I completed a case study for medium sized fund (2bn +aum) which I thought went relatively well with the occasional blunder. Long story short I sent a follow up email responding to outstanding questions the team had, to which the lead guy mentioned they would catch up later with me with more feedback
Honestly don’t know what the make of it, is it a positive read through? realize it may sound trivial and I may be overthinking it, but I was not expecting that response lol
Wondering if someone with experience at the other side of the table can provide an insight to what feedback in the very late stages of a process usually means
Based on the most helpful WSO content, feedback in the late stages of a process can vary depending on the dynamics of the team and the hiring process. Here are a few insights to consider:
Neutral to Positive Signal: The fact that they are engaging with you and mentioned providing more feedback later is generally a neutral to positive sign. If they were completely uninterested, they might not have bothered to respond or offer to follow up.
Internal Deliberations: Late-stage feedback often indicates that the team is still deliberating. This could mean they are comparing candidates, waiting for internal approvals, or aligning on the final decision.
Outstanding Questions: If you addressed their outstanding questions well in your follow-up email, it could work in your favor. Demonstrating thoughtfulness and attention to detail is often appreciated.
Occasional Blunders: While you mentioned some blunders during the case study, it’s important to remember that no candidate is perfect. What matters is how you handled those moments and whether you showed resilience and problem-solving skills.
Overthinking: It’s natural to overanalyze responses during a high-stakes process, but try to focus on what you can control. If they’ve promised to follow up, give them some time and avoid reading too much into the tone of their response.
In summary, while it’s hard to definitively interpret their feedback without more context, the willingness to provide further feedback is generally a good sign. Stay patient and prepared for the next steps!
Sources: Q&A: HF Analyst @ $5bn+ Fund - Breaking In and Transition to Risk-Taking Role, Hedge Fund Guru Answering Inbox Questions Here. Thanks Mr. Pink Money, Reflections from year 4 as an equity analyst, Joining Start Up Hedge Fund - What to Expect, Do PE funds stop caring about certain investments once the fund has crushed it?
Inclination is positive because senior guys wouldn't waste their time otherwise, but that being said I've had it go both ways at this stage when I was interviewing for roles / they could just be buying time while they finish processes with other candidates if you were the 1st one to do a case... so hope for the best and expect the worst. Good luck!
Thank you my friend that makes sense.
Any response is a positive sign. If they're no longer interested, they'll typically just ghost you.
would agree - surely no ones gonna waste valuable time that could be spent on improving pnl to explain mistakes for someone they are going to reject
Just an update for the few that followed the story. Got the rejection a week after the case study and a few days after the feedback comment
Wow class acts to give you feedback…Makes me wonder was this Permian??
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