Hey everyone
I've been interviewing with a top tier consulting firm for the past couple of months and received an E-Mail stating that they want me to fly to a major US Airport to meet a Principal and a Director at one of those really nice 'Airport Clubs'. My plane leaves about four hours after it arrives, which makes me believe that it's going to be pretty quick and we won't be leaving the airport (probably squeezing me into a layover period for the Director eh? :) ).
Anyway, I've already spoken w/ the Principal over the phone and he seemed to really like me; it seems like he was the one who kept allowing me to move on in the process.
Can anyone give me any advice/tips about this situation? Everything I've read makes it look as if it's all about 'fit' right now, as they already know I can do the job. If that's true, I'm pretty happy because I seem to 'fit' in this company's culture already. Is it fairly safe to assume that if I do pretty well and make a good impression I pretty much have it wrapped up? I'm going to prepare like none other for this final meeting, but I wanted to see if anyone had any comments/suggestions. Thank you very much!! I've been looking for a job for more than a year after being laid off and going back to get my Master's in Finance and I really hope this works out!!
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It would certainly suggest this is a final 'fit' interview - and you are right to prepare, as plenty of people get too relaxed at this stage and blow it.
In your shoes I would go back to the company - either HR or some other person you have had regular contact with - to confirm whether this intended to be the final stage. The last thing you want or need is to be flying all over the place for inconclusive meetings.
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Yuck. I understand that you need a job, but do you really want that lifestyle?
Whatever next? Being picked up by a Principal in a cab whilst he's en-route to the client site and having your interview done that way? Sounds like it could be one of those douche-bag cultures where you're expected to work 101% and then some. The sort of place where the seniors (read: middle management) are so "busy" (read: big egos) that they get the juniors to scurry around them for "elevator briefings" as they stride around the office at full pace.
If that company is the kind of place where they expect you to sell your soul, you might as well join a bank and earn some good money.
All I can say is: Yuck.
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The best job I ever had (the one I have now, funnily enough) was secured by doing exactly what you are talking about. I flew to O'Hare, met the Partner, chatted for two hours and flew back with a firm commitment to offer.
Just be as prepared as you can, then relax.
Dave, I'm interested in finding out more around the concept of Yuck. Please do write a fully detailed and descriptive account of your experiences that bring you to this point.
Oh go on.
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Dave,
What subjective, guesswork bollx! How can you deduce the entire culture of the firm from that info? Even if you have GUESSED right, how narrow minded. Some people are quite happy to work their balls off for a short period of their youth – it’s exciting, well paid, travel and hotels can be fun for a while, and then it leads to a much promoted position at one of your clients.
Besides, I once worked for a perfectly reasonable firm that had perfectly reasonable expectations about working time, but I routinely met my direct boss and my mentor in airports. We were an international firm and it was the easiest way to meet. I much preferred meeting them at Schipol (an hour away) than having to go to their office in Milan, clear the airport, get a taxi to the city centre, etc, etc.
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Are "you guys" American??
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anon - I'd bet money I'm right. It's amazing how much you can deduce with even very limited information.
I think you have to be a particular "type" of person to find living out of a suitcase, moving from location to location to pump put powerpoint slides 100 hours/week exciting (and then "socialising" with colleagues at the weekend, no doubt).
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Not American – deduction success percentage? 0% so far. Do try again.
You are right about needing to be a certain type. My type is…
I prefer working regularly with FTSE directors to being on a grad scheme in charge of the Slovakian PR budget for Raspberry lucozade.
I prefer learning how to negotiate deals from my Yale/INSEAD boss and mentor, to learning from a Swindon-educated team leader how to fill in a purchase order.
I prefer travelling the world, staying in top hotels, to spending every single dull day in Halifax/Bridgend/Basildon/etc
I prefer dating gorgeous MBA girls who share my love of travel and adventure
Yes, one day I’ll tire of the travel and the exhausting casual $ex, at which point I’ll settle down to an exec position with one of my clients, start a family and collect share options for my pension, but in the meantime it is hard work and FUN.
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"I prefer working regularly with FTSE directors"
I think you mean FOR ftse directors.
"I prefer dating gorgeous MBA girls who share my love of travel and adventure "
Have you ever seen a typical MBA girl? Keep in mind the time old equation, looks x intelligence x personality = constant.
"I prefer travelling the world"
Yeah, nothing more exciting that seening all the various international varieties of airport lounges and taxi routes to/from office blocks!
"Yes, one day I’ll tire of the travel and the exhausting casual $ex"
Sounds like you read too much of that wannabe player's fantasies from "The MacKenzie Way".
"at which point I’ll settle down to an exec position with one of my clients, start a family and collect share options for my pension"
Well, you've sure got it all worked out.
"in the meantime it is hard work and FUN"
Well, some people get off on sucking people's feet. Others like to stick strange things up their orifices. I guess there's now another category, and this is people who like to make fat old balding men even richer by working 100 hours/week doing powerpoint slides and living out of a suitcase whilst pretending they are international jet-setting hotshots when in fact they are just another corporate slave with in all likelihood a servere case of cognitive dissonance.
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Well they are now having me come to one of their major offices for a '3 hour meeting' b/c the airport thing wasn't going to work. So I'm just going to treat it as a 100% full on interview and prep just like I always do.
Anyone else think it's a good idea to ask if this will be the final stage? Also, would you suggest I contact the Principal who I have already spoken with prior to the interview? Both of those sound like good ideas, but I always worry about coming off as too desperate...b/c I am haha
As for working conditions/etc., I'm totally fine with traveling/working Sunday night, then working 7 AM to 7 PM (on avg) Monday thru Thursday, then work/travel/network on Friday. I'll l have Friday night to unwind, Saturday to party, and Sunday AM to sleep in :) I don't have a girlfriend or any kids so really, I wouldn't mind it. It's way better than living in your parents basement with no money eh? :)
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Asking whether it is the final interview is perfectly fine. Contacting the principal only makes sense if you have something to say or to ask (e.g. the above question), otherwise if you were to call to quickly say hello, that would be a waste of everybody's time.
Quick question: Are you Canadian?
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Hi anon (or is it Dave in disguise?)
Truly sorry that you don’t get to meet any intelligent girls who are also attractive. Perhaps your belief that there some sort of mathematical formula that limits female characteristics puts them off?
Geek-alert!!
oh... and put some salt on that chip on you shoulder, it'll taste better.
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No I'm actually American...randomly found this board on Google haha
I'll make sure to let everyone know how it goes and give some tips/etc. if I make it....really lucky to get this far, any tips for a meeting with the top brass would be appreciated!
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So Friday they send me information to book my flight
And today they send me a msg that the team is 'looking for someone w/ a strategy background now' and it 'wasn't anything you did' :( I'm screwed now
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Looks like Dave was right all along
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haha! Dave, so much better to post "looks like Dave was right" as anon, than "looks like I was right" as Dave... right? :-)
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Either way, Dave was right. ;-)
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That really sucks. I hope you didn't lose money on the flight...
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It was obvious they were clueless, disorganised time wasters from the moment they suggested meeting in an airport departures lounge. I mean, really! Who do they think they are? Bill Gates on his way to an important meeting?
It just further reinforces my belief that these sorts of people are all about image and usually have delusions of of being like Michael Douglas in the film 'Wall Street'. They drank too much of the 1980's yuppie kool-aid, I'm afraid.
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No I'm going to get reimbursed, actually will make a little money on the mileage up to Chicago lol But yea, guess I should have expected as much...
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Who were the company? Name and shame for the benefit of others
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Well at least we know it wasn't PA this time as Guest told us it was a "top tier" firm which seems to have a strong presence in the US!
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