Recruiting at Bowles Hollowell Conner & Co.

Case Study

GROUP 1
AJITESH HANDU
MEGHRAJ BHARDWAJ
NIKITA CHAWLA
RASHI CHOUDHARY
MIDUSHI NARANG
 COMPETENCIES
TECHNICAL BEHAVIOURAL

● Analytical Skills ● Collaboration and Teamwork

● Quantitative Skills ● Leadership Skills
● Drafting technical ● Good Interpersonal Skills
documentation(Memorandum) ● Innovative
● Research Skills
● Functional Financial Knowledge
● Marketing Skills
SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES
● Glenn T. Mitchell
● Sean Flynn
● Mark Phillips
● Jamie M. Palmer
● Christopher O’Neil
● Christiana T. Wunderlich
● John J. Marquez
● John R. Lucas
● James D. Hennessey
Glenn T. Mitchell : Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Prior work experience as an Investment 1. Verify marketing and pitching skills in the
banking analyst: Worked in Equity and interview
Fixed Income market
2. Great interpersonal skills
3. Leadership skills: Co captain of basketball
team at Rice University, Led team at BCG
in areas like:
a. Productivity model design for agent
management
b. Researching initiatives by commercial
banks
4. Good analytical and presentation skills:
Prepared and presented a business plan
for DuPont in Summer of 1989
Claudius D. Thomas III : Not shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Leadership Skills: Flight Commander, 1. No relevant work experience

supervised personnels 2. Low on domain knowledge as compared
2. Collaboration and Teamwork:Student to others
Alumni relations manager at HBS,
planned, executed and led missions for
the US Air Force
3. Innovative: Conceived plans to automate
squadron scheduling.
Rose Von Mehren: Not Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Research and drafting skills: Developed 1. No prior relevant work experience in core
and tested B-plans in BCG, prepared finance: Worked in Sales of
budget meetings at Proctor and Gamble Derivatives( no experience in M&A,
2. Leadership skills: Finished as first Belgian Valuation, etc.)
Gymnast at the World championship and 2. Prior experience in Brand management
also coached youngsters for 2 Years. and marketing majorly.
3. Interpersonal Skills: Part of exchange
program, Managed project with European
clients
Mark Phillips : Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Prior work experience as an Analyst for 1. Graduation background in Political

M&A in Lehman Brothers, also worked in science and history with a minor in
valuation Mathematics.
2. Research, Analytical and Presentation 2. Verify Teamwork situations in the
Skills: Experience in Walt Disney Company interview
3. Leadership Skills : Led, taught and
mentored 70 students, Ran organization
of 500 volunteers
4. Innovation: Founded Economics club in
University School of Nashville
Pieter Van Der Meer : Not shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Leadership Skills: Led corporate teams at 1. Work experience on accountancy,

KPMG, tutored in accountancy financial reporting rather than the required
2. Drafting Skills: Resume Editor selected by financial knowledge like M&A, Valuation
Placement Office etc.
2. Lack of innovation, more of routine work,
no extra efforts in doing something new.
Jamie M. Palmer : Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Leadership Skills: elected as Chairman in 1. Innovation situation questions in interview

Princeton University, Youngest Vice 2. Teamwork situation questions in the
President in Fuji Bank interview
2. Drafting skills: Reporter for the daily
Princetonian, Drafted various proposals
3. Relevant Work experience in corporate
finance, valuation in Smith Barney
Shearson, Fuji Bank and Chemical Bank
Christopher O’Neil: Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Actively participated in various clubs and 1. Frequently changed jobs within a time
volunteered for the same span of max 2 years; Check in interview
2. Got hands-on on financial restructuring,
evaluating targets and consolidating
financial economics
3. Shown good leadership skills by
successfully managing bank syndicate
team
4. Practically implemented finance
budgeting task of Pfrimmer-viggo
Sean Flynn : Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Active member of finance,investment and 1. Team work needs to be assessed in

Venture Capital club interview as CV didn't show the clarity
2. Had taken initiatives in coordinating
elements of financial processes
3. Had experience in investment banking
where he dealt various financial
transactions.
John J. Marquez : Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Leadership Skills: Elected as Cultural Officer 1. Teamwork questions to be asked in the

at HBS, Music Director of Orientation Show interview
2. Relevant Work experience in corporate
finance in Salomon Brothers Inc.
3. Marketing Skills: Generated sales at Bonanza
Dominica
4. Interpersonal Skills: Managed backward
integration with suppliers at Bonanza
Dominica
5. Innovative: Co-founder, Vice President of
BMO
6. Research Skills: Researched on russian loans
at Solomon Brothers Inc.
7. Drafting skills: Published writer
Patrick D. O’Brien : Not Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Innovative: Founder of Ireland Club at HBS 1. Lack of Stability : Worked with companies
2. Leadership Skills: Supervised training, for maximum of year.
Platoon Commander, Operations Officer at 2. No relevant work experience, worked in
Irish Army various fields from irish army to Goldman
3. Interpersonal Skills: Prepared and Sachs
presented plans to clients in Goldman
Sachs, Assisted Relationship Manager at
Global Banking
Jeffrey P. Nystrom : Not Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Working knowledge of Capital Structure 1. Lack of relevant work experience in core-

analysis and other key financial aspects finance
2. Marketing skills from previous ventures in 2. Switching between domains very
telemarketing frequently with no solid experience in
either
Christiana T. Wunderlich : Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Business restructuring experience, 1. No experience in M&A/ Valuation/ Private

Feasibility study, Financial viability Finance
assessment (Domain knowledge)
2. Analytical skills in diagnosing problems,
analysing and presenting
recommendations to senior management
3. Negotiated to acquire an automotive
company (Negotiation skills)
4. Marketing strategy development for an
automotive manufacturer (Marketing
skills)
5. Formal education in Finance and
Corporate Accounting
Winston S. Rutherford III : Not Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Leadership Skills: Elected President at 1. Strong accounting skills but no relevant

University of Alabama, Executive Director work experience in corporate finance like
and Treasurer of HBS Volunteers M&A, Valuation etc.
2. Research Skills: Researched about airlines 2. Innovation and teamwork skills not shown
in Bear, Stearns & Co., Staff research in CV
accountant at National Office Accounting
Research Department
Pierre Lacroix: Not Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Led audit teams as Audit manager 1. No relevant Financial domain knowledge

(Leadership & Teamwork) 2. Congruence cannot be seen in the work
2. Led French Parachutist Regiment of 30+ experience of the candidate
people in overseas operations
(Leadership)
3. Managed communication of audit
assignments to VP and CFO (Drafting
Skills)
4. Interpersonal skills
Edward Bristol : Not Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Leadership skills: Treasurer, Corporate 1. No graduation background in Finance.

leadership and ethics forum, VP- East 2. No work experience in core finance such
European Association . as valuation, mergers and acquisitions,
2. Client advisory and analytical skills: Junior financial modelling.
Associate at McKinsey 3. Work experience focussed on product
management of softwares and on
information systems installation .
John R. Lucas: Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Innovative: Developed and implemented 1. Domain change after 1990 and remained
new venture investment and intellectual there just for an year, before switching
property valuation model at Hughes back to finance
aircraft missile systems.
2. Leadership skills: Received Los Angeles
future leaders award, Board of director for
the National Council on Youth leadership.
3. Work experience in working with financial
models and client advisory.
James D. Hennessey : Shortlisted
Positives: Negatives:

1. Domain Knowledge: Bsc degree in 1. Collaboration and teamwork: No clarity on

Finance along with honors in eight teamwork skills from the resume,
graduate courses in accounting, finance therefore those would need to be checked
and strategic management. in the interview.
2. Work experience in audit, accounting,
financial reporting, cost accounting,
budgeting and summer internship
experience in valuations and financial
modelling, memorandum drafting.
3. Leadership skills: Directed and managed
teams as an audit manager at GE.