Want to join Wall Street’s biggest names? These financial firms have 2026’s toughest interviews

Global financial institutions oversee trillions of dollars, power cross-border trade and shape capital markets. Yet for many aspiring professionals, the first real test is not market volatility — it is the interview room. 

An analysis by BestBrokers, based on Glassdoor data, examines how difficult it is to secure roles at the world’s largest publicly traded financial firms. The study measures average interview difficulty (on a 1-5 scale), candidate sentiment and overall satisfaction, revealing sharp contrasts across banks, insurers, asset managers and exchanges. 

Where interviews are toughest 

• Progressive Corporation 
• Goldman Sachs 
• Morgan Stanley 
• Blackstone Inc. 
• Ares Management 

At the top of the difficulty rankings sits US insurer Progressive, with a 3.2/5 score, reflecting a blend of technical assessments and cultural fit evaluations. Investment banks and alternative asset managers including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Blackstone and Ares Management also feature among the most demanding, with interview processes emphasising analytical rigour, market insight and case-based problem-solving — even for non-front-office roles. 

The intensity, however, does not always translate into dissatisfaction. 

Difficulty versus satisfaction: B3 vs HSBC 

Brazil’s main stock exchange, B3 (Bolsa de Valores de São Paulo), pairs a 3.0/5 difficulty score with a standout 73% satisfaction rating. Reviews frequently describe structured assessments and clear communication, suggesting that transparency can offset the stress of rigorous evaluation. 

HSBC ranks second in satisfaction among harder-to-enter firms, at 54%, with candidates citing coordinated HR and technical stages that keep them informed throughout the process. 

Payments and crypto: a gap in perception 

• Mastercard 
• Visa Inc. 
• Coinbase 

Global payment networks Mastercard and Visa illustrate how interview intensity and candidate experience can diverge. Mastercard posts a 3.0/5 difficulty score, signalling demanding analytical assessments. Visa, at 2.9/5, is only slightly less challenging — yet records one of the lowest satisfaction scores in the dataset at 26%, with reviews pointing to unclear feedback and unpredictable rounds. 

Coinbase stands out more starkly. With a 3.0/5 difficulty rating, it ranks among the toughest financial firms to interview for, but logs the lowest satisfaction score in the study at just 6%. Feedback frequently references multi-stage assessments and communication gaps. 

The surprise: easier processes at mega-caps 

• Berkshire Hathaway 
• AIA Group 
• Ping An Insurance 

Not all financial giants lean on high-pressure hiring. Berkshire Hathaway records the lowest difficulty score among mega-cap firms at 2.3/5, with Glassdoor reports describing conversational evaluations focused on experience and fit. 

Hong Kong-based insurer AIA and China’s Ping An Insurance follow at 2.6/5, with interview formats that appear to prioritise core competencies and interpersonal skills over technical gauntlets. 

Structured and selective — but positive 

• Amundi 
• HDFC Bank 
• Royal Bank of Canada 
• Bank of America 
• Zurich Insurance Group 
• AXA 
• Singapore Exchange 
• Bank of China 
• Agricultural Bank of China 

French asset manager Amundi combines moderate difficulty (2.7/5) with a strong 69% satisfaction score, underscoring the role of clear communication and well-organised stages. 

India’s HDFC Bank also achieves high satisfaction (62%) alongside moderate difficulty, with reviewers citing structured campus recruitment, HR screening and role-specific interviews. 

Royal Bank of Canada posts 60% satisfaction, with interviews described as smooth and transparent. Bank of America (56%) and Zurich Insurance Group (54%) similarly demonstrate that structured rounds and supportive interviewers can enhance perceptions, even when technical questions are involved. AXA and Singapore Exchange reflect the same pattern: moderate selectivity coupled with well-communicated expectations. 

By contrast, China’s Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China both register moderate difficulty (2.7/5) but lower satisfaction scores of 37–42%, suggesting that clarity of feedback and candidate engagement — not just assessment intensity — shape perceptions. 

The report by BestBrokers draws on CompaniesMarketCap data to identify the largest publicly traded financial firms across banking, insurance, asset management and exchanges. Only companies with more than 30 Glassdoor interview reviews were included. Interview difficulty scores are taken directly from Glassdoor (1-5 scale), while satisfaction reflects the net difference between positive and negative reported experiences. Data is current as of February 24, 2025.