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Standard Questions
by
ResumeEdge
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1. Tell
me about yourself.
2. What did you most enjoy about your last job?
3. How would your colleagues or supervisor describe you?
4. What can you offer us that other people cannot?
5. What about this job attracts you? What is unattractive?
6. How long do you see yourself with us?
7. How would you describe an ideal working environment?
Standard interview
questions might not seem difficult,
but your answer to each should
be polished and sharp. Craft
responses and practice them before
your interview so that they roll
off your tongue when you face
the interviewer. Effective responses
answer questions honestly, positively,
and briefly, highlighting important
qualities and accomplishments
that are relevant to the position
at hand. Give examples to illustrate
and corroborate your statements
when possible. Your responses
should work together, making
connections between what you
have previously done, the available
position, and your goals.
Mark is preparing for an important interview. He is a recent graduate from
law school who wishes to become a financial planner at a mid-sized firm that
deals with families who have a minimum account of twenty-five million dollars.
Before he went to law school, he was a financial analyst for three years and
passed two levels of testing toward a CFA certification. He decided not to
complete the CFA training.
His company promoted him twice during his time there, once into a management
position that suited him only fairly well. He did not get the kind of training
from his company that he felt he needed in order to manage people effectively.
Still, he likes to help people make good decisions and he effectively led his
team to create a clearer strategy for approaching new accounts. Mark seems
to have a sixth sense for how to compound wealth. He knows how to spot trends
and retreat from them just as they crest in profitability. He thinks he might
one day become an estate planning attorney in a financial planning firm. Of
course, he does not know what life will bring him. Mark does not want to constrict
his options unnecessarily, and he certainly is not ready to settle down into
a firm for the next ten years.
Consider how Mark might answer standard questions effectively and ineffectively.
Tell me
about yourself.
Ineffective: I am
a hard-worker who is good with
numbers. After I worked as a
financial analyst for a few years,
I decided to go to law school.
I just finished and now am looking
for a new challenge.
Effective: I began developing skills relevant to financial planning when I
worked as a financial analyst for three years. In that role, I succeeded in
multiplying the wealth of my clients by carefully analyzing the market for
trends. The return on the portfolios I managed was generally 2% more than most
of the portfolios managed by my company. My initiative, planning, and analytic
skills were rewarded by two promotions. As the manager of a team, I successfully
led them to develop a more efficient and profitable strategy for dealing with
new accounts. My subsequent training in the law, including tax law and estate
law, gives me an informed view of what types of investments and charitable
gifts would be most advantageous for your clients.
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What
did you most enjoy about your last
job?
Ineffective: I liked lots
of things-the people, the challenge,
the rewards. Sometimes we had to work
long hours, but it always seemed to
pay off.
Effective: Of the many things that I enjoyed, I would say that the strategic
aspects of my job most energized me. I liked setting concrete performance goals
for myself and finding ways to meet them. I similarly enjoyed analyzing markets
for trends and identifying when would be the most beneficial time to enter
or withdraw from certain funds. When I was a manager, my team and I developed
a new approach to accounts that became a standard for the company. Strategizing
gave my work a sense of tangible direction and accomplishment.
How
would your colleagues or supervisor
describe you?
Ineffective: I guess they
would say that I am a hard worker who
is successful.
Effective: My supervisor and colleagues have described me as a dependable worker.
My supervisor has appreciated that I prioritize tasks and manage my responsibilities
so that she can rely on me. My bosses tell me I have a sixth sense for markets
and I learn new information and procedures quickly. These skills account for
my two promotions in three years. My boss was also impressed by how I was able
to lead my team.
What
can you offer us that other people
cannot?
Ineffective: I have a
unique combination of skills. I also
really want the job.
Effective: I have a track-record of multiplying wealth through investments
and developing strategies with teams. Since I have a JD, I also know what legal
parameters and loopholes affect families and individuals planning their finances.
My CFA training not only shows that I will succeed in the CFP courses, but
also gives me a broader view of why financial plans work as they do. Since
I am organized and self-motivated, I will add value to the company without
requiring much tending and supervision.
What
about this job attracts you? What
is unattractive?
Ineffective: I like that
it is in the field I am targeting.
I don't like the commute that it will
require.
Effective: As I evaluate my skills and goals, this job maximizes on both. I
will be able to merge my knowledge of law and markets while strategizing for
the sound financial future of clients. Since this is a small company, I imagine
that there will be opportunity for increased responsibilities and challenges.
I share the values of the company. I am not eager to do much data processing,
but the position is very attractive.
How
long do you see yourself with us?
Ineffective: I don't want
to make any hasty commitments, and
I like to keep my options open. Maybe
I will be here for one year, maybe
for five. It depends.
Effective: I see myself here as long as we both think that I am contributing
to the vitality of the company while still being grown through challenges.
How
would you describe an ideal working
environment?
Ineffective: A laptop
and cell phone on a beach sound ideal
to me. Short of that, I would like
an environment in which I am able
to work as I please, without much
supervision.
Effective: It is important to me that my company has clear objectives and strives
for success. Similarly, I like having colleagues whom I admire for their skills
and perspectives. When communication is clear between colleagues, our energy
becomes synergy. In addition, I find that I flourish when given discretion
after having gained the trust of my supervisor.
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