Officially took my very first modeling test for an interview yesterday. I think I bombed it. How much of a modeling test is more about the approach to actually nailing all of the inputs/calculations?
I thought I understood how to do simple MF modeling (in reality I do). Don't get me wrong, I know the formulas, how to set it up, make it dynamic, format it, make it pretty, all that. Excel is not the issue.
TLDR: However, what I don't have experience/repetitions doing is creating my own assumptions. They were not give. How do you underwrite your assumptions?
Even if I completely F'd up the assumptions, I feel like I can walk through the model, how I got to everything, why I included certain things/left others out.
The full picture:
I was given a bunch of historical information spanning about 30 Excel and PDF documents that I had to parse through and organize into files. They included: rent rolls, occupancy data, operating statements, property information (location, floor plans) vendor service agreements, vacancy reports, only loan documents to figure out the debt financing, etc. The test was to put together the historical information and then produce a 1 year pro forma.
Once I figured out what was what, I laid out my model with the following tabs: 1) Projection 2) Historicals 3) Rent Roll Summary 4) Rent Roll Analysis 5) Amort. Schedule. I did all the back end calculations in tabs 2-5 and rolled everything into tab 1 with a property summary at the top that had the year 1 pro forma with the typical line items from income all the way through NOI, debt financing, cash flow after debt, and I inserted a risk section for the loan balance, DSCR etc, Debt Yield, etc.
How I created the assumptions:
Since I was given historical data (2011- 9/2014) I took the average increases/decreases of the historical data and used that as the average as the % increase for the next year. Was I close at all?
I know its cliche but having helped hire, and going through the process myself - I think they just want to make sure you aren't a complete beginner at excel and want to know how you think.
I'm assuming you aren't an experienced professional (based on what you said above) so you wouldn't be the final person drawing the assumptions anyways. If you had a general idea of what you were doing I think that's probably all they were looking for. A lot of people BS their level of skill in certain programs so its a weed out test basically.
sounds like you are ok. how much time was given?
@jpacai" making career pivot from more third part AM/PM consulting. So, don't have the experience with a ton of underwriting vs. more verification of facts
Time given: few hours. Sent via email with a deadline to return it. Half the battle at the beginning was going through all the documents to figure out the necessary info to start building the model and started to get way too bogged down trying to make everything perfect.
I know I nailed the debt part, which makes me feel better.
Bombed mine... it was given in the office, on a small notepad laptop, limit of 1hr 25min... took me literally one minute to find the bloody " key and kept misspelling the formulas given the small keyboard... and forget efficient keyless navigation...
Most frustrating thing was one part of a five section test involved a debt waterfall, and they outright said they did not expect me to know how to do it... but gave it to me anyhow. Just could not code it then and there. Had I seen a previous template: different story.
I was in a similar position. Shitty ass 11 in laptop and was so out of my element. no excuses tho and md offered to give me a mouse to finish up the exam, but the interviews following the exam were extended and i didnt end up going back to the exam.
Anybody who bomb it continue on in the process or get an offer?
Bump
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