The first touchpoint I had was a very casual HR conversation that was mostly about getting to know me and learning what I knew about the company, plus making sure I had questions. It was more of a quick check-in than a formal interview, and it set the tone that the early stages were meant to be low-pressure.
After that, the process moved into a more structured session format. I was put into a group task where candidates were split into two groups, and the day then continued with two interviews with managers. The whole thing ended with a networking component that felt designed to let you meet people across the business rather than just sit through back-to-back panels.
> 1 year
Difficult Positive Sydney
The interview I went through was pretty formal, and the questions were genuinely difficult. I remember feeling like I was being tested in a deliberate way rather than asked to chat, and the overall vibe was intense but still fair. Even though I came through a competitive cadetship recruitment pathway, the team at Macquarie felt welcoming, and that made the process feel less intimidating than the question difficulty might have suggested.
What surprised me most was how flexible things became around the offer discussion. While I didn’t avoid the hard questions, I ended up negotiating and it still led to a better offer than what I initially expected. The experience overall felt challenging in the moment, but the final stretch left me feeling like they were open to adjusting when they saw the right fit.
Share your interview experience
Interviewed here recently? Add yours to help the next candidate. You'll appear as Anonymous.
