Hi Mentors - so i finally could have had a ‘Partner’ round today after a wait of 4.5 months almost. Sharing some gist of this discussion in a bullet fashion;
- It lasted for 30 mins totally wherein first 5 mins was an intro by Partner and then 15 mins was my part to talk about my experiences etc… followed by last 7-8 mins for a quick questions from my end to Partner
- Partner asked me few examples or use cases to support my case as i'm aspiring to pick up a role in Data Management or Analytics etc.
He asked me why i didn't have any certifications in data so far with 19 yrs of experience ? would this have an impact on the final decision or what?
- He then asked, Informatica (a data analytics tool) and if i hold any work ex of that. I replied saying i've worked on other competitior tools like Experion, Cognos etc. but Informatica i can pick up in no time. would this have an impact on the final decision or what?
- I asked from him fearfully, if due to hiring freeze (which i kept hearing from HR since 4 months) and kind of tried to offer him that i can wait if offer with a future start date is an option.
To this he replied, when you are speaking with ‘Partner’, there is no question of hiring freeze BUT if there is a demand for the skill which you are walking up to him. would this have an impact on the final decision or what?
Finally, i asked when can i hear on next steps and what are his expectations from the role etc.
To this he replied, within this week hopefully HR should confirm if i was ‘successful’ in the process or not. Is this a positive sign or what do i make of it?
I also checked from him which location I'll be assigned to within ME, he didn't provide me clear cut response to this though :(
Reading above, could you pls help me decipher what could be the outcome of this? Will i get an offer from them or not?
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Partner Round - Experienced Hire | ME
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Lots of questions.
Let me take them one by one.
1. He asked me why i didn't have any certifications in data so far with 19 yrs of experience ? would this have an impact on the final decision or what?
Not necessarily. He might have just wanted to understand why you didn't consider it critical to have the certifications and how have you managed without them.
2. - He then asked, Informatica (a data analytics tool) and if i hold any work ex of that. I replied saying i've worked on other competitior tools like Experion, Cognos etc. but Informatica i can pick up in no time. would this have an impact on the final decision or what?
This was more of a technical interview question to understand whether you're familiar with the typical range of tools. It sounds like you gave him a good answer by showing your expertise in other relevant tools in the field.
3. To this he replied, when you are speaking with ‘Partner’, there is no question of hiring freeze BUT if there is a demand for the skill which you are walking up to him. would this have an impact on the final decision or what?
This was a rather political answer on his part. Yes, theoretically they hire everybody who meets the skill level. But in an economic downturn, they become reluctant to actually hire that many people because it carries more risk.
4. To this he replied, within this week hopefully HR should confirm if i was ‘successful’ in the process or not. Is this a positive sign or what do i make of it?
It's a non-sign (sorry). It just means what he said - that they'll get back within a week.
I know the wait is unpleasant. I hope you'll hear from them soon.
All the best in the meantime!
Cristian
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Hi there,
Congrats on reaching the final round!
Based on what you shared, it looks like a pretty standard interview (Big4 style) where the Partner is probably looking to cover a short term need (probably on that Informatica tool you mentioned).
We are not in the partner's head but if the position is finally required (because the firm confirm a project around that) you might have a decent chance to get an offer.
In any case, try to diversify your risk and apply to other firms. This will also help you during the negotiation if you get several offers.
Best,
Alberto
—
Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs
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Hi there,
Nice work on getting to the final round!
Every stage of the interview has an impact on the final decision.
Every question he asked you was to test/probe and see if you're fit for the job. What matters is HOW you responded and reacted - we weren't in the room so we don't know.
Nothing he said is a positive or negative sign - he will discuss with the team and they will make a decision together after thinking through your application.
Assume you don't have an offer. Network with, apply to, and continue interviewing with other firms.
Hope for the best but plan for the worst.
Fingers crossed for you!
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Hi,
congrats on finally getting that last interview out of the way.
Nothing in your description of the conversation enables anyone here to give you any more clarity on what your chances for an offer are. You will just have to wait for the official feedback.
The interviewer will consider what you told him and what impression you left. Maybe there were even parts of the interview that you didn't mention above which were the actual crucial elements for the interviewer in his decision. In any case, it's all speculation.
Let's hope the feedback is positive and you get the offer
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No idea on the outcome. They have certain needs, they asked questions about it, and either you are one of the candidates that better fullfils those needs, or you are not…
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