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How can I prepare for the most common interview questions for finance jobs?
I'm a high school student only a couple of interview experience nothing related and also don't have any internship experience.
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6 answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Gian Paul !
I am delighted to see many students from San Francisco here today !
Well, to be absolutely honest with you, employment interviews can seem mysterious at first when you are first starting out, but get better as time goes on when you obtain more personal and social development. Don't worry, it gets easier.
The truth is that there are no "common interview questions" even though people can list questions for you to read and memorize answers to. The point of the whole thing is to be yourself. Be as natural as possible.
The reason that there are no common questions is because each employer is concerned about different things in an applicant. Treat the interview as a "get to know you" encounter. The employer is developing a vibe from the applicant as well as learning the knowledge and skills that the applicant already has, demonstrating the ability to do the job independently on the first day with little supervision. You'd be trained on particulars of that company, but you need to demonstrate that you are confident and eager to do the job. Remember that you will not be the only person interviewing for the job, so if you could establish a general good rapport, that could be in your favor. They could be determining applicants on any little thing.
I remember a social service job I interviewed for when I first left the city and applied to an agency in a suburban/rural setting. I knew I blew it simply because I didn't know the one word in a question I was asked. I never used that jargon in the city and wasn't sure what the interviewer was asking. I knew I didn't get the job simply due to that, but I ended up getting a job at a great agency that I stayed with for a very long time. So things occur during an interview, some in your favor and some not, but you just have to go on to the next company and continue the quest. It sometimes works out better.
So your best strategy for employment interviews is not to prepare random questions, but to gain experience and knowledge by doing volunteer work, doing an internship and reading about and watching videos about Finance while you are in High School. You can prepare a goal - why you want to go into the world of Finance and exactly what your aim in the field is. It's perfectly usual to not know the questions that would be asked beforehand.
I have left some links below to places that you can look into for internships in finance in your city. Any internship or volunteer work you do in high school will be of benefit to you even if it's not in finance. It will be in college that you will become familiar with the career and have additional opportunities as a college Finance Major.
So, try not to worry or focus on anticipated questions, rather gain the knowledge for this field and let your personality shine. I hope that this is helpful and I wish you all the best moving forward !
ENTERPRISE FOR YOUTH INTERNSHIPS IN FINANCE FOR TEENS IN SAN FRANCISCO https://www.enterpriseforyouth.org/
STUDENT PROGRAMS AND INTERNSHIPS IN FINANCE IN SAN FRANCISCO https://www.frbsf.org/work-with-us/student-programs-and-internships/
INTERNSHIPS AT NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL https://careers.northwesternmutual.com/teams/internships/
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS INTERNSHIP INFORMATION
I am delighted to see many students from San Francisco here today !
Well, to be absolutely honest with you, employment interviews can seem mysterious at first when you are first starting out, but get better as time goes on when you obtain more personal and social development. Don't worry, it gets easier.
The truth is that there are no "common interview questions" even though people can list questions for you to read and memorize answers to. The point of the whole thing is to be yourself. Be as natural as possible.
The reason that there are no common questions is because each employer is concerned about different things in an applicant. Treat the interview as a "get to know you" encounter. The employer is developing a vibe from the applicant as well as learning the knowledge and skills that the applicant already has, demonstrating the ability to do the job independently on the first day with little supervision. You'd be trained on particulars of that company, but you need to demonstrate that you are confident and eager to do the job. Remember that you will not be the only person interviewing for the job, so if you could establish a general good rapport, that could be in your favor. They could be determining applicants on any little thing.
I remember a social service job I interviewed for when I first left the city and applied to an agency in a suburban/rural setting. I knew I blew it simply because I didn't know the one word in a question I was asked. I never used that jargon in the city and wasn't sure what the interviewer was asking. I knew I didn't get the job simply due to that, but I ended up getting a job at a great agency that I stayed with for a very long time. So things occur during an interview, some in your favor and some not, but you just have to go on to the next company and continue the quest. It sometimes works out better.
So your best strategy for employment interviews is not to prepare random questions, but to gain experience and knowledge by doing volunteer work, doing an internship and reading about and watching videos about Finance while you are in High School. You can prepare a goal - why you want to go into the world of Finance and exactly what your aim in the field is. It's perfectly usual to not know the questions that would be asked beforehand.
I have left some links below to places that you can look into for internships in finance in your city. Any internship or volunteer work you do in high school will be of benefit to you even if it's not in finance. It will be in college that you will become familiar with the career and have additional opportunities as a college Finance Major.
So, try not to worry or focus on anticipated questions, rather gain the knowledge for this field and let your personality shine. I hope that this is helpful and I wish you all the best moving forward !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Victor’s Answer
Technical Skills:
Accounting Principles: Brush up on fundamental financial concepts that are most relevant to the role you're applying for. Resources like Investopedia (https://www.investopedia.com/) and Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/) offer comprehensive guides.
Research the company you're applying for, it's financial statements, goals, etc. Incorporate that into your answers/discussion.
Prepare for Behavioral Questions:
“Tell me about yourself” and “Walk me through your resume”: Craft a concise and compelling narrative highlighting your skills and experiences relevant to finance.
“Why finance?” and “Why this company?”: Articulate your passion for finance and demonstrate your knowledge of the company’s values, culture, and recent activities.
“Strengths and weaknesses”: Provide honest self-assessment, highlighting strengths relevant to finance and demonstrating self-awareness of areas for improvement.
“Tell me about a time you…” (STAR method): Prepare examples from your experiences showcasing problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and analytical skills using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. When a result was not the one desired, be sure to highlight learnings and how you adapted your approach to ensure you produce desired outcomes in the future.
Gather Industry Knowledge:
Stay updated on current financial news: Follow reputable sources like The Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/), Bloomberg (https://www.bloomberg.com/), and Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/).
Research the company and its industry: Understand the company’s financial performance, competitors, and industry trends.
Practice:
Mock interviews: Practice answering questions out loud, either with a friend or through mock interview platforms like Pramp (https://www.pramp.com/).
Prepare questions to ask the interviewer: Asking thoughtful questions demonstrates your interest and engagement.
Accounting Principles: Brush up on fundamental financial concepts that are most relevant to the role you're applying for. Resources like Investopedia (https://www.investopedia.com/) and Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/) offer comprehensive guides.
Research the company you're applying for, it's financial statements, goals, etc. Incorporate that into your answers/discussion.
Prepare for Behavioral Questions:
“Tell me about yourself” and “Walk me through your resume”: Craft a concise and compelling narrative highlighting your skills and experiences relevant to finance.
“Why finance?” and “Why this company?”: Articulate your passion for finance and demonstrate your knowledge of the company’s values, culture, and recent activities.
“Strengths and weaknesses”: Provide honest self-assessment, highlighting strengths relevant to finance and demonstrating self-awareness of areas for improvement.
“Tell me about a time you…” (STAR method): Prepare examples from your experiences showcasing problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and analytical skills using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. When a result was not the one desired, be sure to highlight learnings and how you adapted your approach to ensure you produce desired outcomes in the future.
Gather Industry Knowledge:
Stay updated on current financial news: Follow reputable sources like The Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/), Bloomberg (https://www.bloomberg.com/), and Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/).
Research the company and its industry: Understand the company’s financial performance, competitors, and industry trends.
Practice:
Mock interviews: Practice answering questions out loud, either with a friend or through mock interview platforms like Pramp (https://www.pramp.com/).
Prepare questions to ask the interviewer: Asking thoughtful questions demonstrates your interest and engagement.
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. Firstly, you need to obtain the job specification for preparation.
Below are my suggestions:
1. Read the job specification thoroughly.
2. Identify the areas that you can meet the requirements and the areas you cannot meet the requirements.
3. Prepare the scripts to introduce yourself and emphasis the areas you can meet the requirements.
4. Think about the plan how you can improve to meet other requirements
5. Do some research on the company
6. Dress appropriately for the interview
7. Plan the transport to the venue. Be punctual.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
Below are my suggestions:
1. Read the job specification thoroughly.
2. Identify the areas that you can meet the requirements and the areas you cannot meet the requirements.
3. Prepare the scripts to introduce yourself and emphasis the areas you can meet the requirements.
4. Think about the plan how you can improve to meet other requirements
5. Do some research on the company
6. Dress appropriately for the interview
7. Plan the transport to the venue. Be punctual.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
There are a lot of great replies here already! I'd add a nice practice option that provides feedback is https://grow.google/certificates/interview-warmup/
Updated
Stephanie’s Answer
You can also take a free, short class (less than one hour) about Finance on HP LIFE- https://www.life-global.org/course/21-basics-of-finance
This will help you learn or remind you of the buzz words and concepts to help you further prepare for your interview.
This will help you learn or remind you of the buzz words and concepts to help you further prepare for your interview.
Updated
Murtaza’s Answer
I would do a few mock interviews, either with a friend or with a mock interview tool like CaseTutor.com
It's important to practice talking your answers out loud. The biggest hurdle I see is candidates preparing for their interview in their heads... answering all the questions in their heads, and when it comes to the actual interview, just like always, it will come out differently.
Practice and be prepared, which will make you confident :)
Go do a ton of reps with a buddy or an mock interview tool online -- I've personally heard great things about CaseTutor, they simulate behavioral and case interviews
It's important to practice talking your answers out loud. The biggest hurdle I see is candidates preparing for their interview in their heads... answering all the questions in their heads, and when it comes to the actual interview, just like always, it will come out differently.
Practice and be prepared, which will make you confident :)
Murtaza recommends the following next steps: