MBA Recruiter Interview: SunTrust Robinson Humphrey

Atlanta-based SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (STRH), SunTrust’s full-service corporate and investment banking division, is part of one of the largest financial institutions in the United States. Despite the size of the company and the variety of services it offers, however, there are MBAs who view the company as a small southern bank. In this interview, SunTrust’s university relations manager, Molly Lipscomb O’Neal, discusses SunTrust’s MBA recruitment process as well as its MBA hiring projections for the coming year.

Why do MBAs want to work for SunTrust?

MBAs choose SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (STRH) because of our entrepreneurial environment and commitment to our teammates. Teammates are given a high level of responsibility as they assume an integral role on a deal team. They will work directly with clients to evaluate ideas and strategies and collaborate closely with senior teammates. We invest in a teammate’s long-term career development because we’re as committed to their career growth as they are.

In addition, we are continually growing and developing our investment presence compared to bulge bracket banks and yet we have a full suite of products and services that we can offer our clients. We also have large firm capabilities in a boutique firm culture.

Can you please provide an overview of the SunTrust MBA recruitment and interview process?

We begin our MBA recruiting process with visits to our core recruiting schools. We host a variety of events to engage with students early on in the first year of their MBA program. Our events, coupled with individual networking, allow candidates to meet with teammates from the business to ensure they have a solid understanding of the role and requirements as well as the culture of STRH.

We conduct on-campus interviews as well as interviewing at the two diversity conferences we attend (see below for the company’s school/conference list). Candidates should expect between 10 and 15 hours of networking over the course of a few months. Additionally, they should expect a series of qualitative and quantitative interviews for our summer associate and full-time positions.

What are the most common job roles for MBAs?

We recruit for our investment banking full-time and summer associate programs. Our summer associates have the opportunity to complete two rotations within our investment banking/capital markets groups.

What do you look for when evaluating résumés and candidate experience? Are there any important skills you look for that might not occur to MBA job candidates?

We are looking for growth within their career, prior to beginning their MBA program. We are also looking for relevant experiences, gained either through their professional and/or academic backgrounds (i.e., finance, client-facing abilities/exposure, demanding positions, leadership skills, quantitative and qualitative ability, etc.)

We are also looking for key traits such as: Motivation, initiative, innovation, charisma, intelligence, and involvement.

Is MBA hiring up or down this year?

Looking ahead to the 2016-2017 recruiting season, we will likely be flat on hiring MBAs as compared to the 2015-2016 recruiting cycle. If you look across Wall Street, particularly in investment banking, you will see the hiring will be down this year. Given the nature of STRH’s business, we will be less affected by turmoil in market conditions, as compared to our competitors and bulge bracket firms.

Which business schools does SunTrust recruit from and why?

STRH recruits at a variety of schools and conferences. Currently, we are recruiting from the following schools and conferences:

• UVA Darden
• UNC Kenan-Flagler
• Duke Fuqua
• Vanderbilt (Owen)
• Cornell Johnson
• Emory (Goizueta)
• National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA)
• MBA Veterans

We target strong MBA programs with a diverse student community. We also look for schools that have a commitment to their students and schools where students would have a desire to move their careers (and families) to the southeast (Atlanta).

What are some dos and don'ts students should be aware of during the recruitment process?

Students should be aware and cognizant of a professional’s time. Due to the nature of the work, investment bankers are often on the road and work late hours. Response times will likely be delayed and some follow-up may be required. Students should also understand that first impressions are lasting impressions. Every interaction that a student has with a teammate is an assessment.

What are some misconceptions that MBAs have about SunTrust and the banking industry?

Some common misconceptions about SunTrust Robinson Humphrey are that we are only a small bank in the south. While we may not be as large as some of the global investment banks, we do provide all investment banking products and services and even do cross-border transactions. We are continually building our presence our offices and have grown significantly over the past five years.

What does SunTrust expect from new MBA hires? What can new hires do to increase their chances for advancement down the road?

We expect a strong level of commitment and willingness to learn. We expect that MBAs come with a solid foundation in finance and accounting, as well as being skilled in networking and relationship building. These are key aspects of growth and advancement in any job area or function, but particularly important in investment banking.

Is there anything else MBAs should know before applying for jobs at SunTrust?

We truly believe in putting clients first, and because of this, we have experienced great success with our clients. MBAs should also know that we expect a lot from full-time and summer associates. They have to be willing to come in and hit the ground running. They also will need to know what we expect from our analysts and be able to have good analyst skillsets, as they play an integral role in developing our analysts.