I’ve read on here that interviewers get together and decide whether to pass a candidate or not. However, this process is inherently independent from the competition, and the can’t hire everyone who meets the bar if they have specific recruiting targets.
So how are candidates compared to each other in practice?
Hi there,
I'm not sure what you mean here…
Office x has a need of 2 - 5 candidates.
If no one is good enough, no one gets hired.
If 3 people are fantastic, and 5 average, 3 get hired.
If 7 are fantastic, they figure out who were the top 5.
You're overcomplicating things here…there's not some grand matrix occuring. It's people. Who “own” a firm. Who need employees. Who discuss. And who make decisions.
What does this mean for you? NOTHING. Perform the best you can. Be the best you can be. Period.
Have you ever seen an olympic runner look to their left or right? Nope. I think I saw it once…and they fell.
Stop looking around you. Run your race the best you can!
Here's a start on how:
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
In practice, candidates are typically evaluated and compared to each other based on their performance and potential as strategy consultants. While interviewers may independently assess each candidate, the final decision-making process often involves a discussion and comparison of candidates to determine the best fit for the available positions.
During this process, interviewers consider various factors, such as problem-solving skills, communication abilities, leadership potential, and fit with the firm's values and culture. They assess how well each candidate demonstrated these qualities during the interviews and how they stack up against other candidates.
It's important to note that the competition among candidates is taken into account, especially when there are specific recruiting targets or limited positions available. The goal is to select the most qualified and promising candidates who not only meet the firm's standards but also align with the firm's needs and goals.
The final decision is typically made through a collaborative effort involving the interviewers, recruiting team, and potentially senior leaders within the firm. They review the feedback and assessments from each interviewer and consider the overall performance and potential of each candidate in relation to the others.
Hi,
At BCG, you get a score that determines or not whether you will be hired or not.
Typically in good years, they will really hire anyone who can meet the bar. Situation is abit different now, so firms are asking people to start later, rather than letting them go to competition (assuming you are a superstar).
Comparisons, if they do happen, are based on absolute scores as well as qualitative feedback.
Hi there,
Assuming you are talking about MBB, there is not an official process to compare interview candidates' performance. If they have more candidates above the bar than target positions they usually:
In any case, this is totally transparent for candidates and there isn't anything you can do to influence on it apart from performing as best as you can during your interviews.
Best,
Alberto
Hi,
If there are less seats than good enough candidates, they will take the ones with the best ratings during interviews.
If you're good enough but no seat available they might postpon your starting date.
Cheers,
Alex
Hi!
Great question.
Yes, in theory, there's no comparison being made.
In practice, each firm has soft targets regarding hiring. So if they realise there isn't a lot of capacity left for hiring, and they have multiple great candidates in the pipeline, then they're going to start asking themselves which candidate is better.
Good luck!
Cristian
———————————————
Practicing for interviews? Check out my latest case based on a first-round MBB interview >>> CodeWave
Hi,
It really depend on their hiring quotas. If it's an MBB company, for example, they need to advance a certain number of people to the second round and then they need to extend a certain number of offers. So they'll choose the best of the pack, yes. But if nobody meets the hiring criteria, no offers will be extended, even if there's an opening at the firm.
If it's a small boutique consulting company with, say, just a single opening, they will look for a candidate whose interview performance is decent, but also the one whose profile matches their hiring criteria the most (like experience in a certain industry / function).
Regards,
Nick
Expert case by
