What questions do you have for me?

Yes, three — I'll keep them short.

First, on the work itself: what's the deal you're proudest of from the last 18 months, and what did the analyst on that deal do that made the biggest difference? I'm asking because I want to calibrate what "strong" actually looks like in your group, in your words, with a specific deal — not the abstract version of what good analysts do.

Second, on staffing: how does the staffing model work in practice when an analyst is two-deals deep and a third comes in? I've heard versions of this answer that range from "the staffer protects you" to "you take it and figure it out," and I want to understand the actual culture rather than the recruited version.

Third, on you specifically: what made you stay at this firm versus the natural exit options? You've been here [N years], which is on the longer side for someone at your level — I'm curious what the calculus was, because I'm trying to evaluate whether this is a place I'd want to stay through the associate program rather than treat as a two-year stop.

If there's time for one more — what's the question you're most surprised candidates don't ask you?

I'm not going to ask anything I could have Googled, anything about hours or comp, or anything that signals I'm already planning to leave for PE. I want my questions to do the same job I'd want my work to do — show that I've thought carefully about what I'm signing up for.