CIM Group - Reputation and Culture
Hey WSO - long time lurker, first time poster here.
I'm wondering if anyone has some good insight on the CIM Group's development team, culture, and reputation. They are hiring at both the analyst and associate level and on paper I'm a good fit, but it's hard to get a good sense for how they do business - articles only seem to talk about Trump/Kushner connections and their Glassdoor reviews seem to have been trashed by bitter assistant property managers. All that said, the projects they build look incredible. I've found some threads via the search function, but nothing really points to how it is to work there. If anyone is a current employee, former employee, or knows one of the other, it would be a big help.
Thanks!
CIM Group is awesome. I have a good buddy who works there currently and he loves it. Their mindset is to task you with work and see how you perform. There is minimal guidance but if you are proactive and seek more responsibility they will give it to you. You can quickly move up if you do quality work and put in the time and effort. PM me if you want more details.
Hah, I apparently have to wait two days to PM you since I'm a new member. Definitely interested in more details, however.
PM’ed you
I've heard pretty bad things about the culture there. I know a few people who left and don't have great things to say about it, and wonder how deals are still getting done there. Seems like a lot of things are just super unorganized and their process is a mess at times. I've heard of 3-4 people through friends/colleagues who don't really like working there. These are all people in the investments side, though.
Just realized this is development focused....I can't speak to development. Sorry I don't have a ton of detail but wanted to add my two cents.
It might not be too different. Still front office roles with the same company. Any more details?
All companies have issues, but there's a big gap between "unorganized" to "my boss emails me at 2am on a saturday and expects me to respond" or "I get paid a fraction of what I'm worth while putting in more hours than anyone I know"
CIM typically hires ex IB at the analyst-associate level. They are a very successful shop, but you will be working long hours and in high pressure/stress situations. I have multiple friends work there and the consensus is you will be paid slightly above market for your position, but be prepared to work pseudo IB hours as well. You will definitely have great exit ops especially if you're in Los Angeles.
They're a reputable developer, especially active in CA. But be prepared for long hours.
The_RE_Dude networkyournetworth
Do you know if the long hours more a product of being busy / tasked with a lot of work or if they’re more concerned with facetime in the office whether or not there are things to do?
Long hours don’t bother me, but “IB hours” makes me think more of waiting for comments on PowerPoint slides at midnight or being expected to work all day Saturday just because, not being exceptionally productive.
Have worked with them plenty... Generally speaking they are highly sophisticated investors that have done particularly well this cycle.
This comment is not specific to the development team, but their culture seems to be a bit top heavy with some reluctant mid/senior level guys. Ie; a VP running a process taking a week to respond to a simple transaction related issue due to the need to get it in front of an MD or whatever.
Probably not overly helpful but thoughts I'd share
I appreciate it either way
I had some friends go there out of MBA... it got mixed reviews. Pay was solid, but there was a feeling that no one could rise up to partner level or anything close... they basically made you a full VP (you start as AVP after MBA I believe) and that's like as far as you go. Exit opps good but not considered a place to stick around and build a career long term, or so I've heard. Reputation on the LP side is also mixed.
Have a friend that works there and they explained that they typically hire analysts straight out of IB (that is where she came from).... Seem to really enjoy it
On the other hand, I have heard from more than a few C-level folks in the LA market that Avi & Shaul do not have the greatest reputation and are not very liked. Still think that the whole situation with their Sunset Gordon project in LA is hilarious.
I feel like this may be more fitting for a finance role than a development role. I was told by someone fairly higher up that a typical profile for their development team is a former design or construction professional who goes back to get a MBA/MRED.
Yes, she is on the acquisitions side.
Like you said, I would assume that this profile wouldn’t apply for the development side of the business.
Lol is that the building that is built but was like built illegally and they have to leave it vacant?
Haha yes. It is unreal.
I talked to a headhunter about a Development role there a while back and it sounded like the specific role was more focused on the project management side of things rather than the investment/financing side. Dig in a bit on that a bit, but otherwise everyone covered the rest - it's a top tier shop with a well-known name.
I was told that CIM Group’s Development arm is heavily focused on the construction of a building and normally hire top talent from large GC’s.
That makes a lot of sense and is definitely in accordance with what I heard from the headhunter.
Footnote: When I say "headhunter" it wasn't someone that was contracted out specifically by CIM. I don't know if CIM uses headhunters or not and don't want to mislead anyone on their recruitment process. I happened to know a headhunter personally, that was not contracted by CIM, that knew someone at CIM personally and so that's how that worked.
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