Finance Graduate
We analyzed 222 interview reviews for Finance Graduate from various job sites, social network groups and forums.
Here are the most frequent job interview questions asked by HR managers during initial phone or onsite interviews. This list does not include technical or factual questions.
10 frequent non-technical questions for Finance Graduate:
According to our research, hiring managers looking to fill Finance Graduate role ask soft skills interview questions 40% more frequently than for other roles.
1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? top question
How to answer
This question belongs to a family of behavioral, or even more precisely, reflective questions.
The interviewer wants to learn two things about you by asking this question.
- They want to know what you think about the job you are applying for. Remember, they are interviewing you for the job that's open right now. Are you a good fit and will you do a good job for them?
- Just as important, they want to get an idea of your ambitions and goals for yourself and if your goals align with their needs, especially going into the future.
In this way the employer should see how you see yourself today, and whether you are ambitious and strive to grow as a professional, and whether you like to learn and develop your skills.
-
About Yourself
What challenges do you like overcoming? Where are you starting from and where might you be going?
For example, let's say the position you are applying for is junior accountant. It includes a wide range of tasks such as basic bookkeeping, financial analysis, and reporting. If accounting is your chosen field, then you would most likely want to move in the direction of obtaining your CPA so that you might step up to more responsibility as an accounting manager or senior auditor within the next 5 years. Your responses should make sense in how you see yourself growing in your professional career.
However, at this point, if you are happy just where you are and want to further your current skills, that is also fine as long as there is a growth path for you that can be imagined and described.
-
About The Company
Research the company to learn what career opportunities may be available in the department you are applying to, and what the trends are in the company in general.
- Is the business expanding, are they opening new locations, or starting new projects?
- Or are they heavily automating and cutting staff?
Let’s say you are applying for a UX designer position for a brand-new product.
In the future, if the product becomes a success - which is what the company hopes for - the company will hire more designers and you may become a lead designer, or you may become a product manager.
On a side note: If you train your mind to be open to opportunities you will be amazed at how much this world has to offer to you!
-
About The Fit
And, of course, try to see where the perfect fit lies between your own potential and aspirations, and the company’s trends and hopes.
However, beware of the risk of showing too much excitement for future opportunities compared to your attitude towards the current position.
As we said earlier, you must show interest and enthusiasm for the position you are applying for. If the interviewer senses that you are more enthusiastic about future growth than about the current position, they may conclude that you are not the right person for the job at hand.
Pro Tip
This question gives you a good opportunity to showcase your Key Selling Points (e.g. “As I am very good at delegating tasks, I can easily see myself leading a team of software testers in the future…”), and end your statement by asking about current initiatives and goals at the company.
In thinking about the possibilities that may lie ahead, you also might want to consider taking a personality test (I recommend 16Personalities which is based on the Myers-Briggs test), research the internet on what career paths are possible with your skills and current job.
It is generally NOT a good idea to say something like:
“Oh, I cannot imagine what happens to me tomorrow, let alone in 5 years”.
This will show you as a person who is unimaginative and not forward-thinking enough to grow with and be a good fit for the company.
2. What is your greatest weakness?
How to answer
This question ranks as the most challenging for many people. Fortunately, Mr. Simon is here to help!
Interviewers are not out to trick or trap you! They ask this question to gauge your level of self-awareness, your honesty and openness, and your capability for self-improvement.
-
About Yourself
No one is perfect and your interviewer doesn't expect you to be perfect either.
While it is good to be honest and open, it will not help you to put yourself down.
What's important is to find a weakness that you have overcome. How you turned what might be considered a negative into a positive.
-
About The Company
Research the company (website, social media, etc) to learn about the company culture.
What personal and professional qualities do they value?
-
About The Fit
This is the time to clearly state a true weakness that you have overcome.
Be as specific as possible and stay away from vague cliches like “I work too hard.” It would be difficult for anyone to try and explain how they overcame a weakness like that
Mr. Simon emphasizes the Present-Past-Present method of responding to behavioral questions. When you are asked about your greatest weakness, you should be able to successfully use this approach as well. Here is an example of how someone might answer this question.
Present - "I have always had a fear of public speaking, and believe this may have held me back in my career, especially when having to make presentations to management."
Past - "Last year I learned about Toastmasters International and decided to join this group to help me gain confidence in myself and improve my ability to present to others in just about any situation."
Present - "By overcoming this weakness I believe that it has made me a much stronger candidate for this position, someone you can count on to make presentations to management, conduct training and communicate at a high level."
It's important to show how well you've overcome a weakness by motivating yourself and learning a new skill to grow professionally.
Pro Tip
Use this question to sell yourself!
3. How would you describe yourself?
How to answer
This question is like the Tell me about yourself question usually asked at the beginning of an interview, but there are some subtle differences. It belongs to the family of reflective questions where the interviewer is assessing your cognitive abilities, as opposed to the more factual and matter-of-fact “Tell Me About Yourself” question.
-
About Yourself
Think of how your bosses and peers would describe you.
Throughout your professional experience, you have probably heard them giving you some labels – try to remember the exact words they used.
If you have received LinkedIn recommendations from someone, read those and think why people wrote them and what work situations prompted those descriptions. Remember the context of those situations and frame them as stories.
Make a list of keywords, or short key phrases, that can describe you. Your Key Selling Points should definitely appear on this list, but try to also use some adjectives here, to add a positive emotional touch.
-
About The Company
Research the company's values, standards and policies. Make a list of keywords or short key phrases.
-
About The Fit
Which of your keywords correspond best with those of the company? Highlight 3-4 matches. Now try to imagine being a peer or a boss of yours and compile statements about yourself, in the 3rd person, mentioning these keywords. Remember to use adjectives, and don’t be afraid to mention real references from real people.
For example, if you are applying for a position that requires good people skills, and your boss at your previous job called you a “conflict resolution guru,” don’t be shy to mention this reference, and provide a brief context that caused your boss’s praise. Use the STAR method to craft your story.
Don’t limit yourself with just one keyword. If you are concise and don’t ramble with your answer, your interviewer will probably want to hear more than one. Just be observant and watch the interviewer’s reaction. You want to keep them interested.
Pro Tip
If you haven’t yet received any LinkedIn recommendations, try to obtain them. Also, offer to write your own recommendations for them - both received and given recommendations will be visible in your profile and will tell the interviewer exactly what you want to be known about your values, your attitude towards work and relationships.
4. Who has inspired you in your life, and why?
How to answer
By prompting you to answer this question, the employer wants to understand your character, your value system, and your personality and how these qualities were influenced by someone you look up to and admire.
Many people may have inspired you, but it is probably best to focus on one that has been the most important to you personally. It might be confusing to the interviewer if you tried to name several influencers given the amount of time you have to properly answer this question.
It would be helpful (but not a deal-breaker) if the personal values you speak about have relevance to the job you are applying for.
-
About Yourself
The answer to this question is completely at your discretion.
- Who encouraged you to become who you are today?
- What qualities do they have that you admire most?
- What are the common values between you and this person that you can use strategically in your career and life?
- How did they help you to do proper introspection that influenced your life?
Maybe it’s your parents, someone else from your family, a teacher or a mentor, a researcher, or a writer you admire. Maybe it’s a public figure that inspires you. Whoever this inspiring person is, remember that the interviewer is looking for a heartfelt response.
-
About The Company
Read the job description carefully and research the company to learn as much as you can about the company’s culture.
What qualities does the company value in their employees? See if you are able to match their values to those of the person that inspired you.
You should not only identify the person who inspires you but, if possible, also tell why and how their influence may have relevance to the company you are interviewing with.
Be extra cautious while naming anyone that might be controversial (for example a politician or a celebrity) as your inspirer. The interviewer might have preconceived thoughts or ideas about certain people that you might be unaware of. This might lead them to judge you unfarily about your choice.
-
About The Fit
Be prepared to give examples of how the words, actions or teachings of your inspirer have helped to motivate you in achieving your goals.
As always, prepare an answer which highlights qualities that would be highly valuable in the position you are seeking.
Most employers look for characteristics such as adaptability, good interpersonal communication, leadership, creativity, innovativeness, honesty and dedication. Ask yourself, what ‘specific’ attributes have you learned from your motivator? Mention how learning such attributes helped you in your career.
You should provide a specific example that shows the above-mentioned attribute of the inspirer.
Pro Tip
Remember that inspiration comes not only from others, but from yourself too.
Let the interviewer know that you are a self-confident person, who listens to yourself and is inspired by the challenges faced every day, both in your life and your career.
5. Tell me about yourself
How to answer
Most job candidates expect this to be one of the first interview questions and probably think of it as an “icebreaker” to get the interview started. It is much more than that! It is your opportunity to show the interviewer your relevance for the job. You want the employer to know that you are qualified to do the job, you are interested in doing the job and capable of getting it done.
-
About Yourself
What is your current occupation? Define yourself professionally in one statement.
Pick 3 key skills that make you great at your work (your Key Selling Points). How have you applied these skills?
Try to give some numbers to support your statement.
-
About The Company
Your first step is to Research the company to find out as much as you can about what they do and their approach to their business and their employees.
Based on what you know about the company and the job description, why are you interested in the position you are applying for?
-
About The Fit
Now is the right time to show the fit between your skills and the company's requirements. Your answer works best if you emphasize your relevance. How do you do this? You will have already researched the company, studied the job description to identify their needs and possible pain points and prepared the relevant Star Stories that show how you addressed similar issues in the past. Your next step is to develop your Present-Past-Present approach.
Start with the Present. Focus on the skills and experience from your most recent positions. What has enabled you to get the job done successfully and how this relates to what the employer is looking to accomplish.
Next go back to the Past. Here is where your Star story comes in. Explain how you were able to use your skills and experience to accomplish a task that relates to an area of concern for the employer.
Finally come back to the Present – summarizing the lessons you learned and how they shaped your response and approach today.
Remember, the whole conversation is about the present, not the past. Just one sentence can summarize why your approach works, and its applicability and relevance to this position.
Pro Tip
You can also end with a question like:
“Do you know what the current needs in the company/department are, where my skills and experience can help?”
That can help you learn more about the company and the job, turn the “interrogation” into a conversation and will allow you to relax some tension.
Read our blog post to learn more about how to answer this question.
6. Tell me about your greatest professional accomplishment
How to answer
Of all your accomplishments (and I am sure you’ve had a great many of them!), you should choose the one most relevant to this job position.
-
About Yourself
In preparation for answering this question, list the top 3 professional accomplishments that you are most proud of. No need for lengthy descriptions, just a sentence or two for each one to help you recall each situation.
Write down your Key Selling Points - your top 3-5 skills that make you a strong professional.
Make sure you have developed the story behind each accomplishment and have a strong command of the details of what happened so that you can tell the story clearly and distinctly.
Along with each accomplishment, mark which of your Key Selling Points they showcase. How exactly?
-
About The Company
Based on your research of the company, what are their current needs?
- What are the major projects going on?
- What are the expectations for the position you are applying for?
- Think about which of your accomplishment stories best fit their needs and expectations?
-
About The Fit
Once you have decided on the appropriate accomplishment story, think how you will relate it in an interview and how you will make it relevant to the the job you are seeking. One approach is to use the Present-Past-Present technique.
Let's say that the accomplishment was leading your team in installing a new billing system and bringing it in on time and under budget.
You might start off in the Present by talking about the importance of having good leadership skills.
Then move to the Past to relate your story about how you successfully lead your team in accomplishing the objective.
Finally, come back to the Present to address how you will be able to help them reach their goals (the ones you learned about when researching the company) going forward.
Be sure to keep practicing your accomplishment story until it flows naturally and convincingly.
Pro Tip
Most enterprises are now going through major transformations, often called Digital Transformation.
Do your research on what it means and what is often involved, to get a better idea of the current goals and environments in companies. But one thing that definitely characterizes this transformation is striving for agility.
Whether the prospective employer is a long-established company or a startup, they are looking for people who demonstrate qualities like agility and adaptability, which are generally considered to be both helpful and quite a safe choice in most circumstances today.
7. Tell me about a time you had a poorly performing team member
How to answer
Underperforming employees can appear at any job.
Each person performs his/her tasks on schedule, and the entire team works together to get the project done, but there may be times when one team member is exhibiting low or poor performance and generally displays a lack of motivation. It can affect the entire team.
This question addresses your collegiality and your ability to work on a team. The interviewer would like to know if you can successfully motivate others without it coming across as condescending.
-
About Yourself
Ask yourself the following questions based on your own experiences.
- Do you like working on a team?
- How well do you work in groups, and what role do you tend to take on in a team project (for example, leader, mediator or follower)?
- Are you easy to get along with?
- What can you do to support other team members?
- How do you act to help to minimize the damage of poor performance to the project?
-
About The Company
Research the company ahead of time so that you can present yourself as someone who would fit seamlessly into their team culture.
The example you use to respond to the question should be relatable to the company you are applying to.
-
About The Fit
You need to demonstrate to the interviewer that you are both enthusiastic about teamwork and that you get along with colleagues.
Be ready to provide a viable solution to this common work situation. Use a scenario when your encouragement was well received and resulted in a positive change or outcome. Emphasize that you always try to create a friendly environment with your team members.
Here is a simple and honest example:
"As a server at “ABC,” I was working with a difficult coworker who refused to contribute to the preparation for a holiday party. She decided to sit and watch while we worked. I took this opportunity to speak with her in a calm and friendly manner and asked her to do the small odds and ends. She agreed and worked on the place cards and seating cart, which played an important role in the fluidity of the event. Sometimes, people have hidden strengths and weaknesses, you just need to identify them!"
Indicate how you’ll handle future challenges if they happen.
Pro Tip
Teamwork is important, but when you have one member who isn’t positively contributing to the team, the tone of the team can shift.
Keep your answer upbeat and avoid complaining about previous managers or team members, speak about your actions and approaches rather than theirs.
8. Describe a time you worked on a team with individuals from different cultural backgrounds
How to answer
Why do interviewers ask this question?
Nowadays many companies rate global and cultural awareness as a key competency for all employees. For most jobs today, it is essential to be able to work well with diverse teams, including individuals who understand international and cultural differences and can interact respectfully with individuals from diverse cultures, political affiliations, races, religions, ages, genders and sexual orientations.
-
About Yourself
Answering this question highlights your ability to navigate cultural differences at work.
Think about your team experiences and times when you’ve had to overcome differences with colleagues.
- How do you adapt to working with team members of different communication styles?
- Are you open-minded enough to consider all their ideas even if you don't agree?
- How do you handle the differences in attitudes and values between you and people from other countries or backgrounds?
- Do you show respect and are you diplomatic with people who may hold different beliefs?
Maybe you haven’t worked with people from different cultures, but you may have been studying or been friends with people from different backgrounds.
Address your personal life, if necessary, and emphasize your curiosity and openness to other cultures.
-
About The Company
A careful review of the job description, along with some research of the company will help you anticipate what aspects of global/cultural awareness are most important for a particular role in the company you are applying to.
-
About The Fit
The ability to demonstrate openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and respect are the hallmark of a person capable of working with and understanding others and their individual differences.
Your task is to prove to the interviewer your ability to build strong and caring relationships based on trust and shared goals.
We recommend using the Present-Past-Present method to put forth your ability to work on a team with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.
Start with the Present by telling the interviewer about your approach to teamwork - for example, your positive view of teamwork itself and how you believe that people from different backgrounds strengthen the team effort by adding perspective to the challenges it may face.
Next, go back to the Past and use the STAR method to tell a story about how your experience helped you to create an open and inclusive workplace environment, so all team members felt empowered to contribute. You might say something like: “At my recent work, representatives of different cultures participated in one common project to fix our company's multi-national shipping problem. My understanding of how team members from different backgrounds, with different political views and various levels of English language skills had to effectively work together. My leadership enabled the team to bring our project to a successful conclusion.”
Lastly, come back to the Present to ensure the interviewer that you are very comfortable working with team members from other cultures and possibly with different communication styles.
Pro Tip
Working in a multicultural team has both advantages and challenges at the same time. In such a team you can broaden your outlook.
Challenges that you have to overcome are: to understand other people’s language and culture, to get used to the different ways they think and work; to reduce mistrust that can be a barrier to understanding each other, and to promote awareness of cultural diversity in the workplace.
If you overcome these challenges, you will be the ideal employee at any job.
9. Describe a time you went above and beyond for a customer
How to answer
Good customer service is the expectation, it is the norm. When the interviewer asks this question, they want to know how your skills have enabled you to take that extra step to provide the kind of service that make you and the company you work for, great in the eyes of your customers.
-
About Yourself
Think about a time you were the customer, how were you treated when you had a problem or issue that needed to be resolved? Did the company solve your problem with great service and a memorable experience?
Now think about a time you had to help a customer. What did you do to make that experience unforgettable for them?
-
About The Company
Think carefully about the company and what they are looking for. Read online reviews and any other available information.
- What are their standards for treating customers?
- What complaints have you seen that can give you a hint of some of the challenges associated with customer service?
- How focused is the job description regarding customer service functions? This will give you a strong hint that customer service is an area to be aware of for the upcoming interview.
-
About The Fit
A great way to show your fit for the job is to use the Present-Past-Present method in answering this question. The following is an example of how you might apply this approach:
Start with the Present by telling the interviewer what skills you have that will ensure the best customer experience. These might include attributes like patience, listenting, attentiveness or any other customer service related skills you might possess.
Next go back to the Past to tell a story of how you went above and beyond for a customer. Use the STAR method to help frame your story and be sure to bring your skills into the narrative.
Finally, come back to the Present to describe for the interviewer how you will bring your customer service skills to the job you are applying for, to help ensure that the company can always rely on you to provide the highest level of customer service.
Pro Tip
Showing you have compassion and empathy for customers is always an excellent way to answer the question. However, always remember to frame your answers in terms of how the company addresses these issues.
10. Why did you leave your last job?
How to answer
This question may be a little touchy for some people, but it's a question asked by interviewers, to find out why you left, in order to better understand how you may or may not make a good fit with their company.
Remember, never speak ill of your old company (this will not go over well).
-
About Yourself
There are a number of reasons why people leave or plan to leave their jobs. One very important recent factor has been the impact on jobs and job security due to Covid-19 and all of the issues raised by remote vs. on-site work.
Regardless of the causes, there are three possible reasons that you left your last job or are planning to leave your current job:
- You are looking for a career change
- You are unhappy with your current employment
- You were let go.
Whatever the reason, it's best to always speak in a positive light.
-
About The Company
Based on your research about the company and the position you are interviewing for, what do you like most about the company? What excites you about the work as it is outlined in the job description?
-
About The Fit
Let's take a closer look at how you might respond to each of the three reasons for leaving your last job.
1. You were let go
You should simply state the facts (e.g. the company was downsizing, your position was eliminated, your department was offshored, etc.). Focus on the positive. You might want to share your accomplishments at your previous employment by relating a pertinent STAR story if you feel that would be relevant.
2. You are looking for career advancement or a career change
In your response you should be upfront, honest and as enthusiastic as you can be about the position. Consider using the Present-Past-Present method when giving this answer. Start with the Present by describing a career goal that is important to you. For instance you are a data analyst applying for a data management position and you are ready for this move. Then go back to the Past to indicate that at your previous job, there were little or no promotional opportunities in your field. Then come back to the Present and say that you are ready to take on the manager role and know that you will do an outstanding job for the company.
3. You are unhappy with your current employment
Sometimes a job just isn't going to take you to the next step in your career.
Keep two things in mind when answering this question, 1) never "bad mouth" your current employer and 2) focus on the postive when speaking about the job and your reason for wanting to leave.
The following is an example of how this question might be answered. This individual was looking to move up to a project manager position and did not feel that her current employer was the right place to achieve her goal. You might find her answer helpful in crafting your own response.
"I really like my job as assistant project manager and love working with all of my coworkers on the team. However, the way the department is set up there is no real path to promotion. There are currently 3 project managers and they are all relatively new in their jobs. As far as I can see, they are all doing a good job and opportunties for promotion may not be opening up in the foreseeable future."
Her comments were positive and her reasoning was clear and consise. Always try to keep your reasons positive and try not to create an impression that you were unhappy with the way you were treated.
Pro Tip
Whatever the reason you are looking for a new opportunity, make sure you are able to show how you are the perfect fit for the job for which you are interviewing!
You don't have to be alone in your job search!
Mr. Simon invites you to join the Friends of Mr. Simon Meetup Group that supports both individuals seeking their next job role and working professionals. Members of our network come together to learn and practice new skills and network with others through our regular interactive events where they establish meaningful connections and have a chance to promote their personal brand and stand out in the marketplace.
Group membership is free of charge, courtesy of Mr. Simon.
Join our Friends of Mr. Simon Meetup Group to become part of our growing and supportive community!
This page has been updated on February 23, 2024.
