what made that PE candidate stand out to you?

What made some PE candidates stand out to you interviews?

For context: I've been invited to interview with 4 firms now, but each time I get to the 2nd round (before the case/model round) and get cut from there, even though the interviews/my performance seemed positive. I come from a consulting background, and I suspect my interview failures are at least partially due to that. After all, in this bad market/when there are so many other candidates from a traditional banking background, unless I really stand out, I guess it makes sense for the firm to go with the traditional candidates. So, what can I do to really stand out?? I think so far my performance has been good and I would advance in a normal market, but I think the bar is now no longer just good but you need to be great.

So, what made some PE candidates stand out to you interviews?

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