PSMIF
SMIF
Daniels School of Business · Est. 2009
Recruiting

Join the Fund.

Our recruiting calendar, plus a complete guide to preparing for both behavioral and technical interviews with SMIF.

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Fall 2026

Recruiting Calendar

Sat, Aug 22
B-Involved Fair
12:00 – 3:00 PM
Memorial Mall (TBD)
Tue, Aug 25
SMIF Callout 1
7:30 – 8:30 PM
Rawls 1086
Wed, Aug 26
SMIF Coffee Chats 1
7:15 – 8:00 PM
Rawls 1011
Thu, Aug 27
Daniels Club Expo
12:00 – 4:00 PM
Rawls Atrium
Thu, Aug 27
SMIF Callout 2
7:30 – 8:30 PM
Rawls 1086
Mon, Aug 31
SMIF Finance Club Consortium
12:00 – 2:30 PM
Rawls Atrium
Mon, Aug 31
SMIF Coffee Chats 2
7:00 – 8:00 PM
Rawls 1086
Tue, Sep 1
SMIF Callout 3
7:30 – 8:30 PM
Rawls 1086
Mon, Sep 8
SMIF Interviews – A
TBD
Young Hall 223, 217, 219, 213
Tue, Sep 9
SMIF Interviews – B
TBD
Young Hall 223, 217, 219, 213

Locations and times subject to change. Email smif26@purdue.edu to be added to our mailing list for updates.

Interview Guide

Tips & Tricks to Prep

We recruit for curiosity, work ethic, and intellectual honesty — not pedigree. A finance background helps, but we've taken students from every major. Use the guide below to walk in confident and prepared.

Round 1

Behavioral Interview

We want to understand who you are, why you're interested in markets, and how you work with others. Be specific, be honest, and have stories ready.

Know Your 'Why'

  • Why finance? Why investing? Why SMIF specifically?
  • Tie answers to specific experiences — a class, a book, a market event — not buzzwords.
  • Have a thoughtful answer for 'why this sector' if asked.

STAR Stories

  • Prepare 3–4 stories: leadership, teamwork, conflict, failure.
  • Situation → Task → Action → Result. Keep each story to ~90 seconds.
  • Reuse stories across questions — depth beats breadth.

Know SMIF

  • Read our About, Sectors, and Holdings pages before you walk in.
  • Understand the structure: analyst → senior analyst → sector head → executive board.
  • Reference a recent publication or holding that genuinely caught your interest.

Ask Sharp Questions

  • Always have 2–3 questions ready for your interviewers.
  • Avoid questions answered on the website. Ask about their experience, not logistics.
  • Good prompt: 'What's a position you pushed back on in committee and why?'
Round 2

Technical Interview

You don't need to be an investment banking analyst already. We test fundamentals, market awareness, and your ability to defend an investment thesis.

Accounting Foundations

  • Walk through the three financial statements and how they link.
  • Depreciation +$10 — walk through impact on IS, CF, and BS (after taxes).
  • Know the difference between EBITDA, operating income, and net income.

Valuation Basics

  • Understand the big picture: a company is worth the present value of its future cash flows.
  • Learn the three main approaches: DCF (intrinsic), comparables (relative), and precedent transactions.
  • Start with P/E and EV/EBITDA — know what they measure and when each is useful.

Market Awareness

  • Know where the S&P 500, Nasdaq, 10Y Treasury, and Fed Funds rate sit directionally.
  • Be ready to discuss one recent market headline and its implications.
  • Daily reads: WSJ, Bloomberg, FT, Axios Markets, Matt Levine's Money Stuff.

Stock Pitch

  • Prepare one long idea: thesis, 2–3 catalysts, valuation, and key risks.
  • Pick a name you genuinely understand — not the most complex one you can find.
  • Structure: 'I'd buy X at $Y because… Catalysts are… Valuation supports… Risks are…'

Day-Of Checklist

  • • Business professional dress — suit and tie / equivalent.
  • • Arrive 10 minutes early. Silence your phone.
  • • Bring printed copies of your resume and a notepad.
  • • Know your resume cold — anything on it is fair game.
  • • Firm handshake, eye contact, and smile.
  • • Be yourself — we evaluate fit as much as skill.

Recommended Reading

  • • The Intelligent Investor — Benjamin Graham · foundational value investing
  • • One Up On Wall Street — Peter Lynch · intuitive intro to stock picking
  • • Investment Banking — Rosenbaum & Pearl · valuation reference
  • • Damodaran Online — free valuation resources from NYU Stern
  • • Money Stuff — Matt Levine's daily Bloomberg newsletter

Questions? Reach out at smif26@purdue.edu.