Reasons for Rejection
Hello,
I've recently come across a slew of rejections in my search for a SA IBD position, and am trying everything I can to find out why.
In one case, I had an OCR 1st round interview with a MM where I answered every question (fit and technical) correctly, and even saw the interviewing noting "Good ...(ineligible)" a couple times. He even started selling the firm to me, and the interview turned casual. I'd also networked with the firm and even had a phone call with the interviewer himself the week before, so he was well aware of my genuine interest in the firm. Well I found out that I won't be moving to the superday.
In another case, I networked with a BB so well that I was invited directly to the superday and skipped 1st round. It got off to a bad start - the associate who was interviewing me first forgot about me and my interview was cut to less than 15 mins full of technicals. But the rest, including with a MD and VP, went well. The MD even kept commenting how I'm smart and that I should be proud of my resume. Yet I was dinged.
I'm sure that that there were some things that I could improve, but I just can't figure out what. If I'm answering all the questions well, what are other reasons that I could be dinged? I try to smile and have a good posture. Should I try harder and act all bubbly and joyful? Can something like appearing tired, or not sounding excited be enough for a ding?
Or, what are some reasons that one candidate stands out above the others?
If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it.
Thank you
I've yet to do the bulk of my OCR interviews but from what I've seen in my peers who received/did not receive interviews during the accelerated schedule, when everyone has their technicals down pat, it all comes down to confidence. Some of the people who accepted offers were less strong on paper, but they were all very confident. I also saw some people who I thought would be shoe-in's for BB IBD who are still jobless and will have to do OCR with me. You weren't a nervous wreck during your interview & had politically correct/polished answers. That's great. That's what got you the superdays, some people don't even get there so good job. During the superday however, you have to feel like a real person, not like a rehearsed news anchor that's trying to not step on anyone's toes. During first rounds, most people are nervous wrecks and those are the easiest to ding. As long as you can keep it together and don't choke your technicals, you'll probably be off to a superday. At the superday however, everyone can give the "right" answer. That's really your new baseline. Everyone is polished, everyone can more or less get all the technicals (you'd be surprised how many people choke some but still get offers) but some people will say a couple of riskier things as they start talking to more senior people. They loosen up. They embrace who they are and just go for it. They will risk not being "theoretically perfect" so to speak and just be themselves. During high-stakes interviews, that takes a surprising amount of confidence and belief in yourself. And being confident when everyone else is trying to be "correct" goes a long way towards helping you stand out. Don't get me wrong, it might get them dinged at some banks, but it also dramatically increases their chances of them connecting strongly to at least one MD during one superday. Again, not everyone will connect to your "true self", but no one will connect to you if you're just saying the "right things".