Senior Partner Questions

Hi there,

So first of all don't beat yourself up too much over this. If you did well during the rest of the interview, this really should not impact your overall chances.

That said, try to be careful with questions like that! I understand the intent, but it's much more of a question for someone who know better (over coffee, drinks, dinner, etc.). In an interview, yes you want to be “creative” with questions, but you also need to be sure to not “push” too much into tricky territory.

I don't think it's a bit deal. We get all sorts of questions. Usually questions are more relevant to understand your real motivations, and you can score some points in there, but they're usually neutral in terms of effect. 

They only have a negative impact when you have no questions (meaning: not really interested in this / not prepared / no intellectual curiosity / no ability to keep a conversation) or when those questions suggest you have reserves regarding taking the job or show a clear lack of judgement. I don't think that was the case.

So, all in all, seems like you didn't score any points, but also no damage whatsoever.

Hello,

Don't worry about it - they will be much more interested in how you did in the interview! It might not be the most conventional question to ask your interviewer, but I certainly understand where you were coming from. The question wasn't impolite or unprofessional, so there shouldn't be any repercussions. That being said, I agree with the general tone of feedback to generally stick to more open, positively-toned questions in your interviews (e.g., ask the interviewer about their experience working at the firm, exciting developments in the industry they work in, etc.), though it's great to be creative. The question you posed is an important one, but perhaps one more suited to ask to a mentor whom you know a little better.

Hello!

Don't worry, it should be fine, particularly after a good interview. They are trained precisely not to let stuff like this interfere in the decision, and furthermore seems you ended in good terms. 

Cheers, 

Clara

Oh dear, senior partners can sometimes be very out of touch. Your question makes sense and I totally understand where you're coming from. I wouldn't worry if it'll have any impact on the outcome - for one, there's nothing you can do at this point; for two, I think it's unlikely - they'll be much more interested in how the actual interview went. 

Going forwards, I'd recommend asking positive and forward-looking questions e.g., ‘what are you most excited for the firm to do in the next 3-5 years’; ‘what’s your favourite project you've ever worked on?'. You want to try to leave the interview on a high and having a positive question like that can make everyone leaving feeling positive. 

I've got everything crossed for you - good luck!

Your question is a great example of the suggestion I always give candidates about preparing original, smart, and respectful questions.

I am not saying your question is a bad one, but for sure many people (including me) will not be happy with your question because it is strange and covers intelligence which is a very unclear subject. 

It is better to talk about discipline or determination or passion or curiosity. 

I think you will not receive an offer, so, if you want, happy to help you with fit questions and last 5min questions.

It's a bit difficult to judge from afar of course, especially since you had someone prior respond very positively to that same question. So it's naturally somewhat subjective and depends on the individual.

Based on my personal experiences with recruiting, here is how I think about questions at the end of an interview (for what it's worth):

• The questions part doesn't provide real upside for the candidate but has downside
  • A “good” question won't make up for potential deficits already observed during the case or personal fit portions of the interview
  • A “bad” question can disqualify a candidate if the interviewer is already on the fence about whether to let that person pass
• Try to avoid high and wide questions that are super generic - make them more specific to demonstrate your own understanding of the context
• Taylor your questions to the role of the interviewer (e.g. don't bother a partner with tactical topics that any HR recruiter could answer - meet them at the strategic or leadership related level)
• Whatever questions you come up with, make sure that they are concise and to the point so you don't end up rambling 
• Don't be too apologetic - if there is confusion for some reason, “apologize” once and clarify by rephrasing the question - apologizing too much puts you in a position of weakness and can suggest low self-confidence