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I have a third round interview in a small group at a BL firm coming up. Through the screener and the callback, I have met the vast majority of this small group. The couple interviewing me (a partner and an associate) are the two I have not met.

Is common wisdom that I am the frontrunner, or is it possible that the firm would give three interviews to multiple candidates at once?

Actually, the reverse. At my shop (which may not be representative), a third round means that folks are on the fence about you. You should contact the recruiting person to figure out (to the extent possible) exactly what else they're trying to see or learn about you.

At my firm, this happens only if a couple folks thought you were great and a couple were negative. It's sort of a tiebreaker.

Anonymous User wrote:Actually, the reverse. At my shop (which may not be representative), a third round means that folks are on the fence about you. You should contact the recruiting person to figure out (to the extent possible) exactly what else they're trying to see or learn about you.

At my firm, this happens only if a couple folks thought you were great and a couple were negative. It's sort of a tiebreaker.

OP here. That’s...not ideal.

Is there something to be said about just meeting everybody in the group before a decision gets made?

I don’t have anybody I can contact about this. I was actually passed through by a partner who I knew beforehand.

Anonymous User wrote:Actually, the reverse. At my shop (which may not be representative), a third round means that folks are on the fence about you. You should contact the recruiting person to figure out (to the extent possible) exactly what else they're trying to see or learn about you.

At my firm, this happens only if a couple folks thought you were great and a couple were negative. It's sort of a tiebreaker.

I agree with this. No need for 3 interviews really unless they are unsure. If you have a contact with a partner, ask him or her what’s up .

Npret wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Actually, the reverse. At my shop (which may not be representative), a third round means that folks are on the fence about you. You should contact the recruiting person to figure out (to the extent possible) exactly what else they're trying to see or learn about you.

At my firm, this happens only if a couple folks thought you were great and a couple were negative. It's sort of a tiebreaker.

I agree with this. No need for 3 interviews really unless they are unsure. If you have a contact with a partner, ask him or her what’s up .

OP here. I had email contact when I found out about third and he seemed genuinely happy for me (congrats!-type thing) and he didn’t offer any additional advice or words of wisdom. I suppose that’s what made me feel like I was presumptively the front runner and they just want the remaining couple people in the group to sign off

Confirm with him then. It may be different there.

Npret wrote:Confirm with him then. It may be different there.

OP again.

I guess I’m not quite at the point with this partner where I feel comfortable prying for that type of information, even in a veiled manner, if he’s not automatically providing it.

I guess my follow up to the responders’ sentiment on this thread (thank you, by the way, even if it’s not what I was hoping for) is why, if there was hesitation at the callback, would you even bring me in again to waste more people’s time? Presumably there’s a candidate who everybody likes, right?

Anonymous User wrote:

Npret wrote:Confirm with him then. It may be different there.

OP again.

I guess I’m not quite at the point with this partner where I feel comfortable prying for that type of information, even in a veiled manner, if he’s not automatically providing it.

I guess my follow up to the responders’ sentiment on this thread (thank you, by the way, even if it’s not what I was hoping for) is why, if there was hesitation at the callback, would you even bring me in again to waste more people’s time? Presumably there’s a candidate who everybody likes, right?

Maybe not. Someone might like you and not like someone else, and vice versa.
I don’t know why you couldn’t ask the partner you know for any tips on nailing the third interview, after telling him how much you like the firm.
Or even ask what the interview structure is.
Did they tell you there is someone you need to meet but they weren’t in at the time? Or can you ask recruiting how to prepare?
Otherwise don’t worry about it and just do your best.

Why is everyone assuming it's an on-the-fence situation? OP said it was a small group and s/he hasn't yet met one of the partners in said small group. It makes sense that the firm wouldn't make a hiring decision without OP first meeting with that partner, especially if the partner is quite senior.

OP, if you weren't a promising candidate, then they wouldn't have even brought you back for the third interview in the first place. I disagree with most of the sentiments above.

Anonymous User wrote:Why is everyone assuming it's an on-the-fence situation? OP said it was a small group and s/he hasn't yet met one of the partners in said small group. It makes sense that the firm wouldn't make a hiring decision without OP first meeting with that partner, especially if the partner is quite senior.

OP, if you weren't a promising candidate, then they wouldn't have even brought you back for the third interview in the first place. I disagree with most of the sentiments above.

OP again. This is what I was hoping for haha

OP again. Yeah so that partner did so much for me, but it’s not like we have been best friends for a decade. I guess I’m just feeling, since he’s part of the interview team, that asking for inside info might cross a line if he’s not volunteering it.

Like if he had said “you’re very close just do x y and z and be yourself everybody likes you.” I would have been like oh great. But his congratulatory, yet vague, tone made me feel like he didn’t want to give me additional info.

A partner I know always has to conduct “courtesy interviews” with potential hires that are brought in by more important partners. That’s usually at the callback stage.

Honestly, I think that this is just an extension of the callback. I interviewed for a small team and they had me interview with every single member of the 10 person team.

Anonymous User wrote:A partner I know always has to conduct “courtesy interviews” with potential hires that are brought in by more important partners. That’s usually at the callback stage.

Honestly, I think that this is just an extension of the callback. I interviewed for a small team and they had me interview with every single member of the 10 person team.

Did you do it in two phases or all on the same day? If the former, do you think several other candidates were also doing that second phase? Or do you think the other people got screened out in favor of you at the first callback?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:A partner I know always has to conduct “courtesy interviews” with potential hires that are brought in by more important partners. That’s usually at the callback stage.

Honestly, I think that this is just an extension of the callback. I interviewed for a small team and they had me interview with every single member of the 10 person team.

Did you do it in two phases or all on the same day? If the former, do you think several other candidates were also doing that second phase? Or do you think the other people got screened out in favor of you at the first callback?

Honestly at this point you’re asking us to guess about a firm that has different hiring practices than I’ve seen. Just stop worrying about it. Prepare your best and do a great interview. That’s all you can control if you aren’t willing to ask someone who actually knows the answer to your question.

I appreciate all the advice. Fingers crossed.