Important Interview Questions To Answer at Your Finance Interview

The working world is changing in every industry. For financial professionals, in particular, the future will likely be defined by more flexible working patterns, remote employment, and digital collaboration. With access to accounting, cash flow, and analytics tools now available on the cloud, finance employees don’t always have to operate from inside the office.  

As business leaders adjust the way they work with financial professionals, the strategies used for assessing, interviewing, and hiring staff are evolving too. Your future interviews are more likely to be hosted online by hiring managers with new priorities to consider.  

If you’re planning on applying for a new role or already have an interview booked into your calendar, here are some of the important interview questions you may need to prepare for. 

1. How Are You Qualified for This Position? 

This question isn’t just an opportunity for you to list the qualifications on your CV. Your hiring manager will usually be looking for what makes you suitable for the job beyond the ACCA/ACA/CIMA qualifications they’re looking for. 

A good way to prepare for this question is to review the job description provided by your would-be employer and match that company’s requirements to your specific skills. For instance, you have experience working in a fast-paced analytics environment, which helps if the company is looking for someone to help with a digital transformation strategy.  

The more you demonstrate your knowledge of the position and your compatibility with the job description, the easier it will be for the hiring manager to picture you in the role.  

2. What Makes You Right for This Company? 

In today’s digital world, hiring managers expect potential candidates to do their research. If you’ve taken the time to apply for a role, they hope you’ve also considered why you’re a good fit for the business. This means looking beyond the job description and learning about the company.  

If the financial business you’re applying to work with has a strong employer brand, you should be able to find insights into its values on the website. You can also look into reviews from employees and content shared by brand ambassadors to get a sense of the company culture.  

Once you know what your would-be employer values in a candidate, you can search for ways to show those characteristics. For instance, if you know your potential employer appreciates efficient, productive, and independent workers, explain how you’ll succeed as a self-starter in your new role.  

3. How Do You Picture Your Future in this Company? 

Most of the top financial companies are looking for employees willing to grow and develop with their brand. This means they want you to be dedicated to the business and committed to working there for the long haul. Taking the time to think about what you’d like to accomplish long-term if offered the position can help you stand out. 

Comment on the excellent development and training programs the business has and how you might use those resources to work up to a management position gradually. Discuss where you think you can bring the most value to the role, based on the successes you’ve achieved for previous employers. This conversation will help convince your hiring manager that you want the role for more than just a regular wage. 

You could even discuss some short term and long-term goals. For instance, short term, you might be keen to help your new employer take advantage of the latest technology they’re implementing for financial planning. Long-term, you might want to learn how to use similar technology for more in-depth analytics.   

4. Are You Comfortable Working Remotely? 

As mentioned above, many companies looking for financial talent today will be hoping to reduce costs and improve efficiency with remote and hybrid working schedules. With this in mind, you may be asked how comfortable you are outside of the office and ensure continued high-quality work when you’re working from home. 

If you have experience with remote working already, you can explain how you managed the transition to the new style of work and how you plan on avoiding any obstacles you might have faced when you start your position with this new organisation.  

It also helps to present yourself as professionally as possible when you attend a virtual interview. Showing you know how to use video conferencing tools correctly helps put your employer’s mind at ease if they’re concerned that they might have to do a lot of additional training to bring you on board.  

5. What Are the First Things You’d Do for Our Company? 

This can be one of the more complicated questions to answer when interviewing for a finance job. However, it’s an important opportunity to show you know your stuff. For instance, if you’re applying for a business budgeting role, you might start by explaining how you’d get buy-in for any changes from all the project stakeholders and align any changes you make to the overall strategic brand of the business.  

If you’re going to be responsible for financial analytics, you might talk about financial modelling principles you prefer to use and which model assumptions might be most suitable for the business question. The CFI offers a complete guide to financial modelling here so that you can prepare for these kinds of questions.  

Be prepared to mention current events within the industry and the company you’re applying to work for. This helps to show you’ve done your research and demonstrates a commitment to staying “up to date” in the industry.  

What’s Next? 

An interview in the evolving financial landscape can be a daunting concept for today’s jobseekers. Fortunately, it only takes a little planning to get ahead of the game. Preparing for the interview using the tips above and working with your specialist recruitment service to ensure you’re ready for any interview should ensure you can get the job you’ve always wanted. If you need extra help finding the job that’s right for you, you can contact us via email or reach out on 01282 930 930 

Thanks 

Rachel Mitson 

About Rebus Financial Recruitment    

Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, which historically range from various organisations, including SMEs, to large PLCs.     

We strive to offer both the client and candidate a seamless recruitment experience. Using our expertise, we get to the heart of employer and employee needs, and, in doing so, we match the two perfectly. To find out more, get in contact with one of our team today, or you can call us on 01282 930930.