| The time you put into preparation will have a direct | | | | world if you leave the room without it. Understanding |
| relationship with how well you perform in the interview | | | | this and assuming you will do well can work wonders. |
| and how likely you are to get the job. | | | | Job Interview Skills Click here |
| Job Interview Skills Click here | | | | It is impossible to avoid tough questions; though as |
| Firstly, find out as much about the company as you | | | | many financial job interviews are similar there are |
| can in advance. The more you know about the | | | | plenty of things you can bear in mind to avoid any |
| potential employer the better. You can never know | | | | unnecessary heart ache. It’s usually safe to |
| too much and it will help in two ways. You will show | | | | assume the interviewers might adopt a “good cop |
| you are an observant individual with an outwardly | | | | bad cop” dynamic even if it isn’t deliberate. By |
| looking understanding of the industry and the | | | | expecting this you can learn to respond to questions in |
| knowledge you have learnt will show you know what | | | | they way the interviewer will expect and show how |
| you are talking about. Secondly it will also show that | | | | capable you are of dealing with difficult people. |
| you have researched the company. This time | | | | If you aren’t sure how to answer a tough question, |
| commitment of the research also shows how keen | | | | ask a follow up question. It will show a keen-ness to |
| you are on the position. Any recruiter is always going | | | | answer the question but buy you a little more thinking |
| to appreciate pro-active candidates who show that | | | | time. If you still don’t know the answers they want |
| they are keen to get the job. | | | | to hear don’t be afraid to admit it. It can look much |
| Think in advance what questions they are likely to ask. | | | | worse if you answer incorrectly than admitting you |
| Many financial job interviews follow a similar pattern, so | | | | don’t know. |
| think ahead about what they might ask. Draw up a | | | | If you are facing a tough round of questioning in your |
| mind map using both you CV and the job | | | | job interview it’s easy to ramble and forget to |
| advertisement to decide topics. You won’t need | | | | actually answer the question. So be careful not to lose |
| scripted answers but the more time you have to think | | | | your thread. If they notice you aren’t actually |
| about answers the more likely you answer is to be | | | | answering their questions they will think you are at |
| what they are looking for. A few bullet points will give | | | | best evasive and at worse out of your depth. |
| you a head start over the other less well prepared | | | | There is plenty to be gained from asking good |
| candidates. | | | | questions in job interviews, it will show you are |
| Visualise your success. You can never underestimate | | | | interested in the role and show you are curious to |
| the power of positive thinking. The worst that can | | | | learn more. One good question to ask is about what |
| come out of a financial job interview is you don’t | | | | they think the best and worse aspects to the job role. |
| get the job. You didn’t have a job when you | | | | Asking questions like this enable you to gain a better |
| entered the room so it shouldn’t be the end of the | | | | understanding of the role. |