Aggressive sell on the upside of Durlston's markets plus employee benefits, but hard to determine the internal culture even though I questioned it. Left me quite unsure about whether to proceed so I didn't.

The interview process with this company was highly unprofessional. Over approximately 10 hours of interviews, they continuously changed their expectations. I even agreed to take on a much more junior role than my previous position as a Principal, accepting a Consultant-level role to address any gaps in my market knowledge. I was prepared to take a substantial pay cut, believing this could be a valuable career move. However, they ultimately rejected me following my presentation, citing my lack of market knowledge—a strange outcome given my willingness to adjust my level and salary. This inconsistency was disappointing. In hindsight, this may have been for the best. After the final interview, I went for drinks with some of their team members who had been with the company for a while. At least three staff members openly shared how they struggled financially and couldn’t afford certain things, which raises concerns about the company’s claims as a “high-performing” recruitment firm.

The interview process with Durlston Partners is different to what I experienced so far, it is genuinely a two way street. You get a fair chance to ask as many questions as you like, to different members of the team on different levels of seniority. If you come in prepared and know what you want, this interview style will help you get a very good understanding of the business, culture and requirements.