| In the last 'interview preparation techniques' article we | | | | employee sat opposite him or her can sell. That takes |
| touched on what would be expected of you at | | | | confidence, so its vitally important that however much |
| interview in terms of researching the organization and | | | | you find the situation uncomfortable, you don't show it! |
| a little on the preparation that should go into getting you | | | | Another important aspect to this part of the process is |
| ready beforehand. Now the financial services industry | | | | that the applicant does need to show themselves to |
| itself, as we stated last time is a definitive type of role | | | | be conversationally confident. Its important that the |
| where a number of skills have to be at high level in | | | | candidate can hold a conversation - a skill required in a |
| order for you to be successful in both the interview | | | | financial advisory or regulated sales role such as an |
| and the role itself. | | | | IFA that is used in establishing soft facts, building a |
| After touching on the preparation needed before an | | | | rapport and probing effectively to determine the clients |
| interview for an IFA or financial advisory role in the last | | | | needs. The potential employer will also look for signs of |
| article, we now should begin to look at how to conduct | | | | effective diary and time management skills, examples |
| yourself at the actual interview itself. Too many | | | | of pro activity in terms of the generation of new |
| potential candidates who should walk through an | | | | business and finally ambition. No employer wants to |
| interview for a financial advisory or IFA role with their | | | | take on someone who is happy to coast along in the |
| eyes closed, struggle to impress and show the | | | | same role for 10 years! |
| employer a true picture of themselves because they | | | | As a recruiter working in the financial services industry |
| have been ill prepared or haven't conducted | | | | I speak to many employers who all say that, although |
| themselves correctly at interview. Some do think that | | | | an interview or assessment is a slightly contrived |
| it's OK to just turn up at a financial services interview | | | | situation and can obviously be more stressful in some |
| looking like a bank manager, dressed smartly and it will | | | | cases than the job itself, a good financial adviser or |
| all be OK. Its a very much more focused process than | | | | IFA will always come across in interview as they will in |
| this and the companies involved will put the | | | | front of clients. The most important factor in any |
| prospective employer through a process of difficult | | | | financial services sales role is always the clients - |
| and in some cases, very trying questions. As a | | | | without them there would be no business written so its |
| recruiter working in the financial services industry I | | | | important for the potential employee to come across |
| have only come across a very small percentage of | | | | as strongly and as confidently as they can in interview |
| people who have no fear of the interview process | | | | because that gives the employer an insight into how |
| itself and this is partly because they have little | | | | they will perform in the real job. I have even heard one |
| knowledge of how to conduct a strong interview. | | | | representative of an IFA organization say that, |
| The key factors to demonstrate at an interview for a | | | | whenever they have taken someone on, despite |
| financial advisory role are that: Firstly you can do the | | | | performing poorly in a contrived client fact find |
| job and you have experience of a similar environment. | | | | assessment, because they were the right fit in other |
| Obviously, a hugely important factor in any potential | | | | area's, it has never worked out - that's NEVER! It just |
| employers decision. Secondly a financial advisory role, | | | | gives you an insight into how important it is to conduct |
| although it is, as stated, an advisory position - the focus | | | | yourself strongly in the right area's and forget what |
| is very much on the sale of financial products, so the | | | | really isn't important. |
| employer has to be convinced that the prospective | | | | |