Graduate & MBA Recruiting at Goldman Sachs: Interview

By QS Contributor Updated Aug 13, 2014

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Introduction
How does GS go about hiring graduates and MBAs and what is the short term hiring outlook?
How does your recruitment differ by division?
What is your long term perspective? What is the value added of MBAs in particular?
What is GS' attitude towards diversity?
Where are the big opportunities?
GS at a glance
Investment Banking
Trading and Principal Investments
Asset Management and Securities Services

Many recruiters look at MBA internships as being the first rung on the ladder for genuine, long-term careers at the company. Sarah Crawford, Head of Graduate Recruitment for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/" target="_blank">Goldman Sachs</a> (GS) speaks to TopMBA.com about MBA internships.

How does GS go about hiring graduates and MBAs and what is the short term hiring outlook?

GS places a great emphasis on recruiting MBAs for Summer internships, providing a mutual opportunity to confirm whether this is the right decision for the individual.We expect a high proportion of our interns to convert into full-time hires so we undertake little additional full-time hiring. As a result our MBA hiring numbers are always planned well in advance and the number of interns we recruit is a fair indication of the number of full-time MBAs we will recruit the following year.GS sees no significant changes to our MBA hiring numbers in 2008. Our Intern numbers in Summer 2008 will be very similar to last year's. We expect to hire about 45 MBA interns in EMEA region in Summer 2008.

How does your recruitment differ by division?

The largest recruiter of MBAs is the Investment Banking Division, followed by Private Wealth Management, Securities and Merchant Banking.Our current recruiting plans by division do not differ significantly from last year.

What is your long term perspective? What is the value added of MBAs in particular?

We recruit MBAs to develop future leaders, add value and strategic thinking, international experience and networks. We particularly value the diversity of people we can attract from business schools. We are not just looking for previous bankers or consultants. We also recruit engineers or medics or anyone whose skills we feel can add value to the business.

What is GS' attitude towards diversity?

As our Chairman, Lloyd Blankfein says "Diversity is at the very core of our ability to serve our clients well and to maximize return for our shareholders. Diversity supports and strengthens the firm's culture, and it reinforces our reputation as the employer of choice in our industry and beyond."At GS, we leverage the diversity of our people to meet the challenges we face - a global client base that reflects a multitude of cultures, with markets that are active 24 hours a day and new financial problems that demand unconventional solutions. The diversity of our people is not just an enhancement of our problem-solving, or our creativity, or our ability to get on with our clients. It is a source of business opportunity.

Where are the big opportunities?

Emerging markets undoubtedly offer great opportunity for growth and this affects our hiring profile. We now tend to look for people with specific industry skills or languages with a view to the country offices they may eventually work in. We do expect to grow our offices in emerging markets over the next few years and so we are looking for an increasing number of candidates from these markets.

GS at a glance

Goldman Sachs is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. We provide a wide range of services worldwide to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high net worth individuals.

Investment Banking

We provide a broad range of investment banking services to a diverse group of corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals.

Trading and Principal Investments

We facilitate client transactions with a diverse group of corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals and take proprietary positions through market making, trading and investing in fixed income and equity products, currencies, commodities and derivatives. Additionally, we engage in specialist and market making activities on equities and options exchanges, and we clear client transactions on major stock, options and futures exchanges worldwide. In connection with our merchant banking and other investing activities, we make principal investments directly and through funds that we raise and manage.

Asset Management and Securities Services

We provide investment advisory and financial planning services and offer investment products across all major asset classes to a diverse group of institutions and individuals worldwide. We also provide prime brokerage services, financing services and securities lending services to mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds, foundations and high net worth individuals worldwide.