Solomon Partners Interview Questions
The most common technical, behavioral, and fit questions asked in Solomon Partners investment banking interviews. Based on real interview experiences from successful candidates.
Last updated April 2026 · By the Superday AI editorial team
Practice Solomon Partners questions with AI
Get instant feedback on your answers with AI mock interviews.
Technical Questions
- A mid-cap retail company is considering a sale. Its EBITDA has declined 15% year-over-year, but it has a strong e-commerce platform growing at 40%. How do you think about valuing this business, and would you use a sum-of-the-parts approach?
- Walk me through how you would value a media company with a mix of recurring subscription revenue and volatile advertising revenue. What multiples would you apply to each stream?
- A consumer brand is being acquired by a PE firm. The seller wants to retain a minority stake and roll equity. How does this affect the deal structure and the valuation negotiation?
- Explain how changes in consumer spending patterns over the past two years have affected M&A valuations in the retail and consumer sectors. What metrics do buyers focus on post-pandemic?
- You are advising a family-owned food and beverage company on a sale process. The owners want to maximize price but also care about legacy and employee welfare. How do you balance these objectives in structuring the process?
Behavioral Questions
- Solomon Partners has a long legacy under the Peter J. Solomon name. What do you know about our history and why does our evolution appeal to you?
- We are a smaller firm with a flat hierarchy. Tell me about a time you took on responsibilities beyond your defined role and how that experience shaped you.
- Our work is heavily concentrated in consumer, retail, and media. What draws you to these sectors specifically?
- Describe a situation where you had to deliver difficult news or a contrarian recommendation. How did you handle the conversation?
- Why Solomon Partners over a larger advisory firm? What about our model and sector focus resonates with your career goals?
Fit Questions
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- Tell me about a time you worked on a team.
- Describe a time you failed.
- How do you handle pressure?
- What questions do you have for me?
Tips for Solomon Partners Interviews
- Solomon Partners (formerly Peter J. Solomon Company) has a storied history in consumer, retail, and media advisory. Familiarize yourself with landmark deals like their advisory on major grocery and department store transactions. This heritage matters to the firm.
- The firm is boutique in the truest sense: small teams, high-touch client service, senior banker involvement from pitch through close. Frame your interest around mentorship, direct client exposure, and sector depth rather than deal volume or brand name.
- Prepare to discuss the consumer and retail landscape in detail. Solomon Partners interviewers will test whether you genuinely follow these sectors by asking about recent transactions, market trends, and competitive dynamics.
- Technical questions tend to be practical and deal-oriented rather than abstract. Expect scenarios about valuing businesses with mixed revenue streams, structuring sale processes for founder-owned companies, and navigating competitive auctions.
- The culture values independent thinkers who can work autonomously. Behavioral stories should demonstrate self-motivation, intellectual curiosity, and comfort with ambiguity.