UC3M

Managing People
Master in Management
Case Study
SG Cowen: New Recruits

Team members:
Ines Haitzinger
Karen Hintelmann
Leonie Steegers
Anny Yen
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Agenda
1. a) Why does Cowen focus on top business schools for
recruitment?
b) What other possible sources could Cowen have used?
2. a) How do you assess the way they select candidates?
b) What specific best practises would you recommend to
assess
and select candidates?
3. Which 2 candidates would you select if you were a
member of
the recruiting committee?
12/02/21

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SG Cowens current 1. a) Why does SG Cowen focus on top business schools

for recruitment?
selection methods

Cowens aim is to find loyal and committed

candidates with a strong cultural fit.
Top candidates
from top 25
universities

Candidate selection from the next 15 top universities instead

of limiting their search to the top 10.
Students from less prestigious schools are equally trained
meet Cowens requirements: loyalty, commitment, and
cutural fit

Noncore
schools

Also students from noncore universities have a chance to

be recruited.
They have to travel farther to SG Cowens headquarters;
for the company conveys a strong keenness to get in.

Former
associates and
interns

SG Cowen recruits tallented associates and interns who

have previously gained work experience with them.
Again, this method brings loyal and commited workforce
to the firm.

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1 b) What other possible sources could

Cowen have used?

Page 4

2 a) How do you assess the way they

select candidates?
On-Campus Round

Super Saturday

Team captains at core university conducting

informal interviews and rough assessments.
Two or tree dates (at least one open one,
the rest closed through previously
submitted resumes).
Choosing candidates for Super
Saturday.

Decision making carried out collectively by

Cowen's bankers.
Highly motivating for bankers to decide.
It is positive that candidates do not
depend on one-vote decisions.
Furthermore the company's CEO is
present and provides support by
holding insipiring speeches to attract
potential employees.

There is a potential bias in the selection

process, due to personal preferences and
due to time constraints from the bankers
side.
Team captains get remunerated by year-end
bonuses and are held liable for the quality of
the candidates, but there is a high potential
for bias due to different ways of preevaluation.
Senior employees are less demanding
concerning the candidates skills, junior
associates are much stricter.

Decision makers want to get the

procedure over with as quickly as possible,
as event is organized in their free time.
May lead to the wrong choice of
candidates.
It is difficult for bankers to take the
selection decision based on whether the
candidates would be suitable only for
working among their team, or whether they
would also be suitable as co-managers.
Achieving consensus is also difficult.
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2 b) What specific best practises would

you recommend to assess and select
candidates?
Best practises
Online Data
Profiles

Pre-selects potential candidates automatically.

May send job and event offers to candiates and file
candidates' data for future reference.

Pre-selection
online tests

Tests in which analytical and mathematical skills as well as

the candidates reasoning are being tested online.

Phase
interviews

Aside from their on campus selection procedures. These

may start by a phone interview, continue with a preselection interview and end at the 3rd or 4th stage with an
interview with the board or alternatively lead to an
invitation to an assessment center.
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3. Candidate Selection
Natalia Godlewska

Martin Street

PROs

PROs

hard-working & commited

speaks several languages
highest GPA
work experience

CONs
stiff & uncomfortable during small
talk
level of English trouble with
impatient co-workers
lack of cultural fit frustration &
low loyalty

ability to adjust & carry out orders

ambitious
confident personality
presentation &
articulation skills

CONs
no business experience
lack of problem solving and
creativity
uncertainty about grades
involved in other selection processes
possibility to change to other firm

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3. Candidate Selection
Ken Goldstein

Andy Sanchez

PROs

PROs

valuable work experience

excellent recommendation
strong social skills
highly commited & loyal

CONs
married and kids lower willingness
to work 24/7
difficulties to take orders from
superiors due to own leadership
experience

very strong entrepreneurial spirit

enthusiastic and social personality
perfect cultural fit
highly ambitious

CONs
Below average school results but
excellent GMAT and SAT results; had
to work during school
may not be able to detach from his
own firm

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