The key to a successful interview is asking the right questions. An interview is intended to help you get to know a potential employee better. It is often one of the last steps before you decide whether to hire them. However, if you do not ask the right questions, you do not get the picture of the employee that you need to ensure they will be a good fit for your company. If you hire someone who cannot perform on the job or who does not fit into the company well, it can mean lost resources and inefficiency, neither of which are good for business. Be sure to ask these questions the next time you interview someone for the financial services sector of your company.
1. How Would You Look Up the Most Recent Financial Guidelines for Business?
The business regulations placed on companies are constantly changing. Financial service employees must know how to stay up-to-date with these changes. By asking a potential employee this question, you can get a look at their process and if they know how to stay current with the latest information available. You can also learn how the employee deals with changes, since someone who is resistant to change might not be a good fit in the financial sector.
2. What Financial Project Has Been Most Challenging So Far?
Asking this question helps you determine if the potential employee is good at overcoming obstacles. The financial sector, like nearly any industry, comes with unique challenges. The best employees will be good at identifying and overcoming these challenges. If the employee cannot think of a challenge, ask them to imagine a scenario and describe how they would overcome it. This will give you a closer look at the employee’s thought patterns.
3. What Are Some Weaknesses That Exist in the Financial Industry?
Any area of business is going to have strengths and weaknesses. It is by overcoming these weaknesses that companies have the opportunity to grow and thrive. Businesses like to work with companies who can tackle obstacles and solve their unique problems. This question lets you evaluate how good the employee would be at meeting demands for potential client and overcoming potential pitfalls.
4. What Type of Financial Software Are You Familiar With?
You do not want to spend weeks training an employee on the software you use with your company. It is not always a red flag if a potential financial employee is not familiar with the same software that you use at your company. Many new employees are willing to learn, especially if it means finding a highly valued job in the finance industry. If the employee is familiar with several types of software, it indicates a willingness to learn. Additionally, most software has the same basic backbone, so familiarity with more than one type of software means that the employee might learn to navigate your company’s software easier. Most people forget about assignments online.
5. What is Your Typical Role in Group Projects?
While it is good to have employees that are willing to sit back and take direction, financial employees should be willing to take the lead on certain projects. After asking the potential employee about their typical role in group projects, ask them about their personal contribution. Did they help distribute work among the different members, work to keep everyone on task, or help overcome problems? Ask them for an example.
6. Have You Ever Persuaded a Senior Executor to Make a Decision?
Sometimes, it is not enough to have innovative ideas or problem-solving skills. If you cannot communicate your ideas and why they would be effective or what problem they would solve, then the work has been for nothing. Have the potential employee talk about their problem-solving skills and how they would go about convincing a senior member of the company to make a decision. This would also be a good time to ask about presentations they have given in the past.
7. What Factors Should Be Considered When Developing a Budget?
This question will give you an idea of how the employee works and the methods they use during the budgeting process. It also shows their ability to evaluate details, as well as the bigger picture. This is essential in an area like finance, since determining and implementing a budget is critical to a successful business strategy. It can also help you determine if their style of work aligns with your company goals.
Job interviews give you the chance to see if a potential employee will be a good fit for your company. Asking the right questions, like the ones above, will help you ensure that they can perform well in a financial services position. If you are a candidate looking for a job, considering these questions and similar ones can help you prepare better for your interview.
