Ares Management Associate interviews, decoded.

It was a really long interview process. Started with a screening, then a first technical round, after that a case study assessment, and then a bunch of culture interviews. Some interviews were remote at first but most of them ended up being in person.

The first day involved three interviews back-to-back. The interviewers were really friendly and approachable. They asked general questions about my background to see how it fit with what they're looking for in the role.

The whole thing took over 3 months. Started with an HR phone screen, then two rounds of team interviews. The first was with two associates/VPs, and the second with another VP and an MD. The first interview was mostly about my past experiences. The final round was about how my past experiences fit with what they look for across different PE asset classes. Throughout, the VP kept trying to sound smart and relate one of my past experiences to an asset class he knew well. When he saw I couldn't bridge the gap between my knowledge and his expectations, the MD chimed in to excuse himself from the interview. He left midway, and I never heard back.