Interviewing for Managing Director – Caution on Role Clarity
I interviewed for a Managing Director position at Webster Bank and wanted to share a few observations that may help others considering a similar role. During the interview, I found that the hiring manager wasn’t able to clearly articulate the technical responsibilities or performance expectations of the position. Some of the responses felt vague, and the conversation was frequently redirected, which made it difficult to get a full understanding of the role.
Interestingly, rather than discussing the MD position in detail, the conversation shifted toward a more junior “upgraded analyst” role. I was told that the role could be adjusted “as they see fit,” which raised some concerns about the clarity and stability of the job description. There was also mention of a backlog of applications, which might suggest current resource constraints or a heavy workload.
Overall, this experience highlighted a few concerns around role definition, transparency during the interview process, and alignment between leadership and the responsibilities of the position. I’d recommend that future candidates ask detailed questions and seek clarity on the scope of the role and expectations before moving forward.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
The hiring manager asked me to identify which parts of the role I was most comfortable with, even though a senior-level position like Managing Director would typically require ownership of the full scope. When I emphasized that all aspects of the role are important at that level, the conversation shifted toward a narrower focus, and I was ultimately steered toward a more junior position. It felt like an attempt to reframe the role while maintaining senior-level expectations.