TLDR: I have an upcoming Associate level interview with a well known MM firm that I desperately want to go well but dont know how to prepare.
Background:
I graduated in 2014 from a non-target, low GPA, no excuses just spent 4 years trying too hard to be Chad/Brad. Right out of school I took a BO PWM role for a BB. After two years I moved to a FO PWM role at another BB. After one year there I managed to land an M&A Associate role at a local boutique where I am the only associate, there is one analyst, and 4 MDs. Tiny doesn't begin to describe the shop but fuck it, it was my door in.
During my time here I have basically redesigned their entire process, from how they DCF and spread comps, to designing and integrating a pitch book for them (literally didn't have one before I came. They sent out 30 page word documents as an executive summary), creating marketing materials, building custom CRM tools, were talking a full package upgrade. I have learn't A LOT, but also don't know if what I have learnt is the "right way" that the bigger more experienced banks teach/expect people to know. I pulled whatever I could from the internet, books, and general trial and error. No better way to learn how to cold call and pitch a prospective target than cold calling and pitching a prospective target. Needless to say, I decided some weeks ago that the only way to progress my career (both financially and educationally) was to move on to another bank.
So I started slow, changed my LinkedIn status to looking, got hit up by some headhunters who wanted to shop me. I give them the go ahead, and out of nowhere I have an interview scheduled with (what I would call) a big name MM shop that wants to hire an Associate in their TMT group. Awesome! Except I am shitting myself trying to figure out how to prepare. Given my tenure, I thought I should be targeting laterals into analyst levels, but this is a potential game changer.
I would love any idea of how to prepare. I know the general gist of walk me through the resume, talk about your prior deal experience, maybe some technical questions, but all of the interview guides I have seen are tailored more towards breaking in at analyst levels.
Are there strong guides of "what an Associate is expected to know"? Is the WSO interview guide relevant at the lateral Associate level? Am I panicking for no damn reason and I should just chill out and have a beer? Literally any response would be highly appreciated.
You may get a few questions from the interview guides, but I would wager that 80% of the interview will be digging into your experience at the boutique and the remainder will be behavioral/ fit questions.
Stuff they will likely want to know may include: your story and how you got there (and why make this change in career, why the MM bank etc.), how the office is set up (personnel wise), what industries / companies / sizes you covered, how your team works (particularly your roles and responsibilities), and have you walk through your deals. You'll get quizzed on the facts of your deals, from strategic rationale down to EBITDA and related valuation questions. You'll also get asked how you work with others, strengths and weaknesses, etc.
Given the above, if I were you, I would prepare by jotting down high level info about the deals you have been on, and practice a "30 second pitch" for your story as well as deal overviews.
P.S. Don't freak out.
I would highly suggest you know your technicals. I’ve been going through the process and firms really want to make sure associate laterals are strong technically.
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