foreign currency, oil and energy per say. There are many commodities but you should consider gold at the very least).
Useful Sources and Websites:
Back issues of the Economist publication (online through the library);
Federal Reserve Bank
Bank of England
Office for National Statistics
Bloomberg (use the terminals in the Michael Mackenzie Trading Suite in the Management School). Here you can look at market movements across all underlying assets. But DO NOT restrict your sources solely to Bloomberg.
The Federal Reserve Bank (US website)
Reuters
BBC Business
Yahoo Finance
MSCI Barra for indices linked to sectors or industries
The Financial Times (online registration needed through the library)
Question 1: 40 marks (20 marks for content, 20 marks for standard of delivery)
You may want to consider the following:
· the impact on the regional global equity markets with accompanying stats and data (key regions are UK, Europe, USA and Asia);
· the winners and losers in the equity markets (by industry / sector) with named company examples;
· a summary of the bond market activity (prices and yield changes, leading Treasury Bonds can be referred to here);
· the impacts on the energy, commodities and oil markets (with stats and data);
· the impacts of economic data releases on the markets (eg inflation and the linked interest rates ie. Base rate and the Federal Funds Rate). Clearly, you need to determine when the data announcements occurred and when the MPC met to make base rate decisions. Only then can you see how the markets reacted, if at all. The minutes of each MPC meeting are a good source of information.
In answering both questions 1 and 2, the mark awarded is not purely related to content. 50% of it is awarded for your presenting skills and how professional and convincing you are with your arguments (eg. you can effectively explain why the equity and bond markets responded in a certain way following the release of new inflation data or a change in the base rate). In addition, you need to be engaging and stimulating – if your voice is monotonal, this will not be achieved. At any on-line interview, the company will be trying to get a feel for your natural personality and confidence. Be yourself and let it shine through! It is often useful to watch industry pundits being interviewed on Bloomberg, Sky Business News or on Youtube.
There is a lot of information to articulate effectively in the interview BUT that is part of the exercise – effective and convincing presentation of the information gathered, to an audience who need to be engaged and interested in what you are telling them.
Question 2: (30 marks, 15 marks for content and 15 marks for standard of delivery)
Here you should consider impacts on the sources of finance discussed in weeks 1 to 4 of the module (eg. venture capital, private equity, new corporate bond issues, IPOs and SEOs). Provide reasonable, common-sense arguments in terms of how you think small businesses and large listed companies have been impacted in trying to raise finance. Clearly if inflation and interest rates are declining, the pool of finance sources may widen and at a lower cost! Given the state of the economy and certain economic indicators, has there been a decline in appetite for investors providing finance to firms across all sizes, private and public or has there been a loosening in available sources? Back up your arguments with relevant data / stats.
Please note that all questions should be answered verbally and props / slides / graphs / charts cannot be used.
Speaking Clarity, Ability to keep within the time limits, Pace of delivery and ability to handle the questions: (10 marks)
To be engaging, practice is needed and reading from a script, or in a robotic style. is not at all engaging. If reading directly from a script, it is obvious to the audience and should be avoided. Prior to undertaking the interview, practice with the Shortlister software (link provided above) or record yourself on your phone / computer / ipad to see how you sound to an audience. The more practice that you dedicate to this task, the more slick and professional you will look and sound. Pace is important – the audience needs to hear and understand every word clearly but if you rush your responses, clarity will be lost.
Ability to keep within the time limits
I will post a video on CANVAS describing what you see on your screen when you begin the video assessment. A clock will count down the time allocated to each question and will cut off precisely after 3 or 2 minutes respectively. You must adhere to the time allowed so ensure that you practice your timings so that you don’t get cut off mid-way through making an interesting point.
End of Instructions