Compass General Intern Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online and a few days later I was contacted via email to schedule a phone interview. The phone interview went well and I was told I was basically in line for the job, but that an in-person interview would be necessary to meet the group leader and her to check compatibility, though it was described as a 'formality.' We scheduled the interview, and I followed up with an email. The night before the interview, I received an email rescheduling it for later the same day, at a time that conflicted with my previously mentioned schedule. I emailed back explaining I couldn't make the suggested time and asked for other available dates. They seemed accommodating and asked for my availability, and we confirmed a new date and time. Again, the night before the rescheduled interview, I received an email pushing it back an hour and changing the location. A bit unprofessional due to two reschedules, but I ignored it. On the day of the interview, only an hour before, I was given the specific floor and room number. Upon arriving at the building, I was directed to the floor, but the door was locked. A colleague let me in and confirmed if they were expecting me. I waited on a blue sofa, and five minutes before the interview, I emailed to say I had arrived. They arrived late to the interview, having rescheduled twice, and went straight to the interview room without acknowledging me. I went to the room, feeling as though I was late. The interviewer was on a loud phone call upon my entry. After she greeted me, we had an awkward handshake. I sat down, and they finished their call, then both continued using their phones until done, which was unprofessional. The interview started with generic questions like 'tell me about yourself' and 'what I am looking to get out of the internship.' One interviewer took a phone call but ended it quickly, stating he was in a meeting. I answered all questions, and they seemed to like my responses. I was asked about my comfort level with certain job tasks, to which I responded positively, stating my willingness and ability to learn quickly, which they seemed fine with. She complimented my communication skills, calling it important for the job. Towards the end, they used phrases like 'Welcome to the team,' 'We will have you meet the rest of the team,' and 'I'll email you with the next steps so we can coordinate,' highly suggesting I got the internship on the spot. We said our goodbyes and I left happy. The next day, as I was about to send a thank you email, I received an email stating that the team decided to pursue another candidate. This was very unprofessional after telling me I got the job, especially for an unpaid internship. I felt like I could do without this company culture.

I had more than one video conference interview for this internship. The interviewer seemed to really prioritize the company's own fast schedule; they asked for my availability, I gave them my available days/times, and they just sent a scheduling invite that didn't work for me (and they didn't want to reschedule when I asked). Some interviewers were nice, but others came off as pretentious or disinterested from the beginning. I also heard that the intern role would involve repetitive, tedious work, which is the opposite of what good internships in this field usually promise candidates. The whole thing felt like a waste of time.

I had a phone call to set things up and then two interview rounds were scheduled. It's super important to know people here. These internships are really competitive and usually you need a connection to get in. Knowing some stuff about compass is a big plus. Make sure you know their market value and if they're planning an IPO.