I'm currently preparing for a round 2 interview in the investment?
Well talk about what you should be reading in a moment. But its worth stepping back for a moment and considering a more holistic view of what the firm is going to be looking for from this point forward as they make final selections for the program. By this point in the process, the firm has probably ascertained that you have the basic smarts to be a credible candidate. For the most part they can infer that from your resume. And every other candidate still under consideration has cleared the same hurdle. So now its all about whether they should spend one of their spots on the program on you or the next person. And how are they going to make that assessment? It boils down to a handful of interrelated questions and considerations that they are going to consider when they interview you. is this candidate committed to this type of work (i.e., do we have a reasonable shot at converting them all the way to a full time hire upon graduation?) Does the candidate demonstrate an informed interest in the business were in? Does the candidate demonstrate maturity, good judgement and a professional demeanor? (In other words: Can we bring them to an important meeting and be confident that will go well?) Do this candidates values appear to align well with those of the firm? (Meaning: work ethic, professionalism, creativity, achievement orientation, commerciality, ethics and integrityto name a few) And finallydoes this candidate seem to be the sort of person others would want to work with? I appreciate that some of these items are not necessarily things that you can prepare for, per se, but at least if you know the lens that the firm uses to evaluate your candidacy then you have something of an advantage. The question of reading pertains largely to the first couple of points above. Depending on how much time you have there are a few different places to go. Make sure to read 100% of the pertinent content on the firms website. Use it to develop some pertinent and insightful questions. (I tend to infer a great deal about candidates based on how insightful the questions are that they ask me at the end of an interview. This shows preparedness, grasp, commitment to the role and other positive attributes that are differentiating). Make sure to read enough from major news outlets to be informed on major events affecting markets right now. Even better if you can find something thats more subtle and off the radar. Not on the front pages, in other words. Read up on any significant recent news pertaining to Goldman If you have time, consider reading some of the numerous books that have been written on markets, finance and investing. A set of titles that we recommend to undergraduate students building their knowledge of the industry is below: The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham and Jason Zweig Devil Take the Hindmost by Edward Chancellor Stock Wizards by Jack D Schwager Manias, Panics and Crises: A History of Financial Crises by Charles Kindleberger The Alchemy of Finance by George Soros The Crash of 2008 and What It Means by George Soros Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke The World by Liaquat Ahamed Expectations Investing by Mauboussin The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki Competition Demystified by Greenwald