Had my first group interview on Zoom last Friday. What a strange and awkward experience. There were 10 of us and 1 person doing the interviews. It was traumatizing for some. Many people don't have experience interviewing, much less a group interview on camera. It's got to be the worst way to hire people that I can imagine. One guy couldn't do it and turned his camera off mid-sentence. Has anyone else been through an uncomfortable group interview? I will never partake again. Total waste of time.

Am I going to be worked to the bone if I join a group where I’d be the only associate supporting partners and counsels? It’s a subgroup of a corporate practice that focuses on a specialized area with great exit options and operates as a support group for other transactional and/or lit groups (like tax or IP). It’s a newly created position meaning there aren’t any previous associates that I can ask about their experience. I really like type of work the team does but worried about being miserable.

What’s your take on group interviews where you’re interviewed alongside other candidates? I had one last week and it honestly felt like a weird mix of a talent show and a corporate Hunger Games. We were asked to “collaborate” on a scenario, but it turned into everyone subtly trying to outshine each other while staying polite. It was hard to know whether I should focus on my ideas or how I came across compared to everyone else. Is this a new hiring trend I should expect more of, or a giant red flag about company culture?

I’ve been at a firm for 6 months. The group I work w/ is huge. I report directly to a Sr FA. I’m very good at strategy - I have Asperger’s . I see patterns, #’s etc. What I struggle w/ is emotional intelligence, I don’t understand sarcasm, etc. I notice that the FA, takes all the credit for my work. I come up w/ ideas but don’t know how to articulate that to the group so this jerk runs w/ it. He presents it like, I had Mark do this, etc. How do I approach this?

How do I know when my group is toxic/when is it time to lateral? I am so burnt out after multiple 2400 years and don’t feel like my group cares at all they’re constantly expecting more from me. Making below market and have the opportunity to make market. At one point I was told I could make partner by my group head but I’m not so sure I want it if this is the cost. I wake up every day hating my job. 4th year.

Been told I passed technical interview w accordion partners 1 recruiter 2 case study 3 an MD of group.. So now this is 4 ( these are all zoom and in same day in 10 days or so, meeting with Sr. Director, Director, and VP of group), assuming people i’d be working with. Does this sound like the final round? After these interviews we will be approaching the 2 month mark. Anyways, very excited about potential opportunity but would LOVE some insight.

Has anyone been iced out after declining to switch practice groups? I’m a fifth year associate in finance, but most of my work has been from M&A since my group has really slowed down. The partners I work with asked me to officially move over. It isn’t a good time for me for a number of reasons, but since sharing that it seems like I’ve been iced out entirely.

I’m a second year in a niche finance group, trying to retool into a more gen corp group or M&A (so I can get better exits). Does anyone have any advice for lateraling to retool? I’ve had a few interviews but it keeps coming down to not having enough M&A/corp experience. I’ve tried to move groups internally but that hasn’t worked either, and I’m open to any size firm.

If a small specialized lit group gets poached by another firm, is it bad to join their group at the already-established firm they went to? They are building it out at the established firm and looking for associates at other firms for now, but not sure if folks have experience with that. Seems like a good way to pivot into a specialty, but worry about the risk too.

I'm on a group chat that I don't want to be in with some colleagues. A few managers are in the chat and some conversations are not what I want to be associated with. Leaving the group would cause unnecessary tension, and I've been pushing it for a while now. How should I tell them I'd like to be taken out of it, without the situation becoming awkward?