Finance and economics interviews in Kenya have a consistent structure, regardless of whether the employer is a commercial bank, a development finance institution, a consulting firm, or a research organisation. Understanding that structure is most of the preparation.
Most interviews have three layers. The first is biographical: tell me about yourself, walk me through your CV, why this role. These questions feel simple but are the ones that eliminate the most candidates — not because the answers are hard but because most people have not prepared a clear, structured narrative. Practice your two-minute self-introduction until it flows without notes.
The second layer is technical. For finance roles: financial statement analysis, valuation concepts (DCF, multiples), cost of capital, the time value of money. For economics and research roles: basic econometric methods, policy frameworks, data interpretation. You will be asked to explain concepts out loud. Memorised definitions are not enough — you need to be able to reason about them under mild pressure.
The third layer is judgement. Case questions, scenario prompts, "what would you do if." These are testing whether you can structure a problem, not whether you know the answer. Think out loud, show your reasoning, and do not pretend to know things you do not.
For entry-level roles in Kenya, interviewers at banks consistently report that the most common failure is candidates who cannot explain why they want to work in finance beyond "I am passionate about it." Have a specific, genuine reason — a deal you read about, a market question you find interesting, a problem you want to work on. Before the interview, make sure you have a strong, ATS-ready CV and a well-written cover letter so your application materials match the story you tell in the room.