Professional Banking Job Interviews

Archive for May, 2008

Interviews do not have to be one-way conversations. Interviewees who show genuine interest in the position and the company are more favorably perceived than those who look as if they’re only going through the motions. Some questions you can ask the interviewer are:

• If accepted, what responsibilities will be given to me?
• How will my performance be assessed?
• For what reason did the current vacancy open up?
• What growth opportunities does the position offer?
• Who will I be reporting to?
• Will I be in charge of other people?
• Would this position require me to travel?
• What are the factors in deciding this appointment?

Interview questions usually stay the same, with specifics varying depending on the position and field themselves. Here are some of the most common interview questions:

• How do you respond to pressure?
• How do you cope with criticism?
• Do you prefer working in groups or by yourself? Why?
• What are you looking for with an employer?
• Which part of the position do you dislike the most?
• What makes you more deserving of this position than the other candidates?
• How was your relationship with your previous employer?
• How do you measure your work performance?

I want you to remember the following points during job interiews:

• Take the time to know the company. Do your research.
• Learn about the position you’re applying for; it’s responsibilities, how it fits into the structure of the company, and the like.
• Prepare your resume and CV to highlight your finest points. Of course, don’t lie or puff up your image as this can easily be noticed by the interviewer.
• Know the appropriate attire for the interview.
• Arrive earlier than your scheduled interview. Being late gives a very negative impression of your professionalism.
• Be sure that you have with you the required documents.
• Be confident! You have only one chance to impress the interviewer, so seize the opportunity and show them how perfect you are for the job on offer.

Here are more meanings behind commonly asked interview questions:

“Share the most difficult situation you’ve been in, and how you faced it.” – here, the interviewer is seeking to know how you see “difficult”, and whether you are adept at problem solving.

“What are your dislikes about your present occupation?” – with this question, the interviewer is going to find out whether the job you’re applying for may have responsibilities you may not like.

“What are your weaknesses?” – your answer here will show the interviewer how you perceive yourself .

“Why are you leaving your current job?” – this is asked to find out what your true reasons and motives are for moving away from your current employer.

Questions are a vital part of any interview, as they are the measuring stick for prospective new hires. But did you know that besides the outright meaning of those seemingly straightforward questions are hidden meanings with which the interviewer gauges an applicant? Below are some of them:

• “Tell me about yourself.” – this is the most common first question that an interviewee encounters. Besides asking you to introduce yourself, the interviewer is actually looking at the way you talk.
• “What are your achievements so far?” – the interviewer wants to see whether you are an achiever or not.
• “At present, are you happy with your career?”—the interviewer wants to know whether you are a positive person, and also, gets an insight on how self-confident you are.