Apparently I've sent out too many PMS today.

As of now here is what I'm thinking

  1. Specific market they are looking at right beyond the 14 core markets they focus on 2.What has been reoccuring challenges they have faced on the job? 3.Day to day? 4.Things you like and things you dislike about the company and your role? 5.Most memorable project? 6.They have two branded types of apartments, so what was the decision behind creating two brands as opposed to branding each building differently, and how has it helped the company? 7.How are their developments financed and what is the debt/equity split? 8.Whats the typical amount of type they will hold for, and whats the lowest IRR that they will do a development project for? 9.What are their plans as we approach the last part/end of the cycle in the next couple of years? Acquisitions/asset management?

Would appreciate any questions you can think of or any input on the questions I have that I should or should not ask.

Thanks

 
Most Helpful

The goal of asking questions is building rapport with the other person so they make the decision to hire you. I find that the best way to do this is showing genuine interest in their background and current role, and trying to display your own competence whenever you can (without being too obvious). Try to stay away from the immaterial (things you can find on the company website, random data points, etc.) and instead focus on questions that dig into their motivation for coming into work each day and the interesting projects the company is engaged in. Some of my favorite questions include:

1.) What was your path to company X? 2.) Why do you enjoy working at company X/your current position? 3.) What has been your favorite project so far and why? 4.) What in your opinion makes a great analyst versus a mediocre analyst? 5.) Tell me about X project/development/investment, etc. 6.) If you don't already know the answer to this already What is the day to day like?

Don't be a question asking robot but hopefully this suffices as a solid outline. Good luck.

 

I'll share some of my favorites:

  • What is your favorite and least favorite part of the company?

  • What are your favorite ways to spend your free time?

  • If you had to get three things right with this hire, what would they be?

  • If we look back years from now and are celebrating how great a job I did, what would be the accomplishments we would be discussing?

 

Not specific to real estate, but try to ask some questions that puts the interviewer in the position of trying to sell you on why you should come work there, without being overt about it. One person already hit on one or two of these.....

What were the factors that led you to choose this firm?

If you were starting at my level, what would be the most important decision points about a firm when deciding where to go?

By your being at this firm for 10 years, I can only assume that you choose to stay here because you enjoy it and find continued opportunities here....what are the reasons you continue to enjoy working here?

What do you think are the most important things for someone to learn in their first 5 years in this career and how would you think about that from my perspective?

These sound a little more overt than I expected when reading them, but you’ll soften them verbally.

 

Michiavelli, have you checked out these or run a search:

  • The 24 Interview Lessons I Learned on the Way to Getting My First Full Time Job questions prepared for the interviewer A classic but remember to prepare some standard questions and also ... all the hard way. Here goes... 1. Interviewing is like dating You have to play hard to get, but not ... needs to change is the last sentence. Exploit: take this chance at the beginnin
  • Notes for Technical Interview Questions interviews I was never actually asked any technical questions (although I did do a 3 hour modelling exam for ... interviewers assumed I knew what I was doing. Still, I took the time to put my thoughts in order. If any of you ... piece of each formula, you will not (or at least you should not) proceed to the next round. How would ...
  • What are Some Good Questions to Ask the Interviewer at the End of the Interview? I was just wondering what some good, intellectual questions would be to ask the interviewer at the ... always ask if we (the interviewee) have any questions for them. I heard that it is good to have at least ... 2-3 questions to ask. Bank Spe
  • How many questions do you ask after an interview? stopped asking me questions and wanted me to ask any questions about the company. I asked a couple of ... silence, of course. So I was wondering how many questions you typically ask during the phone interview ... So I had a 20-minute phone interview with an analyst today, and after
  • Very specifically, how do I demonstrate fit, and what are good questions to ask? a mutual solution but I can still guide them to the answer if need be; good strengths and weakness which ... responsibility, let them know before they meet the client, and come up with best practices for how to avoid it in ... of research on the group/team members/process, so I can't come up with good questions. It feels ...
  • We Will Be in Touch Regarding Next Steps After Interview I finished a first round of interviews and send out a round of thank you e-mails, including to the ... HR people who organized the meetings. I received a response from one of the HR reps shortly after ... answer these questions and many, many more. Investment Banking Interview Course Here interview follow-up
  • M&A Interview Questions- Beginner to Advanced Questions I have a set of M&A interview questions I like to ask. Interview Questions for Mergers and ... to 8.8/8.9 Mid-Level Interviewing- Earnings Yield This is to break the people who read the Vault ... debt which has an after tax cost of debt of 5% to acquire B. Is the<
  • Good questions to Ask in Coffee Chats for Investment Banking our top content from the past, click here. What to Ask in Phone Chat Informational Interview? When ... good things to ask in a coffee chat or networking session, with someone (say an analyst/associate) that ... going through an informational interview, whether in person or on the phone, it is important to spend ...
  • More suggestions...

Who will rescue this thread? DeepLearning Badash16 Summertime2018

Hope that helps.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

i think it helps to ask questions about themselves .. try to build on something they mentioned in their own story (typically) told at the beginning of the interview. seems that people love talking about themselves haha. I had trouble with this one too but it gets better.

 

Although it's highly recommended by professionals, I never asked the cliche questions that are expected, such as "Could you tell me some of the daily duties if I get this position?" or "What do you like most about the company?" Be different and stand out. Like Joesmoe said, use your imagination.

 

Ask them about things you can't find on a website. What is the culture like? Are you "friends" with your co-workers? What kind of training did you receive? What is the typical career progression? What is your background and how did you end up at X firm? Do you see yourself staying here for a long time or transferring elsewhere?

Lots of advice on this in some of the WSO guides as well I believe.

 

Do your research on their website, I'm talking complete research and as you go through, try to think of questions that they haven't answered on there for YOU. I think those ones turn out to be most helpful and will be looked at as genuine and honest. Also, as someone above mentioned, try to weave in something they said and then turn it around into a question; for example: "You mentioned you've been with X firm for 5 years, what was it like starting out, how was the training program like, did you stay friends/colleagues with those in your training class? etc" Also I think if you ask about the career progression for places where it's not exactly clear how and what you have to do to make it somewhere, that will show that you have high ambitions for the position and are looking to stay with them for the longer haul, not just jump ship after two years. Best of luck

 

pointing at picture frame on desk

"Is that your daughter?"

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 

Get an offer first, then ask for a casual meeting over coffee before you accept. Use that an opportunity to ask the questions. Not in the interview.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, post threads about how to do it on WSO.
 

To be risk averse, don't ask the question. You can always pose this as an "out of curiosity" question but I think a better way to approach would be about how you noticed that they were acquired by a PE fund and wanted to know how they viewed the transition (what are the challenges, opportunities etc.)--don't mention the negatives or numbers unless they do. You still show your knowledge of the company anyways. In an interview setting, you may want to minimize those risky questions since it could go either way.

For the lead! Sipag, tiyaga, at lakas ng loob!
 

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