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Standard Interview Questions !!!
Standard Questions
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.
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.
source : Jobskills.info
Lucy Doss
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