CRE Associate Interview

Hello everyone,

I'm very "new"(joined 2 years ago but never really started a discussion) here. Apologies if this is not the right place to post, I will delete it!

I recently interviewed at a bank for associate position under the CRE sector. 

Went through two rounds of interviews, both were ED + VP combinations but for different teams same functions. The first team did not give me their contacts after the first round interview so I did not get to send thank you notes, I guessed it went ok so that's why I had the second round. The second team's ED explained the differences between the two team and why they both want to see me. Second round was alright, was asked a lot questions and had some great discussions. What surprised me was that the ED said that he will send me an email with his contact and he did send an email 5 min after the interview saying that he enjoyed the conversation and told me feel free to reach out. Sent thank you notes afterwards and still waiting for the next step right now, its been almost five business day right now but I get it - its labor day week. 

I want to ask that if I should send some of thoughts on the market or share market news with questions to the ED just to keep in touch or stay on his radar while waiting for the results? I don't really want to ask him how the interview went but more want to establish a great connection with him. I know he probably was just being nice for sending the email but it did give me hope.

Thank you everyone for reading my post!

20 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some strategies to keep in touch and stay relevant while waiting for interview results:

  1. Send Market News and Insights:

    • Share relevant market news or insights that could be of interest to the ED. This demonstrates your engagement with the industry and adds value to your communication.
    • Example: "I came across this article on the recent trends in the CRE sector and thought it might be of interest. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it if you have time."
  2. Periodic Updates:

    • Keep yourself top of mind by sending periodic updates. This could be every few months, ensuring you don't overwhelm them with too frequent communication.
    • Example: "Just wanted to share some recent developments in my current role that I thought might be relevant to our previous discussions."
  3. Request for Advice:

    • As the application deadline approaches, consider reaching out under the guise of seeking advice for interview preparation or industry insights.
    • Example: "As I prepare for potential next steps, I would greatly appreciate any advice you might have on how to best position myself for success in the CRE sector."
  4. Follow-Up on Discussions:

    • Reference specific points from your interview discussions to show that you were engaged and are continuing to think about the topics discussed.
    • Example: "I’ve been reflecting on our discussion about [specific topic], and I found some additional information that I thought might be useful."
  5. Be Patient and Respectful:

    • Understand that responses may not be immediate, especially during busy periods like Labor Day week. Patience and respectful follow-ups are key.

By following these strategies, you can maintain a professional and valuable connection with the ED while waiting for the interview results.

Sources: Q&A: Former McKinsey EM, Thoughts on this gutsy post-interview follow-up email?, Network (In)to The Sell-side - How to Source Job Leads and Charm the Interviewer, Networking 101 -- Hedge Fund Edition, A few questions going into a first round VC interview

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Eh just told me that they had my contact and will send their contacts and enjoyed the conversation - feel free to reach out..

I do feel like I’m a little overthinking it, but do kinda want to maintain the connection.. not just for getting the job.

 

If you don’t hear back in two weeks from your interview it is fair to reach out and gently “check in on the timeline” or something like that. Sometimes shit just moved slowly though. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 
Most Helpful

Or it was a holiday weekend, people took extra days, a fire drill came up, and the decision makers haven’t had a chance to even talk yet, much less pick a person. 
 

I’ve been on the hiring side. One time I spent a week+ arguing with a principal to make sure he didn’t low ball a good candidate because he wasn’t keeping up with the market. 
 

Plenty of reasons to not hear back. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Totam consequatur nobis qui voluptatum omnis. Aut illo et architecto. Inventore nemo quia expedita.

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