No name boutique is being annoying. Should I continue playing these games?

I'll make it brief. Final year student at a strong target outside the US with a 3.0 GPA. Prior internships in VC, funds management, corporate advisory, and Big 4 CF. Got a return offer for Big 4 so I'm incredibly happy and satisfied with the outcome. Worked hard to impress there and it paid off thank goodness.

Now being in my final year and having a FT role lined up is great for me, but I've been shopping around for some paid work during my last year at university. Something to help pay the bills + add some more experience on the CV. Cold contacted a no name boutique (5 people, $10-$70m deals, have some recognition) and set up an interview with them.

Things go great. Meet 2 of the MDs and they ask me lots of questions, from technical (DCF, 3 statement etc.) to behavioural/fit questions. All seems well until they tell me they'll be unable to pay me but will cover my travel/food expenses. Naturally I'm a bit bummed about this cos I really wanted to be paid, and since I already had experience on my CV, I wasn't too keen to go back to unpaid work (already did that in my VC gig). They also say they can take me on as an analyst after I graduate, if I do a good job as an intern.

A few days after the interview, they contact me and ask me to do some bullshit personality quiz to see if "I'd make a good fit in the team". At this point I'm thinking to myself "well screw that. These guys haven't made their minds up about me yet and want me to do a test for them." So I tell them that after careful consideration I wasn't willing to work unpaid but thanked them for meeting me etc.

They call me up an hour after I send the email and tell me they're willing to pay me to work there after considering my prior experience and whatnot (pay isn't great, pretty much minimum wage shit but not complaining, something's better than nothing). So I'm like ok cool, I'll do your stupid personality quiz. Afterwards, I get contacted by another MD and he wants to meet me. So here I'm starting to get fed up with all these interviews and the quiz but I go regardless.

Second interview goes well. The MD goes over my test result for that personality quiz, and funnily enough, I've scored on the completely opposite spectrum as the rest of the team. He then voiced his doubts at whether I would fit in the team. I found it stupid how they relied on a test as opposed to relying on how I interviewed, my prior experience, my knowledge etc. Like I said, both interviews went really well and we got along just fine.

Now, I've received another email that they're interviewing other candidates and will get back to me within 2 weeks. I'm starting to get real tired of these antics. They've met me twice so far, grilled me on everything from prior experience to technicals, they obviously want me since they're willing to pay me as soon as they saw I was losing interest in them, and blatantly admitted to me that I was more than qualified for the role thanks to my prior experience.

Regardless of the outcome, I'm sticking to my Big 4 offer, but still would have wanted to work until I can start FT in CF (wouldn't be until next year anyways, so its some time away). I don't think I'm acting entitled or anything but I just fail to see how they can't have made their minds up after meeting me twice, as well as their over reliance on an online personality test.

Should I continue playing these games? Or just drop them and move on? It's been almost 6 weeks and my patience is wearing very thin.

5 Comments
 

I wouldn't do anything. He who cares the least here wins. As you stated, you are already decided on the big 4 gig so you don't need this position. Let them come to you/contact you. If they don't, whatever. If they do and they give you the offer, then go intern there for a while. Best wishes to you and congrats on the big 4 offer.

 
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