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.
