INTERVIEW

PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development &
Internship Programs
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR UPCOMING INTERVIEW DAY WITH CAPITAL ONE!
We have been impressed with your background so far and can’t wait to meet you in
person. At Capital One, we value well-rounded associates and our selection process
has been built to reflect the unique skillsets we look for within our teams.

As you prepare for your interviews, please use this guide as a point of reference
to answer any questions you may have. Your interview day will consist of three
assessments: one case interview, one behavioral interview, and one technical job fit
interview.

NOT SURE WHAT THOSE INTERVIEWS LOOK LIKE? KEEP READING!

 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

GETTING HERE
PLAN AHEAD
If you are driving, please plan ahead, and familiarize yourself with our office location and address. Be
sure that you are aware of the distance and time it will take to get here. We advise that candidates
arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled interview times in order to check in with security and get
settled.

If for any reason you are running late, please notify your recruiter immediately. His or her contact
information is included in your confirmation email. Smart phones are a great tool for managing your
itinerary, but it’s always a good idea to have a paper copy, just in case. It may help to print this guide
too!

WHEN YOU ARRIVE

If you indicated to your recruiter that you will require a hotel, a reservation has already been made for
you and will be billed directly to Capital One. All you need to do is show your government issued ID at
the front desk.

If you are arriving by plane or train and will require ground transportation, you should have received an
attachment with details about our partnership with Lyft. Follow the directions on that document to set
up and confirm your travel arrangements with them. You may choose to arrange transportation
through another provider of your preference, but you will need to pay out-of-pocket and submit for
reimbursement. Please refer to your interview confirmation email for your hotel’s address.

Your driver will transport you to your hotel where you can sit back and relax. Make sure to get some
rest for your big day! The cost of your ride should be covered by our partnership agreement with Lyft,
but if you tip your driver or happen to exceed the pre-paid costs, Capital One will reimburse you.

WE’LL REIMBURSE YOU

Be sure to keep all of your receipts for purchases that you make during your trip. Capital One will
reimburse you for meals (up to $75/day) and transportation to and from the airport or train station
during your trip. If you are driving your personal car to the interview, we will reimburse you for mileage.
Please note that the cost of fuel is factored into the mileage reimbursement and, as such, we do not
reimburse additionally for gas. If you are not flying or taking a train and do not have a car, talk to your
recruiter and our travel partners at CWT to learn about alternative arrangements. You can find
instructions on how to submit your reimbursement form in your confirmation email.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Dress at Capital One is business casual, but the majority of our candidates choose to dress business
professional when interviewing. Don’t be alarmed if your interviewers are not wearing suits. We like our
associates to feel comfortable, and we’re happy to extend that same comfort to our candidates. The
option is yours; pack what makes you feel your best!
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

YOUR INTERVIEW DAY

GETTING TO OUR OFFICE
If you are staying in a hotel, be sure to check out in the morning.

If you require transportation to our office, please confirm with the hotel front desk upon checking in
whether or not they provide shuttle service to our office.

Shuttle Service: If your hotel provides shuttle services, confirm with the front desk the shuttle
departure time. It is advised that candidates be fully checked out and ready to board the shuttle
45 minutes prior to the interview start time that is indicated in your interview confirmation
email.

Non-Shuttle Service: If your hotel does not have shuttle service to our office, please arrange
for transportation using our complimentary partnership with Lyft. You may choose to arrange
transportation through another provider of your preference, but you will need to pay out-of-
pocket and submit for reimbursement.

You will not return to the hotel after interviewing, so bring all of your luggage and belongings with you.
Don’t worry, we have a secure area for you to store them.

SETTLING IN
When you arrive at the Capital One office, one of our coordinators will be ready to greet you. The
coordinator will check you in, provide you with a temporary guest badge, and go over your general
schedule for the day.

Next, you’ll be able to stow your personal belongings, and we’ll give you a quick tour of our candidate
suite where you can find plenty of water, coffee, and snacks to enjoy throughout the day. Wi-Fi is
available, and the candidate lounge is complete with smartphone charging stations and study areas. If
you need anything else, feel free to ask.

You will have your own interview room for the entire day. We’ve got plenty of office supplies, so if you
need items like scratch paper, pencils, and calculators, don’t hesitate to ask.

LUNCH
A Capital One associate will accompany you to lunch at one of our campus dining facilities. Please keep
in mind that this is not a formal part of your interview process. No conversations or behaviors during
lunch are taken into consideration when we make our hiring decisions, so feel free to relax, recharge,
and ask questions. We hope you enjoy the meal!
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

YOUR INTERVIEWS
WHAT TO EXPECT
The order of your interviews and breaks may vary, so don’t be alarmed if you start your day off with a
break, followed by three interviews.

All of our interviews are conducted one-on-one, but in some cases you may have two associates in your
room. However, only one of the associates will be asking you questions. The other is simply observing
as a training exercise.

During any breaks you may have, feel free to make your way to the candidate lounge, check your
email, study, or make a phone call. We encourage you to spend your break time doing whatever makes
you comfortable.

Interviews are scheduled in 45 to 60-minute blocks, but may not last the full time. You’re welcome to
use any remaining time to ask your interviewers questions. We expect you to come prepared with a
few, well-thought-out questions for each interviewer, as this is a good way to show that you are
engaged and interested in Capital One, as well as the position.

Please be aware that there is a possibility that one or more of your interviews may be conducted
virtually. Whether you're participating in an in-person or virtual interview our goal is the same — to get
to know you better. Your coordinator will guide you through the process like any other interview.

In most cases, your three 60-minute interviews will consist of one case interview, one behavioral
interview and one technical job fit interview. Each of these interviews will be broken up into three
different sections:

1. Questions about your relevant experience

2. The interview
3. Time for Q&A
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWS
Throughout behavioral interviews, you will receive structured questions about particular experiences
that you’ve had. These questions typically follow the format of “Tell me about a time when...”

For behavioral interviews, we recommend following the STAR process outlined below. We want you to
be able to share a detailed story about the process of making a decision or completing a task. We also
want to hear the results and what you learned. We prefer that you talk about your actual experience
rather than hypotheticals.

Keep in mind that any examples below are not the same questions you will be asked during your
interview. They are intended only for practice.

THE STAR METHOD

SITUATION OR TASK
• Describe the situation that
you were in, or the task that
you needed to accomplish.
• Describe a specific event or
situation, not a generalized
description of what you have
done in the past.
• Be sure to give enough detail
for the interviewer to
understand.
ACTION RESULTS
• Describe the action you took, • Don’t forget to conclude your
and be sure to focus on you. answer with the result of
your actions.
• Even if you are discussing a
group project or effort, • What happened?
describe what you did, not
• How did the event end?
the efforts of other team
members. • What did you accomplish?
• Don’t describe what you • What did you learn?
might do in your examples,
describe what you actually
did.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWS

• Think of examples when you have influenced others, assumed leadership, or worked on a team.
• Avoid using hypothetical examples or framing your response in a format similar to, “In that situation
I would…” It’s important that your answers describe actions you have actually performed and
results you have actually achieved.
• Whenever possible, avoid using social examples – examples that only apply to your friends or social
circles.

EXAMPLE QUESTIONS
Tell me about a time when…
• You were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
• You used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
• You had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
• You had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.
• You anticipated potential problems and developed preventative measures.
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

CASE INTERVIEWS
Technical cases at Capital One deal with solving real-world business problems oriented around
technology. It’s a series of open-ended questions, designed to stimulate conceptual, quantitative,
analytical, and creative abilities. Preparation is key so please be certain to practice and familiarize
yourself with case interviews.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Remember, a case interview is not a mathematics exam- we want to evaluate your skillset
holistically. It’s not just about ‘solving for the right number’- it’s more about how you problem solve
generally.

We use case interviews to assess communication, logic, analytical, and reasoning skills. We want to see
your:

• Conceptual problem-solving abilities: can you identify the key issues of the case while
accurately and methodically reaching the solution?
• Critical-path thinking: can you use the clues that build on each other while staying on track
and focusing on what’s relevant?
• Flexibility: can you adapt answers to a changing situation?

The case interview will provide you the opportunity to demonstrate your:

• Logical Business and Technical Sense: What are some key factors to consider when creating
software or building technology solutions? What effect will different variables have on the
solution?
• Analytical Thinking: Basic tech skills – Algorithms, Conditional logic, and Understanding of
coding concepts
• Conceptual Problem Solving Skills: Can you come up with relevant ideas and envision the
scenario from a variety of perspectives? Can you understand the broader context by focusing on
the key, relevant details while filtering out irrelevant info? Can you adjust your thinking based on
changes in assumptions?
• Communication Skills: Can you clearly state their thoughts and synthesize information. Can
you inspire confidence through an engaging style? Can you explain technical issues to non-
technical people?

CASE INTERVIEW OVERVIEW

Technical cases can be either math or code-based, and you’ll likely encounter three parts:

1. Introduction to Business Situation & Case Framework

2. Calculations Based on Key Concepts & Drivers of the Case
3. Your Recommendation
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs
PART ONE
Introduction to Business
Situation & Framework
• Your case interview will typically
begin with a brief description of
the situation, and you will be
provided with some background
information regarding the problem
you may face.
• After the introduction, you may be
asked to make some key
observations about the situation,
or identify issues to be considered
as you dive into the case.
PART TWO PART THREE
Calculations Based on Key Your Recommendation
Concepts & Drivers of the Case
• After a general introduction to the • During the entire case, you will
case, questions will begin to likely be asked for your
become more specific. recommendations, but these can
obviously change as you are
• You may be asked about the key
presented with additional data and
drivers of the case, and how they
information.
will specifically affect outcomes.
• At the end of the case, expect to
• You will be given additional data
be asked for a final
throughout the case and are
recommendation, observation, or
expected to make calculations with
finding.
the information you are provided.
• While mathematical questions will
• The interviewer will ask you
require specific answers, keep in
questions regarding your
mind that your overall
calculations and how your findings
recommendations may not
may affect results, solutions, or
necessarily be right or wrong.
other aspects of the case.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR CASE INTERVIEWS

THINK OUT LOUD & ASK STAY ORGANIZED & SHOW
QUESTIONS YOUR WORK
• When you are making calculations,
think out loud to let the interviewer
know what you are doing. If you
are moving in the wrong direction,
the interviewer will guide you to
where you need to be.
• If you have questions about
information, assumptions, or data
you are given, the interviewer is
more than happy to answer them.
• You are often able to reuse work
from previous calculations, but it
can be tough to do so if your work
is not clear. You can avoid
mistakes by being thorough.
• It’s also important to keep your
work organized in case you make a
mistake. If you need to fix an error
that you make, you may find it
hard to make the correction if your
work is unorganized or illegible.
STAY CALM & POSITIVE
• You may make mistakes, but it’s
important to understand that
mistakes happen. Stay calm,
confident, and positive. Show
enthusiasm, not frustration.
• Ask questions.
• Show your stuff.

COMMON CASE CALCULATIONS

BREAK-EVEN EXAMPLE
If I need to make $40,000 this year and I make $20 per pair of shoes, how many pairs of shoes do I need to sell?
40,000 = 20x, x = 2,000 pairs of shoes

WEIGHTED AVERAGE EXAMPLE

A group of 15 students took the SAT. 8 of them had an average score of 660, and the other students had an
average score of 720. What is the average score of the whole group?
((8*660) + (7*720))/15 = 688
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

JOB FIT INTERVIEWS

The job fit interview is intended to assess your fit for a Technology role at Capital One. This is the most
technical of your interviews for the day. Since you’re interviewing for a Software, Data, or Cyber
Security engineer role, our interviewers will ask you some coding and/or design questions to see if you
have the necessary technical skills. Don’t worry – these questions are language-agnostic, so you don’t
have to worry about studying up on specific technologies or coding languages.

In addition to the technical questions, your interviewer may ask a few questions about your interest in
the industry, Capital One, and the Technology Development Program or Internship. Your job fit
interviewer will be a recent college graduate who has joined Capital One as a part of the Technology
Development Program, so this is also a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the
program or their experience since they were in your position a couple of years ago.
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

AFTER YOUR INTERVIEWS

Following your interviews, an associate will collect your guest badge and make sure you have all of
your belongings before you leave.

Candidates Interviewing in Richmond, VA or Plano, TX

If you have a flight or train scheduled, our facilitators will help arrange transportation for you, or
a shuttle will escort you from our office to the airport or train station.

Candidates Interviewing at All Other Locations

If you have a flight or train scheduled, please arrange for a complimentary ride using our
partnership with Lyft. You may choose to arrange transportation through another provider, but
you will need to pay out-of-pocket and submit for reimbursement.

Your recruiter will contact you within 2-3 business days after your interview to deliver results – yes, that
quick! If results are expected any longer than our usual timeframe, your recruiter will reach out to let
you know!
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

FAQS
WHAT’S THE DRESS CODE FOR AN INTERVIEW AT CAPITAL ONE?
You are welcome to dress in whatever clothing makes you feel comfortable, but our associates will be
dressed business casual or casual.

IS BREAKFAST PROVIDED PRIOR TO MY INTERVIEW?

Breakfast is not provided while you are in the Capital One office. We will happily cover the cost of your
breakfast, as well as any other costs you may incur on your trip to interview with us. Please hold on to
your receipts and follow the instructions on the reimbursement form that was attached to your
confirmation email. The form also includes a list of permitted expenses that may be billed to us.

HOW MANY CANDIDATES WILL YOU BE INTERVIEWING FOR THE ROLE?

While we do not predetermine how many candidates we interview for a position, there will likely be
other candidates interviewing the same day as you. Be aware we make hiring decisions solely based on
your personal interview performance and not how you compare to other candidates.

HOW SOON WILL I RECEIVE MY INTERVIEW RESULTS?

Your recruiter will contact you within 2-3 business days with a final hiring decision. Results may be
delivered sooner than 2-3 business days and, if expected to take longer, we’ll let you know.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY FLIGHT OR TRAIN GETS CANCELLED?

Please contact your recruiter. In addition, please make alternative arrangements through Carlson
Wagonlit if your transportation is delayed or cancelled. They can be reached at (800)-717-1648, and
there is an emergency extension available if your call is made after normal business hours.

WHAT IF IT LOOKS LIKE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT MY TRAVEL?

Your safety is our top priority. We actively monitor weather conditions, and if we feel that conditions
are unsafe for travel, we will notify you to let you know that your interview has been cancelled. Don’t
worry! We’ll get you rescheduled as soon as possible.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING TO MY INTERVIEWS?

The only thing you need to bring to your interview is a form of photo identification for badging. Our
interviewers will already have a copy of your resume, but it doesn’t hurt to bring copies for your own
reference. Scratch paper, writing utensils, and a calculator will be provided. It’s perfectly fine if you are
more comfortable using your own calculator, but we do ask that candidates refrain from using
smartphones to make calculations.
 INTERVIEW PREP GUIDE:
Technology Development & Internship Programs

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
LIFE AT CAPITAL ONE
We proudly bring together associates with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences in an
environment where they can challenge the status quo and reimagine money to inspire life.

YOUTUBE CASE PREPARATION

We’ve created our very own YouTube Case Preparation video to help candidates prepare for our
unique, analytically rigorous case interviews. This video will help give you a better idea of what you can
expect during your case.