Feb 07, 2013

BB IBD SA Interview this week

Hello,

I am an MBA student and was interviewing for a Summer Associate spot for the IBD at a BB. Murdered my technicals in the first rounds, did well in second round. Had two interviews in the final round, thought I did well in one with a VP, then the second one was with an MD who ended up telling me that my story is great, i have good motivation and that he will be recommending me for internship.

Two days later I get a thanks but no thanks email from HR.

I am not bitter or anything, disappointed of course, but more than anything, really confused.

My plan is to just chalk this one up as a good experience, pick up the email and phone and start hustling again.

What I want to know, is what you all think happened? Would you do any follow up? Any tips on what I should do?

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Investment Banking Mock Interview

“The questions were amazing and genuinely challenging, which made the session extremely valuable for me. Going into the mock interview, I felt that I had memorized and understood most of the critical technical concepts, but Julius pushed me beyond the surface-level knowledge and went much deeper into the accounting side. That was especially helpful because it showed me the difference between simply knowing the main concepts and being able to confidently explain the details, connections, and reasoning behind them under pressure. The behavioral portion was just as useful. Julius gave me very detailed feedback on how I should prepare for questions related specifically to my background, experiences, and story. Rather than only practicing the standard behavioral questions, we discussed how interviewers could dig deeper into different parts of my resume and ask follow-up questions about my academic path, previous experiences, motivations for finance, and the decisions I have made along the way. This helped me understand that I need to be prepared not only with strong initial answers, but also with clear and thoughtful explanations for almost every important part of my background. One of the biggest takeaways from the session was identifying the areas where I should spend more time developing a deeper level of understanding instead of relying on memorization. Julius was very good at asking follow-up questions that tested whether I actually understood the underlying concepts, which gave me a much clearer picture of what a real interview could feel like. We also created a longer-term preparation plan together. Our goal is to work together approximately once every two to three weeks and use each session to focus deeply on a particular topic. Instead of trying to cover everything at once, we will gradually specialize in different areas and build my knowledge step by step, while continuing to work on behavioral questions and my overall interview story. I think this structure will be extremely helpful because it gives me enough time between sessions to study independently, address the weaknesses we identify, and come back better prepared for the next topic. Overall, the session gave me a much better understanding of where I currently stand, what interviewers may expect from me, and what I need to improve before recruiting begins. I left the session with very clear action items and a much more structured approach to my preparation.”

Class of '29 Oct 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Coffee Chat

“Kevin was incredibly helpful. He took the time to do a coffee chat with me and was candid about where I could improve. His main point was that I should build more knowledge of the industry before these conversations, so I can ask sharper questions and show I've done my homework. He also gave me a clear framework for the conversation itself. Start by asking about their background and how they got into their role. Then ask for advice for my field, including what they would do in my shoes. He also explained when it is and isn't appropriate to ask for a referral, which is something I hadn't thought through before. ”

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4 Comments

ilikesloths

13y

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DaisukiDaYo

13y

Happens all the time - I remember back in summer recruiting when the MD (at a BB) told me: you'll be expecting a phone call very soon (hint hint) and said he looked forward to seeing me. Next day, get a call saying I'm waitlisted. There are a ton of reasons and you'll never know, a lot of these things come down to luck.

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Authored by: Certified Equity Research Professional - 2nd Year AssociateCertified Equity Research Pro

Zzari

13y

Agree with above poster. Sometimes you get all the right signals, think everything went great, and then don't end up getting the job. Usually it's not something you did wrong; rather, they were slightly more impressed by another candidate(s) and only have limited spots. Such is reality :/

If you felt like everything went well, I would reach out to your interviewer(s) and ask for feedback. If they genuinely enjoyed meeting you, then they very well may give you a couple tips. Incorporate the feedback into your next interviews, wherever they may be, and you'll hopefully land the next opportunity.

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Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 2nd Year AssociateCertified Private Equity Pro

t-jfk

13y

Qui ex eos reprehenderit et possimus aperiam. Ullam iure excepturi quibusdam possimus a quidem. Aut aut veniam in corrupti eum velit totam.

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Authored by: Certified Investment Banking Professional - 1st Year AnalystCertified Investment Banking Pro

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BB IBD SA Interview this week

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BB IBD SA Interview this week

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