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monkeebanana's picture

Prejudice at IB Interview

So I had an in-house interview at a BB a short while ago and need help analyzing a situation:

I interviewed with four bankers, and I thought I did well with all of interviewers except one prejudice banker *ugh*. He was an associate and gave me the most awkward interview session. He asked me a series of tech and fit questions which I answered. While answering one of the fit questions about why banking?? He randomly throws out a question and asks me if I was an angry person or if I was aggressive ( I thought he was trying to gauge response or whatever…) ..completely unexpected and almost had me disoriented, but I smiled and told him I was a very nice person etc.. He then proceeded to ask me what I liked doing etc.. At the end of the interview, he gave me some advice going forward with my remaining interviews. I asked for his b-card and he politely refused saying he didn’t like receiving thank you notes (He was sincere, and I thought nothing of it) We shook hands and I proceeded to my remaining interviews.

After all the interviews, I ran into problem banker on my way out of the building so I thanked him again for blah blah. He asked where I was from and I told him my story.. He then said he thought so, because he noticed my accent, and that he had worked with an analyst in the past who had a similar accent, and is from the same place. He said the analyst was an angry and aggressive person, and didn’t work well with him- the analyst did not last a year.. I grinded my teeth and told him I was sorry but laughed it off. He went on the defensive and said he was not stereotyping or being prejudiced.. I told him I understood and that it happens (I should have given him the lecture of life! Ugh*) He ended up giving me his email, and told me I was fine, that I should not worry about anything. He was probably from Southern Europe or Latin America…. I’m blk btw. Is this a big deal? I really don’t care anymore, but I would like to know your thoughts.. Thanks!

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Bobcat09's picture

The truth is that even

The truth is that even though we're led to believe that we live in a nation of equality, you'll run into bad apples no matter where you go. This is one of those cases where the associate with whom you interviewed was trigger happy to reference history as a precedent for stereotyping you as a candidate.

Anyway, it's not a big deal because:
1) Whatever anyone here says to analyze the situation won't influence whether you get an offer or not, as you're already done interviewing.
2) The more you think about it, the more it'll bother you.

I've definitely received hints of prejudice in interviews, even though I was born and raised in the US but am an ethnic minority, so I empathize with your situation. Nevertheless, the best solution is to chin up and move on while seeing this experience as an isolated incident.

LAWM's picture

welcome to the real world it

welcome to the real world
it makes you stronger

b2's picture

There's a reason that tokens

There's a reason that tokens burn out quickly...

Jason Borne's picture

He's an idiot.

He's an idiot.

monkeebanana's picture

Thanks for your comments

Introduction to the real world..literally, but I will not let the incident deter me from my career goals.

Thanks!