What proportion of hedge fund interviews involve asshole questions?
Just out of curiosity how common it is to get "asshole questions" like the below in the industry when you have at least 2-3 years of hedge fund experience and you are looking for a new job in the industry? An "asshole question" is any question that reveals the interview is probably an asshole.
- Illegal Protected Class Questions: What is your race, ethnicity, age or nation of origin? What is your political view on X? Are you married? Do you have an anxiety disorder?
- Fishing for Ideas Questions: What did your former fund think about X? Can you get us your firm's model on company Y? Can you walk me through how your firm modeled company ABC (especially if you did not cover company ABC)? Would you be able to replicate your firms work on core position ABC (which you yourself did not cover) if we had you cover it here? Is your firm short company C currently? What is your view on position Q, which is a massive position for your former firm?
- Abusive Work Sample Questions: Can you send us a digital copy of past work you have done (inspection in person without digital copy not accepted)? Can you send us a few models you have put together (inspection in person without digital copy not accepted)?
- Stress Test Questions: Generally any "stress test" questions fall into this category. I haven't been asked this one specifically, but included here is "If I told you that the only way you were going to get this job is if you let me sleep with your girlfriend, would you accept?" Of course, nobody would actually ask that, but people sometimes I think are perhaps intentionally rude in interviews which they believe is a test for how you handle stress.
How common are these questions? Also, how do you typically handle these in an interview? I actually get at least 1 question in these categories in about 20-25% of interviews. Generally, anyone that asks these questions is a hard pass for me, since it's unclear why they would improve an investment process. I generally refuse to send work samples, unless it is a past pitch that is dated and can no longer be used. Other than at a vague level, I also firmly refuse to discuss details of how my former firm views a core position that I myself did not work on (purely out of respect for them). Is it weird that I respond that way? Just curious what most people do.
Very common. Hedge fund interviews are wild from beginning to end
Not common from my experience (interviewed at several multis) None of the above in any
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