Disrespectful excuse for not receiving an offer
Hello all,
I'm a finance student in Canada graduating next month and have been applying for IB graduate roles in the UK and abroad for the last year. Last month, I had my final round interview (assessment centre) for a graduate role at a pretty well known middle market investment bank in London, UK. As you can imagine I was over the moon excited for the opportunity. Although the timing of the interview couldn't have been worse as it was the week exactly before 3 back-to-back midterms and I had the option to take the interview virtually - I still decided to fly myself to London (mainly on my own personal expense). I understood that I needed to show an above average level of commitment and dedication for the opportunity and I didn't want there to be any doubt around my commitment to move to London. As a result, I didn't hesitate making the personal investment and taking the assessment in-person.
I ended up having the assessment the day after I landed in London and I believe I performed really well despite running on 7-hours of jet lag and limited sleep. After over a month, I finally hear back from HR and explained how I performed really well throughout the assessment and that I was technically strong but the interviewers thought I lacked "motivation". Suffice to say, I was speechless and never felt more disrespected in my life. If they would have mentioned I wasn't a personality fit, or I didn't have good enough experience, or that they didn't want to sponsor me for a visa after 3 years I would have taken it on the chin and moved on - no problem whatsoever. However, hearing that lack of "motivation" was the factor highlighted and caused my candidacy to be dismissed after the sacrifice I made to be there is painful to say the least.
Has anyone else gone through something similar, is this type of slap in the face normal? Not looking for sympathy or trying to play the victim. I just need a place to vent and obviously would really appreciate someone normalizing the struggle at this point and gain some advice on how to move forward from this experience.
Thank you!
This summer, I interned at a group that gave 50% of kids offers. Got coffee with everyone in the group… did lots of research into the industry to ask intelligent questions… constantly asked everyone for work to do but dealflow was very slow. I was incredibly stressed about making a good impression and getting that return offer and for that summer my whole life revolved around that one purpose
… only for HR to tell me that i wasn’t getting a return offer because other interns seemed like they “wanted to be there more.” I would have rather them tell me I was the dumbest intern than tell me that I didn’t care when I really put my all into it. I was bitter about that for months
Edit: That being said, the HR person/interviewer has such a limited scope of you as a person, and there's no use taking their feedback to heart unless it's something you can directly improve on for future interviews. I just wanted to say I truly sympathize!
What matters to you is that you were rejected. Given that usually more than one candidate will perform well, interviewers latch onto a particular factor, erroneous or not, as the reason for rejection. It is very rare for a rejected candidate to agree with the assessment. With that said, it's bizarre they cited "motivation" as the problem given you flew on your own dime.
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Are Canadians allowed to work in the UK?
Yes. With the Youth Mobility Visa which is about $600 as a Canadian you can work in the UK without sponsorship for 2 years. One of the main reasons I was focusing my efforts in the UK as opposed to the US.
Name the firm
Very tempting
RJ.
Look sometimes you’re just not a good fit for whatever group you’re eager to join and that could be for a variety of reasons, whether it’s due to fit, personality, intelligence, mannerisms and just lack of space as a few reasons out of many. I know you could be bitter about it but you really just have to move on
Agreed, whining about it doesn't help you get an offer
was it Jefferies
Nope
Peel Hunt?
What you got a taste of was you thinking a covert contract would lead to something. Unfortunately, these banks don’t give a shit how much effort you’ve put in to getting a job they’ll give it to someone else who gives a fuck about that job you. They don’t care that you flew over here on your own dime and it wouldn’t have made them think positively you anyways. I don’t want to be harsh, but I’m trying to help you not make the same mistake again. They really don’t care.
If you ever find yourself a position interviewing abroad find out if they can expense your flight or allow you to do the interview process virtually. Put yourself first like they’ve been doing for themselves.
I’m sorry to hear that you had to deal with this. It sounds like a massive pain in the ass and I really wouldn’t think much of what HR said because like someone else said,” they pick a bucket list of reasons to reject somebody that won’t get them sued.”
Valid comment. Lesson learned.
Just apply to other places
Great advice man. I’m sure that hasn’t crossed his mind
I have two Ivy League degrees. I have been constantly employed in investment banking for almost 15 years.
Yet, a few years ago, when I was looking for a new role, it took me almost THREE years to get an offer. I had even started looking at crappy banks and still couldn’t secure an offer.
Just out of boredom I started applying to credit roles and corp dev roles I would never accept even if I got the offer. I was interviewed by people who went to worse schools and had less deal experience than me. I still got nothing, and many times never even a first round.
My point is that interviewing can be capricious and arbitrary. There is a lot of luck involved in life and interviewing is a great example of that.
I have had zero interest in interviewing kids throughout my career and only do it when forced to by my boss. Half the time I’m not even paying attention and don’t put much thought into the rankings I give HR. Everyone these days is smart and prepared.
You’re going to need to learn to stop taking interview advice to heart. The guy probably had to give some reason to HR about why he didn’t like you so he made some crap up.
After all my searching, I only got one offer. It happened to be in a top group and for alot more money than the roles that rejected me were offering. It makes no sense. It’s like all the state schools rejected my candidate, yet Harvard offered me a spot. It just so happened I vibed well with a few guys and they needed someone I guess. Who knows the reason. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and walking towards your goal.
And finally remember that work is 50% of your life and friends/family/women are the other 50%. Don’t get all wrapped up in your one rejection and forget there’s more to life.
I like to brag a lot about how well off my family is now, but I grew up middle class in a crappy state in the US. I know how much you want that great first job and how important money is when you’re middle class or poor. But just try to accept that interviewing has an element of randomness, and the only way forward in any aspect of life is to keep trying.
Roger that. Thank you for normalizing the struggle and renewing my spirit. G advice 🤝🏻
I usually hate Smoke Frog, but this is good advice and he's right. It's mostly luck in the end
WHY THE FUCK DID THEY NOT PAY FOR YOUR AIRLINE TICKET AND YOUR HOTEL ROOM? THAT IS BEYOND APPALLING. I WOULD HAVE DEMANDED FIRST CLASS TICKET AND FIVE STAR HOTEL.
AND IF I SAW THE DECISION, I WOULD HAVE NOT ONLY VEHEMENTLY DENIED SUCH A NONSENSE “MOTIVATION” ACCUSATION… BUT I WOULD HAVE ALSO TOLD THEM TO REIMBURSE MY TRAVEL EXPENSES. NOTHING LESS WILL SUFFICE
Lmao perhaps if I were a Giga-Chad like you I could have pulled off that finesse. Will try next time tho 🫡
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