How to Apply to Goldman Sachs Group

7 min read Last updated April 16, 2026 1331 open positions

Key Takeaways

  • Apply through goldmansachs.com/careers — the firm recruits year-round for experienced hires and runs structured campus cycles for analysts/associates.
  • The hiring process has 3-4 stages: application → HireVue video interview (30 min, 4-6 questions) → Superday (3-5 in-person interviews) → offer. Plan for 4-8 weeks total.
  • HireVue is AI-assisted — practice STAR-method responses, dress professionally, and prepare concise 2-minute answers to behavioral and competency questions.
  • Superday is the make-or-break stage. Prepare for rapid-fire interviews with Analysts through VPs, covering behavioral, technical, and market-specific questions.
  • Goldman employs ~12,000 engineers — for technology roles, expect HackerRank coding assessments and system design interviews comparable to top tech companies.
  • Demonstrate genuine understanding of Goldman's business, the specific division you're applying to, and how financial markets work. 'Why Goldman?' must be authentic and specific.
  • Goldman's culture values intellectual rigor, collaboration ('one firm'), and integrity above all. These aren't just talking points — interviewers actively probe for evidence.

About Goldman Sachs Group

Goldman Sachs is one of the world's preeminent investment banking, securities, and investment management firms, headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1869 by Marcus Goldman, the firm has grown into a global institution with approximately 46,000 employees across offices in over 40 countries, including major hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bengaluru, Dallas, and Salt Lake City. Goldman Sachs reported net revenues of $53.5 billion in 2024. The firm operates through three main business segments. Global Banking & Markets encompasses investment banking (advisory on mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs), FICC (Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities trading), and Equities (equity trading, prime brokerage, and equity financing). Asset & Wealth Management manages approximately $3 trillion in assets across institutional and individual client portfolios. Platform Solutions includes the firm's consumer-facing and enterprise technology businesses, including transaction banking and corporate credit platforms. What distinguishes Goldman Sachs as an employer is its unique combination of elite financial expertise and increasingly powerful technology capability. The firm employs approximately 12,000 engineers — roughly a quarter of its workforce — making it one of the world's largest technology employers in financial services. Goldman's engineering teams build proprietary trading platforms, risk management systems, data analytics tools, and consumer-facing products. The firm's GS Marquee platform, its developer platform (GS Developer), and its data engineering infrastructure are industry-leading. Goldman Sachs' culture is famously intense and high-performing. The firm operates on a 'one firm' philosophy where collaboration across divisions is expected, and meritocracy is the stated organizing principle — performance drives advancement regardless of background. The firm's partnership structure (approximately 430 partners out of 46,000 employees) remains an aspirational career milestone and a symbol of the firm's emphasis on long-term commitment and exceptional performance. Current strategic priorities include growing the Asset & Wealth Management business (targeting $10 billion in management fees), scaling the engineering platform, expanding the firm's presence in private credit and alternatives, and investing in AI and machine learning across trading, risk, and client service functions.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Apply through goldmansachs

    Apply through goldmansachs.com/careers, the firm's career portal. Goldman Sachs recruits for experienced professionals year-round and runs structured campus recruiting cycles for analysts and associates. Create a profile to track applications. Tailor your resume to the specific division (Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, Engineering, Operations) and role — Goldman's recruiting teams are division-specific.

  2. 2
    Complete a HireVue video interview if selected after application review

    Complete a HireVue video interview if selected after application review. Goldman's HireVue consists of 4-6 behavioral and competency-based questions. You'll have 30 seconds to prepare and up to 2 minutes to record each response. The total interview lasts approximately 30 minutes. Questions focus on your motivation for Goldman Sachs, leadership examples, teamwork scenarios, and division-specific situational questions. For engineering roles, expect technical questions or coding challenges integrated into the HireVue.

  3. 3
    Attend 'Superday'

    Attend 'Superday' — Goldman Sachs' signature final round. If your HireVue is successful (results typically within 1-2 weeks), you'll be invited to a series of in-person interviews. Campus hires typically have 3-5 interviews in a single day, each 30 minutes, with Analysts, Associates, and Vice Presidents. Experienced hires may have interviews spread across multiple days. Each interviewer evaluates different competencies — expect behavioral, technical, market knowledge, and fit questions across the rounds.

  4. 4
    For engineering roles specifically, the process includes a HackerRank coding ...

    For engineering roles specifically, the process includes a HackerRank coding assessment (typically before or alongside the HireVue), followed by technical interviews covering data structures, algorithms, system design, and domain-specific knowledge. Goldman's engineering interviews are comparable in difficulty to top tech companies.

  5. 5
    Receive an offer decision

    Receive an offer decision. Final offers can be extended within a few days to a couple of weeks after Superday. The entire process from application to offer typically takes 4-8 weeks. Goldman Sachs communicates status updates at key milestones — you'll hear from them after submission, after HireVue review, and after Superday.


Resume Tips for Goldman Sachs Group

recommended

Lead with quantifiable achievements using financial and business metrics

Lead with quantifiable achievements using financial and business metrics. Goldman Sachs evaluates candidates on impact — state deal sizes advised on, portfolio returns generated, revenue attributed to your work, or cost savings delivered. For engineering roles, include system performance metrics, scale of platforms built, and uptime/reliability figures.

recommended

Demonstrate elite credentials without being arrogant about them

Demonstrate elite credentials without being arrogant about them. Goldman Sachs recruits heavily from top universities, but what matters more is demonstrated excellence. GPA (if strong), relevant honors, competitive awards, and selective program participation signal the caliber Goldman expects — but frame them as evidence of capability, not entitlement.

recommended

Highlight teamwork and collaboration prominently

Highlight teamwork and collaboration prominently. Goldman's 'one firm' culture means no one succeeds alone. Include examples of cross-functional collaboration, team leadership, and situations where you contributed to collective success. Solo achievements matter less than team-oriented impact.

recommended

Show genuine interest in financial markets

Show genuine interest in financial markets. Even for non-trading roles, Goldman expects market awareness. Mention relevant market analysis, investment thesis work, or financial modeling experience. For engineering roles, demonstrate understanding of how technology drives financial services — not just coding ability.

recommended

Include leadership experience at any scale

Include leadership experience at any scale. Goldman's apprenticeship culture develops leaders — they want people who've already shown leadership potential. Student organization leadership, project management, team captaincy, or initiative-driven projects all count.

recommended

For engineering: emphasize systems thinking and scale

For engineering: emphasize systems thinking and scale. Goldman's technology platform processes millions of transactions, manages trillions in assets, and serves thousands of institutional clients. Experience with distributed systems, low-latency computing, large-scale data processing, or financial technology is highly relevant.

recommended

Keep your resume to one page (campus) or two pages (experienced)

Keep your resume to one page (campus) or two pages (experienced). Goldman recruiters review thousands of resumes — clarity and concision matter. Use standard formatting, no graphics, and lead each bullet with an action verb and quantified outcome.



Interview Culture

Goldman Sachs interviews are rated 3.0 out of 5 for difficulty on Glassdoor — moderately to highly challenging, with the difficulty concentrated in Superday and technical rounds.

Approximately 63% of candidates report a positive experience. The process takes an average of 32 days across all roles. The HireVue stage is the first significant filter. Goldman's questions are behavioral and competency-based: 'Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership,' 'Describe a situation where you had to make a decision with incomplete information,' 'Why Goldman Sachs, and why this division?' The AI-assisted platform evaluates both content and delivery. Practice concise, structured responses using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Dress professionally even for video recording — Goldman notices presentation. Superday is the defining experience. You'll meet with 3-5 interviewers in rapid succession, each probing different dimensions. Investment banking candidates face market questions ('Walk me through a DCF,' 'Pitch me a stock,' 'How would you value this company?'), behavioral questions, and fit assessment. Trading candidates face brain teasers, probability questions, and market scenarios. Asset management candidates discuss investment philosophy and portfolio construction. Engineering candidates face coding, system design, and architecture questions at senior levels. Goldman's interviewers are evaluating four core dimensions: intellectual curiosity (do you ask good questions and think critically?), commercial instinct (do you understand how the firm makes money?), leadership and teamwork (can you drive results through others?), and integrity (do you demonstrate the judgment Goldman's reputation depends on?). The culture of the interview reflects the firm's culture: intense but respectful, intellectually rigorous, and relationship-oriented. Interviewers genuinely want to understand who you are — not just what you know. The 'Why Goldman?' question is asked repeatedly because the firm values candidates who've done deep research and have specific, authentic reasons for wanting to be there. For experienced hires, interviews may include case studies, deal discussions, or technical presentations depending on the role. Senior hires often meet with Managing Directors or Partners, where the conversation is more strategic and relationship-focused.

What Goldman Sachs Group Looks For

  • Intellectual excellence and curiosity. Goldman Sachs operates at the highest level of financial markets. They want candidates who are genuinely intellectually driven — people who read broadly, think critically, and are energized by complex problems. Demonstrate that you're a lifelong learner.
  • Commercial instinct and market awareness. Every role at Goldman connects to the firm's revenue engine. Even support function candidates should understand how Goldman makes money, what drives financial markets, and how their work contributes to client outcomes.
  • Leadership through influence, not authority. Goldman's flat culture (relative to other banks) means decisions often require influencing peers and senior stakeholders without formal authority. Show examples of leading through persuasion, collaboration, and earned respect.
  • Resilience and performance under pressure. Goldman's environment is demanding — long hours, high stakes, and intense competition are real. They look for evidence that you've thrived in high-pressure environments, managed competing priorities, and maintained quality under time constraints.
  • Integrity and sound judgment. Goldman's reputation is its most valuable asset. They evaluate candidates for ethical reasoning, discretion, and the judgment to navigate complex situations where the right answer isn't obvious. The firm's Business Principles begin with 'Our clients' interests always come first.'
  • Commitment to the firm's collaborative culture. The 'one firm' philosophy means Goldman penalizes siloed behavior. They want people who share information, support colleagues across divisions, and contribute to the collective success of the firm.
  • Technical depth for engineering and quantitative roles. Goldman's ~12,000 engineers build world-class financial technology. For these roles, they expect strong CS fundamentals, system design capability, and the ability to apply technology to complex financial problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Goldman Sachs hiring process?
Goldman Sachs' process typically involves 3-4 stages over 4-8 weeks: (1) online application through goldmansachs.com/careers, (2) HireVue video interview with 4-6 behavioral/competency questions (30 minutes total, 30 seconds prep + 2 minutes per answer), (3) Superday — 3-5 in-person interviews in one day with interviewers from Analyst to VP level, and (4) offer decision within days to weeks. Engineering roles add a HackerRank coding assessment.
Where do I apply for Goldman Sachs jobs?
Apply through goldmansachs.com/careers. Create a profile to track applications. Goldman recruits by division — Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, Engineering, and Operations — so apply to the specific division that matches your expertise. Campus recruiting follows structured timelines, while experienced hiring is year-round.
What is Goldman Sachs Superday?
Superday is Goldman Sachs' signature final-round interview event. Campus candidates typically have 3-5 interviews in a single day, each lasting 30 minutes, with interviewers ranging from Analysts to Vice Presidents. Each interviewer evaluates different competencies — expect behavioral, technical, market knowledge, and cultural fit questions. Experienced hires may have interviews spread across multiple days.
How difficult are Goldman Sachs interviews?
Goldman Sachs interviews are rated 3.0 out of 5 on Glassdoor — moderately to highly challenging. The HireVue stage is moderately difficult, but Superday is intense, with rapid-fire interviews testing breadth and depth of knowledge. Engineering roles include coding challenges comparable to top tech companies. About 63% of candidates report a positive experience.
What is Goldman Sachs' HireVue interview like?
Goldman's HireVue is a 30-minute recorded video interview with 4-6 questions. You get 30 seconds to prepare and up to 2 minutes to record each answer. Questions are behavioral and competency-based — leadership examples, teamwork scenarios, motivation for Goldman Sachs, and division-specific situational questions. The platform uses AI-assisted evaluation of both content and delivery.
Does Goldman Sachs hire engineers?
Yes — approximately 12,000 of Goldman's 46,000 employees are engineers, making technology one of the firm's largest divisions. Engineering roles span software development, quantitative analysis, data engineering, cybersecurity, and platform engineering. The firm builds proprietary trading platforms, risk management systems, and client-facing technology. Engineering interviews include HackerRank assessments and system design questions.
What is Goldman Sachs' company culture like?
Goldman's culture is intense, meritocratic, and collaborative. The 'one firm' philosophy emphasizes cross-divisional collaboration. The apprenticeship model pairs junior professionals with senior mentors. Hours are demanding (especially in investment banking), but the firm offers strong compensation, extensive training through Goldman Sachs University, and significant career advancement opportunities. The partnership (approximately 430 partners) remains an aspirational career milestone.
Does Goldman Sachs offer internship programs?
Yes. Goldman Sachs runs highly competitive Summer Analyst (undergraduate) and Summer Associate (MBA) internship programs across all divisions. These 10-week programs are the primary pipeline for full-time analyst and associate hiring. The firm also offers Spring Insight programs, mentorship initiatives, and diversity-focused early career programs. Conversion rates from intern to full-time are strong for high performers.
What should I wear to a Goldman Sachs interview?
Goldman Sachs maintains a professional dress culture. For Superday and in-person interviews, wear a business suit (conservative — navy or charcoal with minimal pattern). For HireVue recordings, dress as you would for an in-person interview — the firm's presentation expectations extend to video. Goldman relaxed its dress code for daily office wear in 2019, but interview attire should remain formal.

Open Positions

Goldman Sachs Group currently has 1331 open positions.

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