Hi there,

a few thoughts on your points:

1. You are a lateral hire candidate likely outside of the more standardized and streamlined recruiting processes. So you have to be more flexible since senior people at the firm (like your interview partners) usually have a lot of stuff come up on short notice
    
2. There could be different reasons for that. For example, 
   1. if you are currently not working for a consulting firm, the profile, responsibilities and expectations of a Senior Manager might be different from how Deloitte interprets the role. Even though the job title might be the same, comparing a manager role in consulting to a manager role in industry is not really apples-to-apples. And in order to be Director, one should be pretty familiar with the intricacies of the previous career level as well
   2. since you are coming in from another company, Deloitte might not want to directly “promote” you to a role you have not yet held before (meaning Director) until you can prove to them that you function in their environment at your current level (meaning Sr. Manager). It is actually common at MBB, for example, to slot lateral hires from e.g. Tier 2 consulting companies into a lower level position than they were at their previous company
       
3. A 2-3 month timeline does not strike me as unusual for any recruiting process to be honest. What sort of timelines are you accustomed to?

Best of luck

Hi there,

To your questions:

1) I was supposed to be interviewed by Dir & Manager however only dir could make it today and manager couldn’t as part of Technical round of interview. This means grilling continues to another round to be attended by manager as part of Technical assessment. Is it normal ?

Yes. Consultants have a crazy agenda and recruiting rescheduling happens.

2) How do I push for Director level stature for myself as that’s what am in waiting to become. 

Set up expectations clearly with your recruiter and interviewers. Honestly, if this is a red flag for you, the sooner you know if there is any chance to get the position the more time you will save if it is not the case.

3) I was told timeline wise it will take 2-3 months !! Are you serious ? That much time it takes at deloitte ? 

This timing is perfectly normal for a position as senior as the one you want to apply as Director. If you want to accelerate the process, I suggest you kindly discuss with your recruiter how this can be speed up.

Good luck!

Alberto

—

Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Hello! I understand your concerns and I'll address each point one by one:

It is not uncommon for interview schedules to change due to various reasons, such as availability of interviewers. If the manager was unable to attend the technical round, it is possible that they will conduct a separate round to assess your technical skills. This is done to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of your abilities. While it may be an additional step, it is a normal part of the hiring process.

The level at which you are being considered for a role is determined based on a combination of factors, including your experience, skills, and fit for the specific role and team. The decision to offer a senior manager level position may be based on the current needs of the team and the alignment of your skills and experience with the requirements of the role. If you strongly believe that you should be considered for a director-level position, I recommend discussing this with the hiring team and providing them with a clear rationale for your request.

The timeline for the hiring process can vary depending on various factors, such as the number of candidates being considered, the availability of interviewers, and the internal processes of the firm. While it may seem like a long timeframe, it is important to remember that the hiring process involves multiple stages and evaluations to ensure the right fit for both the candidate and the firm. If you have concerns about the timeline, I recommend discussing this with the hiring team to gain clarity on the expected timeframe and any potential opportunities to expedite the process.

It's important to maintain open communication with the hiring team and express your concerns and aspirations. They will be able to provide you with more specific information and guidance based on the internal policies and processes at Deloitte Middle East. Good luck with the rest of the hiring process!

Sure, happy to provide a perspective.

I worked with a few senior / executive hires in the last year, so all of this sounds honestly familiar. 

First of all, yes, it does take that long. It can take even 6 months. The more senior you are, the longer the validation that they want to do. The more unstructured the process. The more other seniors they want you to speak to and be validated by. 

Then, if one of the interviewers couldn't make it on short notice, then the interview round gets split. It's not so much of a question of ‘normal’, it just happened to work this way this time, but it shouldn't affect the outcome of your interview. 

Lastly, in terms of the position they offered. It depends on what firm you're already coming from. It often happens in consulting that if you go one tier up you actually go down in one role. I wouldn't push against it before you understand the WHY. So do ask them, WHY they would recommend you go for this more junior role than the one you initially had in mind. They might actually have a very good reason. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi there, for experienced hires the processes are indeed longer and less streamlined. Unfortunately, something you need to get comfortable with. Regarding entry position negotiation, happy to provide you a realistic personal opinion over a free coffee chat. Feel free to ping me, Warm regards, Freddy