Goldman Sachs is one of the most prestigious and selective firms in the world, known for its intense focus on excellence, client service, and analytical rigor. Whether you’re applying for a role in engineering, investment banking, or global markets, understanding the Goldman Sachs interview process is essential to navigating its high-stakes recruitment journey.
This guide outlines each stage of the process and offers practical tips tailored to Goldman’s unique hiring culture.
Working at Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs is built around a performance-driven culture where integrity, teamwork, and client impact come first. The firm’s employees work across diverse divisions such as Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Engineering, solving problems that shape the financial world.
Working at Goldman means joining an environment that rewards initiative, demands accountability, and emphasizes learning through real-world challenges. The pace is fast and expectations are high, but so are the rewards — exposure to industry leaders, career acceleration, and the opportunity to contribute to projects that influence global markets.
Why join Goldman Sachs?
Goldman Sachs offers top-tier compensation, professional growth, and global mobility opportunities. Below is a snapshot of average compensation for key roles across major financial institutions:
| Role | Base (Goldman) | Total (Goldman) | Base (J.P. Morgan) | Total (J.P. Morgan) | Base (Morgan Stanley) | Total (Morgan Stanley) |
| Software Engineer | $140k | $185k | $136k | $176k | $132k | $171k |
| Product Manager | $160k | $230k | $152k | $210k | $148k | $205k |
| Vice President | $200k | $310k | $190k | $290k | $185k | $285k |
Perks and benefits
- Comprehensive medical and wellness coverage
- Generous parental and family leave
- Pension and stock option plans
- Internal mobility and global rotation programs
- Professional training through Learn@Goldman and Accelerate
Overview of the Goldman Sachs hiring process
The Goldman Sachs interview process is structured, competitive, and typically spans four to eight weeks. Depending on your division and role, you’ll face a combination of online assessments, technical interviews, and behavioral evaluations designed to test both your skill and your mindset.
Step 1: Online application
Begin your application through the Goldman Sachs Careers Portal. Your resume should highlight measurable results, leadership examples, and domain expertise. Tailor it to reflect the division you’re targeting — whether that’s engineering, finance, or operations.
Tip: Showcase initiative and results. Example: “Built an internal tool that reduced reporting time by 40% across the operations team.”
Step 2: Online assessments and HireVue interview
Candidates often begin with a combination of online tests and a HireVue video interview.
- Engineering candidates: Face coding challenges on data structures, algorithms, and problem-solving (often through HackerRank).
- Finance and Operations candidates: Complete numerical reasoning, situational judgment, and logical reasoning assessments.
- Quantitative roles: Expect math-heavy tests focused on probability, statistics, and mental math.
HireVue interview
Many roles require a HireVue video assessment, where you’ll record responses to pre-set behavioral and situational questions. This stage assesses communication, motivation, and how you embody Goldman’s Business Principles — especially teamwork, integrity, and client focus.
Step 3: Recruiter screening
If you pass the assessments, a recruiter will reach out for a 30-minute conversation. This call focuses on your motivation, background, and understanding of Goldman’s business divisions.
Be ready to discuss:
- Why you want to join Goldman Sachs
- Key achievements and professional milestones
- Your familiarity with the firm’s history, culture, and clients
Recruiters will also walk you through the next stages. Take notes and clarify details about the interview timeline for your division.
Step 4: Technical or functional interviews
Next, you’ll enter one or more first-round interviews, usually virtual, lasting 45–60 minutes.
Engineering roles: Focus on applied problem-solving. Expect algorithmic coding questions and system design discussions centered around real-world financial infrastructure — trade execution systems, low-latency data pipelines, and internal tools.
Finance or operations roles: Prepare for scenario-based questions testing analytical reasoning, risk management, and client decision-making. You might discuss current market trends or be asked to analyze a short case.
Quantitative roles: Expect math, probability, and brainteasers combined with logic puzzles and questions about statistical modeling.
Step 5: Superday (final round)
The Superday is Goldman’s signature on-site or virtual interview round, consisting of three to five back-to-back interviews with vice presidents, partners, and team members. Each interview lasts about an hour.
Expect:
- Technical deep dives: Case studies, live problem-solving, or financial modeling tasks.
- Behavioral interviews: STAR-based questions that probe teamwork, resilience, and decision-making under pressure.
- Goldman fit interviews: Focused on integrity, accountability, and collaboration. Interviewers look for alignment with the firm’s 14 Business Principles.
Superday tips:
- Be structured and specific in your answers.
- Show curiosity about global markets and how your role fits within them.
- Highlight client service, teamwork, and long-term thinking.
Step 6: Hiring committee review
After the Superday, feedback from all interviewers is consolidated and reviewed by a hiring committee. Unlike many companies, Goldman’s final decision isn’t made by a single manager. Instead, a panel ensures consistency and fairness, evaluating you across technical competence, communication, and cultural alignment.
This review typically takes one to two weeks, depending on the number of candidates.
Step 7: Offer and salary negotiation
If successful, you’ll receive an official offer and a call from your recruiter. Compensation packages vary by division, level, and location but generally include a base salary, annual bonus, and deferred stock options.
During negotiations, approach professionally and research compensation benchmarks. Goldman values transparency and long-term engagement, so focus on total value, not just base pay.
How to succeed in your Goldman Sachs interview
- Know the Business Principles: Review Goldman’s 14 core principles and weave them into your responses.
- Stay commercially aware: Be ready to discuss current market trends, emerging technologies, or global economic shifts.
- Demonstrate technical depth: For engineers, practice real-world systems questions; for finance roles, refine your analytical frameworks.
- Show resilience and composure: Many rounds test your response under pressure. Maintain professionalism throughout.
- Practice mock interviews: Use Educative or peers to simulate technical and behavioral rounds.
Recommended resources
- Grokking the Coding Interview Patterns – Master 26 essential coding patterns used in Goldman’s engineering interviews.
- Grokking the Low-Level Design Interview – Strengthen your OOD and architecture fundamentals for real-world systems.
- Grokking the Modern System Design Interview – Build scalable thinking for infrastructure and trading system scenarios.
- Grokking the Behavioral Interview – Prepare STAR-based answers for fit and leadership rounds.
- Grokking the Finance & Quantitative Interviews (coming soon) – Learn probability, brainteasers, and quant reasoning techniques.
Culture and principles at Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs’ culture is defined by its Business Principles, emphasizing client focus, teamwork, integrity, and long-term value creation. These principles also shape the Goldman interview process, guiding how interviewers evaluate potential hires beyond technical skill.
Demonstrating curiosity, ownership, and composure under pressure signals strong alignment with Goldman’s culture and can significantly strengthen your candidacy.
Conclusion
The Goldman interview process is as demanding as it is rewarding. Each stage — from the HireVue to the Superday — is designed to test analytical skill, judgment, and cultural fit.
By understanding the process, preparing strategically, and reflecting Goldman’s core values in your approach, you’ll stand out as a candidate who can excel in one of the most respected firms in the world.
Recommended resources
- Grokking the Low-Level Design Interview Using OOD Principles
A proven roadmap to excel in Object-Oriented Design interviews—crafted by FAANG engineers.- Build a strong foundation in OOD principles
- Practice with hands-on, real-world design challenges
- Grokking the Product Architecture Design Interview
Your complete companion to API and Product Design interviews—created by FAANG experts.- Learn how to design scalable products
- Gain practical experience through real-world API exercises
- Grokking the Coding Interview Patterns
Master core coding patterns that unlock thousands of LeetCode-style problems.- Prepare efficiently for coding interviews
- Learn from a course built by FAANG engineers
- Grokking the Modern System Design Interview
The definitive resource for mastering the System Design interview.- Understand distributed systems fundamentals
- Practice with real-world examples and mock interviews
- Grokking the Behavioral Interview
Designed for engineers, product managers, and leaders to confidently handle behavioral and culture-fit questions.- Develop structured, authentic responses
- Apply these skills across both technical and non-technical careers