A candidate-reported Bank Of America Merrill Lynch Data Analyst process included a recruiter call, manager interview covering projects and fit, and a later SQL and query-optimization round.
$104K
Avg. Base Comp
$128K
Avg. Total Comp
2 rounds
Typical Rounds
2-4 weeks
Process Length
The Bank Of America Merrill Lynch Data Analyst report describes a comfortable, conversational process beginning with a recruiter phone call and continuing through two interview rounds. The first interview was a video conversation with three managers. It focused on the candidate’s background, past projects, technologies used, and situational work examples, alongside fit questions about Excel skills and why the candidate would be a good match.
Prepare a clear account of each project: the problem, the tools you used, your contribution, and how you handled decisions or challenges. The reported discussion also included relocation willingness and a question about the candidate’s role model, so concise, thoughtful fit answers can matter as much as technical detail.
The later round emphasized basic SQL and query optimization rather than deeply algorithmic questions. Practice talking through a database problem step by step and explaining how you would improve a query. Focus on your reasoning, including what you would examine before proposing an optimization. One report cannot establish a universal format, but it gives a useful role-specific starting point for project discussion, fit, SQL, and query-performance preparation.
Synthesized from 2 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Bank Of America Merrill Lynch process.
Overall, the process felt pretty comfortable and laid-back, but the communication afterward was not great. I started with a recruiter phone call, and then moved into a video interview with three managers. The first conversation was mostly about my background, the projects I had worked on, the tech I used, and a few situational questions about how I handled different work scenarios. They also asked straightforward fit questions like why I would be a good candidate for the role and what my Excel skills were, so it felt like they wanted to see both the technical side and how I presented myself.
The second round was more focused on SQL and query optimization. The questions were basic rather than deeply algorithmic, but they did want to hear how I would think through database questions and improve a query. In my case, I also got asked whether I was willing to relocate, and I think my answer hurt me because I said no pretty quickly. I was a little nervous since it was my first interview, and that probably showed. There was also a very human, conversational tone to the interviews overall, including a question about who my role model was and why. After that, though, I never got clear closure and was left wondering about the status of my application. The main takeaway for me was to be ready to talk clearly about your projects, be comfortable with basic SQL and optimization, and think carefully about how you answer location and fit questions.
Prep tip from this candidate
Be ready to explain your past projects clearly, since the first round leaned heavily on project experience, tech used, and situational questions. Also practice basic SQL plus query optimization, and don’t be caught off guard by fit questions like Excel skills, relocation, or why you’re a good match for the firm.
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Topics based on recent interview experiences.
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Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
The candidate reported beginning the process with a recruiter phone call before the interview rounds. No questions or timing for this conversation were specified in the report, but it was the first reported stage of the candidate’s Data Analyst process.
The first reported interview was a video conversation with three managers. It covered the candidate’s background, projects, technologies used, and situational questions. Fit discussion included why the candidate was a match and their Excel skills; the candidate described the overall tone as comfortable and conversational.
The reported second round focused on basic SQL and query optimization, not deeply algorithmic material. The candidate was asked to explain how they would think through database questions and improve a query. Relocation willingness was also raised during the candidate’s process.
