Oaktree Capital Management Interview Process: Rounds, Timeline & Compensation
Michael King, PE Investment Manager ·
Oaktree Capital Management runs a recruiter or HR screen (behavioural questions plus core accounting), a technical round with two associates, a multi-hour take-home or in-office credit case study, and a final round with MDs weighted toward behavioural fit and credit judgment. Oaktree's core credit and distressed-debt teams recruit largely off-cycle and on an as-needed basis rather than through the compressed US on-cycle process; the full interview process has averaged around a month from initial screen to offer. London and European hiring also runs off-cycle, spread across the year. US first-year analyst total pay has been reported in the roughly $150k-$250k range (base plus bonus) across public compensation surveys, trending toward the higher end in credit and distressed teams; London analyst pay typically runs 20-30% below the US figure. Carry or co-invest economics are not part of analyst or associate-level offers and generally begin at VP.
Interview rounds
A recruiter or HR screen (behavioural questions plus core accounting), a technical round with two associates, a multi-hour take-home or in-office credit case study, and a final round with MDs weighted toward behavioural fit and credit judgment
Typical timeline
Oaktree's core credit and distressed-debt teams recruit largely off-cycle and on an as-needed basis rather than through the compressed US on-cycle process; the full interview process has averaged around a month from initial screen to offer. London and European hiring also runs off-cycle, spread across the year.
Compensation range
US first-year analyst total pay has been reported in the roughly $150k-$250k range (base plus bonus) across public compensation surveys, trending toward the higher end in credit and distressed teams; London analyst pay typically runs 20-30% below the US figure. Carry or co-invest economics are not part of analyst or associate-level offers and generally begin at VP.
Notes
Oaktree is best known as a credit-first investor - distressed debt, direct lending, high-yield bonds and leveraged loans - with a smaller opportunistic private equity sleeve alongside its credit funds; interviews for credit seats tend to weight downside and recovery analysis, covenant mechanics, and motivation for private credit more heavily than a typical buyout-only process.
Frequently asked questions
How many interview rounds does Oaktree Capital Management run?
A recruiter or HR screen (behavioural questions plus core accounting), a technical round with two associates, a multi-hour take-home or in-office credit case study, and a final round with MDs weighted toward behavioural fit and credit judgment
How long does the Oaktree Capital Management interview process take?
Oaktree's core credit and distressed-debt teams recruit largely off-cycle and on an as-needed basis rather than through the compressed US on-cycle process; the full interview process has averaged around a month from initial screen to offer. London and European hiring also runs off-cycle, spread across the year.
What does Oaktree Capital Management pay first-year hires?
US first-year analyst total pay has been reported in the roughly $150k-$250k range (base plus bonus) across public compensation surveys, trending toward the higher end in credit and distressed teams; London analyst pay typically runs 20-30% below the US figure. Carry or co-invest economics are not part of analyst or associate-level offers and generally begin at VP.