"On hold" at Goldman Sachs

Wondering if anyone knows what goes on behind the big black GS curtain while I'm "on hold" for a 2010 full-time analyst position? I had a first round 1+ week ago, notified that afternoon for second rounds a week later, then received the "you've been put on hold" email from HR 3 days after that. Anyone receive an offer after a similar experience, and how long was the wait to hear the final decision?

And by the way, HAPPY HOLIDAYS guys!!!

92 Comments
 

I had a similar experience. Placed under what they called "accelerated interviews" for FT. 1st round on a Wednesday then offer to fly up for second rounds exactly on the following Wednesday. I was the only candidate... at least form what I saw until I got the on hold notice. Most likely placed in the "we like him/her but just want to check if there is anyone slightly better" category. I found out two weeks after the on hold notification.

 

WorldTraveler88, that's encouraging, thanks! I figured they wanted to check for better candidates or I'm essentially waitlisted until someone declines an offer....

Anyone know how they decide who to / not to place in the "accelerated interviews" stream?

 

Also consider that they might not set the analyst class size until after bonus season and they know how many people leave. Since bonuses seem like they'll be massive at GS this year, this would probably help your cause.

Good luck dude.

- Child Please.
 

it means you didn't blow them away and they are waiting to see who else accepts and if they have any extra slots

or it could be that they are not sure if they will increase the class size or not

probably a good thing to be on hold, but i'd not just sit around, i'd do everything in my power to get the job witout being a total annoying pain in the ass

have lunch with the person you know best there, see if you can hang with a few analysts for lunch, show an interest

again, don't badger them or they will think you are a jackass and not hire you

but you want them to know you want the job badly

!@#$%^&*()
 

Not trying to be downer, but don't hold your breath. For you to come out of the wait-list, some other kid has to reject a Goldman offer. And in this job-market, that is not likely to happen.

Do you have any other offers from BBs(MS/JPM)? If so, you should tell them that you do. This should improve your chances, since this demonstrates: 1) You are a wanted commodity; 2) Goldman is your first choice.

If not, calling up HR does you no favors. And since it does not improve your chances, you should not do it.

Calling Ron Paul an isolationist is like calling your neighbor a hermit because he doesn't come over to your property and break your windows.
 

Goldman is notorious for not getting back even when they promise to. You really can't do anything other than wait and apply elsewhere. They will only get back if someone rejects and you're next in line.

Get ready for the 'silent treatment' from these overloads

 

Do not contact them, there's nothing you can do.

An exception: If you have offers from relative peers and Goldman is your first choice, let them know that if you are given an offer you will accept.

There's no way to know where you are on the hold list, and it won't help you.

If you don't have other offers, start applying to other places if you can. If the above applies, let Goldman know. If they haven't gotten back to you and you have to make a decision, take your other offer. I have to believe that very very few people will turn down a GS offer ITE.

MM IB -> Corporate Development -> Strategic Finance
 

THEY PLACED YOU "ON HOLD" FOR TWO DAYS? I HOPE YOU HAVE UNLIMITED MINUTES ON YOUR CELL PHONE PLAN! THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING I WOULD DO!! -BOFH

In all seriousness, all you can do is wait. Call them at the end of next week to find out where you are, and if you have an offer from another firm that's roughly on par, take it.

Goldman is not quite the same firm it was in 2007. Back in the '60s, Kuhn Loeb owned the bond markets. Today, nobody has heard of Kuhn Loeb.

 
Best Response

A guy I know interviewed with them this year and was also put on the waiting list, and said they tend to put a lot of people on the waiting list. Don't call. Even if they gave you an exact position in the list and told you exactly how many other offers are outstanding and how many days each has left to respond, and then provided you with the other offers that each candidate had and was considering against their GS offer, so that you could build a model to assign a probability based on perceived prestige of each firm and the likelihood that someone will accept/reject GS. Even if you had ALL of that information, it doesn't change your situation one bit. You still just have to wait and see. The only thing that changes your situation is if you have an offer from a bank of comparable standing, and then you call GS and let them know of your other offer.

 

Just to clarify: GS doesn't have a "waitlist." It means that you are not dinged, but they weren't impressed enough to give you an offer right away. Depending on the office (and your college), they may have given out a few "yes"es to outstanding applicants. Basically, they want to continue to interview candidates and get a better idea of the quality of applicants before deciding if you make the cut as opposed to a "waitlist" where they gave 10 kids offers and if one rejects, then you get his offer.

If you wait long enough, you're probably good since candidates this year suck. I'd suggest telling them you have an expiring offer (if you actually do) and try to force their hand. Otherwise, just gotta hold tight bro.

 
Tony BromoJust to clarify: GS doesn't have a "waitlist." It means that you are not dinged, but they weren't impressed enough to give you an offer right away. Depending on the office (and your college), they may have given out a few "yes"es to outstanding applicants. Basically, they want to continue to interview candidates and get a better idea of the quality of applicants before deciding if you make the cut as opposed to a "waitlist" where they gave 10 kids offers and if one rejects, then you get his offer.

If you wait long enough, you're probably good since candidates this year suck. I'd suggest telling them you have an expiring offer (if you actually do) and try to force their hand. Otherwise, just gotta hold tight bro.

What you described is why I hate the culture at goldman...he is literally on the waitlist, just because Goldman doesn't refer to it as a waitlist doesnt mean its not one. It like insisting the rocks in your yard are pebbles.

 

lol your gonna hate on a firm for having a waitlist? I dont understand... what does that say about the culture really - that they hedge themselves well?

To the op... You have a small chance - it depends on whether the people they've offered will take it, and judging by this year's conditions, I think most of them will. I'd focus on your other options for now, and come back to it when you have something to leverage.

I don't accept sacrifices and I don't make them. ... If ever the pleasure of one has to be bought by the pain of the other, there better be no trade at all. A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud.
 

If it means anything, I interviewed 3 times with them and then didn't receive an offer. Not sure how it works at target schools though.

 

@WallStreetStandard: They do send out rejection emails. I interviewed at 2 locations, and I already received a rejection email from 1 of them. @Moneyprestige: Junior.

ya im not sure whats going on, because I applied for 3 locations, got 2 superdays, received 1 rejection without any interviews and 1 rejection after superday. but there is still the 1 superday that i havent heard back from yet after a week. So im confused on whether is a rejection or if im on hold. Should I wait to contact HR?

 

Send a picture of your golden scrot to GS. That usually expedites the process when you show them that. If you don't have one then don't bother, you won't hear back anyways.

------------------------------------------------------------------ "I just want to be a monkey of average intelligence who wears a suit. I'll go to business school!"
 

Send a picture of your golden scrot to GS. That usually expedites the process when you show them that. If you don't have one then don't bother, you won't hear back anyways.

------------------------------------------------------------------ "I just want to be a monkey of average intelligence who wears a suit. I'll go to business school!"
 

Buddy was put on waiting list after his superday, and eventually they offered him to come back but he somehow killed his chance, i think he just didnt return the call. So just be on the lookout.

 
WeGoHam1I have been notified that I am "on hold" following my GS superday. What does this mean and what should I do?

Anyone in a similar position or receive an offer yet?

Hi. Did you email HR to ask if you were placed on hold... Or did they send you the notification without asking? I noticed that you started another thread before this one in regards to the hold/rejection.

 
vegankid
WeGoHam1I have been notified that I am "on hold" following my GS superday. What does this mean and what should I do?

Anyone in a similar position or receive an offer yet?

Hi. Did you email HR to ask if you were placed on hold... Or did they send you the notification without asking? I noticed that you started another thread before this one in regards to the hold/rejection.

I received an email saying that I am "on hold" after i had a superday. I asked HR but all they said was that I would know in a couple of weeks. I thought decisions were made pretty quickly after superdays?

 

I have a couple friends that went through this same process and I know some people that work in HR. From my understanding of what they have told me, you get put "on hold" when the company wants you but gives out offers to their first choice candidates and wait to see if those candidates accept or reject their offers. If the first choice candidate doesnt accept their offer then they will give you an offer.

 

jbennett34: Ok that makes sense. Do you know the typical timeframe that candidates usually have to accept or reject an offer? Couple of weeks?

 

Just have to wait. One of my friends got in through this way. He was on hold and got a call a week later. it happens.

I don't think having an offer will change anything

 
DaCarezHi all,

About a week ago had a 1st round interview for SA (as a soph) with GS. In the course of the interview, we all decided that one of my original two groups wasn't a good fit for me (ironically the one that gave me the interview). 3 days later, I get email that I'm 'on hold'. I am wondering now whether I should keep on them in a subtle, but not annoying, way, or just let them get back to me in due course. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Note: If i had other offers, I'd be pushing with that. But I don't ;

Are you still waiting on it? I'm on hold too.

 
humble_dude
DaCarezHi all,

About a week ago had a 1st round interview for SA (as a soph) with GS. In the course of the interview, we all decided that one of my original two groups wasn't a good fit for me (ironically the one that gave me the interview). 3 days later, I get email that I'm 'on hold'. I am wondering now whether I should keep on them in a subtle, but not annoying, way, or just let them get back to me in due course. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Note: If i had other offers, I'd be pushing with that. But I don't ;

Are you still waiting on it? I'm on hold too.

Yeah, he's been on hold for 3 years...

-MBP
 

Same here. I interviewed about two weeks ago for sophomore SA. Called them back last week, and they said i'd know by the end of the week...

 

I was on hold after the final round for two weeks, and finally got an official rejection email. Glad I have other offer.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

Well I interviewed for Internal Audit.. And they've hired at least one full time candidate from my school every year. So i'm hoping for the best. That's all I can do for now.

I was just really curious about the timeline for an update on the status. I'll post here if I hear back from them.

 

Not really.. the intensity of the interview was like your first round (times 3). All "fit" questions. It was only technical with respect to your resume. So if you have stated some projects that required technical skills, they will ask you to explain that in detail and then take it from there.

 

Did you hear back from them yet? I am in the same boat with you on that, I am being waitlisted and its been more than 3 weeks, not a single word from them

 

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Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

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