Bombed one of the second round interviews, chances?

Hi!

Impossible to tell (shocker). 

Honestly, I felt like I failed all my interviews and in the end, still got an offer. 

I also noticed this effect with other candidates over time. 

Self-perception often tends to be harsher than how the interviewer perceives you, so don't rely too much on your impression of how the interview went. 

Even if one interview doesn't go well, that's not an automatic rejection. Interviewers might still give you another chance to prove yourself in the next round if they believe you have potential. 

Good luck!
Cristian

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Practicing for interviews? Check out my latest case based on a first-round MBB interview >>> CodeWave  

Hi,

It's really hard to tell. I screwed up the math on one of my final rounds but still managed to get an offer from that firm. 

End of the day - you just have to wait for the result and decision. 

They may ask you for a third read, they may reject you, or they may give you the offer - you really won't know till you know.

Based on the information you provided, it seems like you had a strong performance in your first-round interviews and received positive feedback. However, the second-round interview, which focused on an obscure industry and was more of a discussion than a traditional case, did not go as well as you had hoped.

In this situation, it's important to remember that the overall evaluation is a holistic assessment of your performance across all interviews. While one interview may not have gone as smoothly as you would have liked, it does not necessarily mean that your chances are completely diminished.

The interviewers understand that candidates can have off days or encounter topics that are unfamiliar to them. What matters is how you handled the situation, how you approached the discussion, and how you demonstrated your ability to think critically and adapt to new information.

It's also worth noting that the interview duration was shorter than usual, which may have limited the opportunity for a more in-depth assessment. The interviewers will take this into consideration when evaluating your performance.

Ultimately, your chances will depend on how well you performed in the other interviews and how you showcased your skills and potential as a strategy consultant. It's important to stay positive, reflect on the experience, and focus on preparing for any future interviews or opportunities that may arise.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation or need guidance on how to improve your performance in similar interview scenarios, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly

It's over so stop worrying. Seems like you had a more senior/partner style interview, these are less predictable and you typically feel worse than on normal cases but that does not has to mean you actually performed bad. Even if you did, if your first round was as strong as you say and first second round interviewer too, you can still get the offer. Warm regards, Frederic 

Hi there,

We don't know your chances.

But, they're not 0 nor are they 100. You will ultimately find out when they reach out to you.

Obscure industry, not “proper” case is super common and is exactly why I always advise you all to be ready for anything.

Look, ultimately, you'll either get the offer OR you'll have had a great “practice” interview that you can learn from!

Here's some reading to help you for next time:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-to-shift-your-mindset-to-ace-the-case
 

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/pitfalls-case-interview-preparation
 

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/dos-and-donts-in-a-case-interview
 

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/candidate-led-cases-what-to-expect-and-example-cases

Hi there,

This is impossible to know. Decision will be taken based on interviewer's perception, not yours and both might be different. 

Only thing you can do is to wait until the decision and keep practicing to solve ANY CASE on ANY INDUSTRY.

Happy to keep talking about this in private, just send me a message.

Best,

Alberto

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

Hi there,

Q: What are my chances in this situation?

Unfortunately, the only person that can provide feedback on that now is the interviewer.

This is because (i) we don't have all the details to assess your performance and (ii) your perception could be biased—sometimes candidates think they did badly when the performance was okay, and the other way around.

Although I understand your desire to get a clear answer, the only thing you can do now is to act on what is in your control, that is (i) prepare for other interviews/ apply to other companies and/or (ii) wait for the results.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hello, 

Congrats on making a great performance on the first interviews, that means you are ready, you are good, and they already know it. 

It is typical in 2nd round to have more “exotic” cases and framing that differ from the typical format. It feels unsettling as we often don't prepare enough for these, but the goal is not necessarily to test the same as normal cases. 

I wouldn't worry about it for now, you did your best and if you had a good discussion and showed a rigorous thought process, that should be enough. We often think we bombed (especially after strong performances in other interviews) but ultimately the partner will decide. 

Best of success in getting the final answer! Soon! 
Cheers,

Nicolas 

Hi,

Oftentimes your perception of your own performance differs from how the interviewer perceived it. So don't lose hope yet.

The final decision is made collectively by all interviewers. Usually you need the approval of all the interviewers to get the offer / be advanced to the next round, but, say, if one of the interviewers is on the fence, you may get an additional round. And the final decision, in this case, is made depending on the last interviewer's feedback.

Good luck!
Nick