I applied through a recruiter. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Bridgewater Associates (Stamford, CT) in Nov 2018
Interview
The interview process begins with Bridgewater Associates recruitment individual speaking to you over a phone call for you to inquire about them and them about you. It seems unless you have substantially bad conversational skills you will likely get pass this step. Step 2 includes taking a few personality and workplace assessment tests. They state that these do not hold weight on employment. You will then be connected to a interview day manager who will set up 'Step 3' or the in person interview, typically on Mondays with roughly 6 candidates total. Dress business casual, no need to dress business formal.
The in person interview begins with breakfast and meeting the other candidates. You will likely take a one-on-one or two-on-one interview (with one/two new employee(s)) where the goal is for Bridgewater to learn more about you. They ask basic interview questions such as why you wanted to be part of Bridgewater or describe a time when you have been critiqued by an employer. They will also probe into your schooling or past work and really question why you made certain decisions.
There is also a group interview where another new employee will pose a question that must be answered by the entirety of the group, usually 3 candidates per session. They ensure all candidates get a chance to speak. The goal seems to be to assess your thought process, how you address a question and how you work with others. These general questions are similar to the LSAT essay section where the answer does not matter as much as your reasoning and thought process.
Then there is a Q&A with other Bridgewater individuals and usually lunch. After lunch those who have a chance to continue the process will be asked to stay. Those who are asked to go home, I'm sorry but you did not make the cut. For those who stay you may meet with departments or get asked further questions to assess if you're an ideal candidate.
In my opinion, they create an inviting environment and ask you to be casual. I recommend treating this like any other interview. They state they want honesty but it is clear they're looking for someone for cookie cutter answers. Make sure to comment on the culture and wanting to be part of the community. They do not care about your past talents, they are testing whether you will fit into the community. Each individual has a specif role like a cog in a machine. So when I say 'new employee' you are simply dealing with a lot of different faces.
Lastly, they will reach out to you by email a few days later to inform you if you have been chosen to move forward.
I applied through a recruiter. I interviewed at Bridgewater Associates (Stamford, CT) in Oct 2019
Interview
Similar to what other reviews say, the interview process is very odd. The 8:30 AM time means getting up around 5 AM if you live in many parts of New York City, which is especially draining as the process lasts until 3 PM. Everyone I met was very kind, but it was awkward and felt somehow hostile being recorded. There was a group "debate", a session where you're left in a room with other applicants to watch and ostensibly discuss "culture tapes" about the company. "Business Support Coordinator" is not an actual role, but a "suite", which adds another layer of mystery and confusion.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What is your biggest regret? Why should we hire you? What is your greatest weakness?
I applied through a recruiter. I interviewed at Bridgewater Associates in July 2019
Interview
I had a first round phone interview for the position. The interview was rescheduled a few times at the last minute. The interview lasted around 30 minutes. About a two weeks later I was notified that I would not be moving to the next round of interviews.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Why did you choose your college major?
How would you handle it if someone criticized you? /How did you handle confrontation from a supervisor?
I applied through a staffing agency. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Bridgewater Associates (Stamford, CT) in Mar 2019
Interview
Staffing agency got me in touch with them. The process of getting in touch with them and setting up an interview was relatively smooth. It was a group of 9 of us and we went to their office in Stamford, CT. We started with breakfast, then broke off into our events for the interview. I started with a 1:1 interview where I was asked about myself (strengths and weaknesses etc.), I then went on to the group discussion where we had to answer a question, for us it was whether or social media was good or bad for society. After that, we watched company videos and then had lunch. After lunch, we got to speak with an employee about how day to day is like at the company. Afterward, a portion of us was asked to stay and we interviewed with potential departments who were interested. I was put in touch with reception, a.k.a a foot in the door and while I expressed interest in it, the company reached out to me a week later and said that they did not think that I would be a good fit. In terms of strictly the interview, the employees and fellow candidates were very nice. The process was smooth, and the people make it as stress-free as possible, as well as the fact that they are very professional. Definitely worth giving a shot if you have the opportunity just for the interview experience alone if nothing else.
