We all know it takes time to get to know a person. But in recruitment, first impressions still count. How you show up to an interview and present yourself sets the tone for the entire conversation, determining whether you will be considered seriously.
In the finance sector, where talent gaps are costly, companies are under pressure to fill roles quickly, without compromising on the need for quality hires. After all, hiring the wrong person can be just as expensive and detrimental as leaving a role unfilled.
So, how do you win over a hiring manager quickly?
It’s all about preparation, confidence, and strategy. Whether you’re fresh out of university or pivoting after a career break, this is your roadmap to sending a clear message instantly: “I’m who you’ve been looking for.”
Pre-Interview Preparation: Setting Up for Success
Plenty of people, across sectors, find interviews to be nerve-wracking. But in finance, they can be particularly daunting. You’re expected to be sharp, articulate and commercially aware while showing you can fit with, and add to the company culture.
That’s why you can’t afford to just “wing it”—you need to prepare for each interview with research, strategy, and insight, like you’d prepare for an end-of-year report.
Start by learning about the company. Don’t just find out what they do. Look at their financial performance, press releases, company mission, and ESG initiatives. Sometimes, this helps you anticipate questions and shows you care about the business.
Next, prepare a professional introduction. Think about how you’ll present the story of what drives you, the problems you solve, and how your technical and soft skills align with the team’s needs. Consider which soft skills will help you to enhance the culture the company is aiming for. For instance, if the business is innovative and forward-thinking, show resilience and agility by demonstrating how you’ve adapted to changes in the past.
Of course, nerves are natural, but they’re manageable. Use short mindfulness exercises, breathing techniques, or even brief affirmations to reset your focus before the call or meeting. Visualise success and arm yourself with stories that highlight your communication skills and attributes.
Preparing for The Physical First Impression
As much as hiring managers and interviewers in finance strive to avoid “judging a book by its cover”, – how you look still matters. Unconscious biases naturally creep in when someone sees you, so consider your presence carefully.
A significant part of your finance interview preparation strategy should be planning your wardrobe and appearance. Whether you’re visiting an office in person or attending a virtual interview over Zoom, you need to look polished and professional. You might not need to invest in a brand-new suit, but ask yourself what your outfit says about you.
Comb your hair, ensure your face is clean, and don’t go over the top if you’re wearing cosmetics. Practice your body language in advance. In an interview, a strong posture still makes a difference. Sit up straight (but don’t be rigid), keep your shoulders relaxed, maintain eye contact to show attentiveness, and smile regularly.
If you’re in a remote (virtual) interview, consider what’s happening around you. Are you sitting in a clean, office-like environment, or on your sofa? How’s the lighting, and have you ensured your camera is positioned correctly? Interviewers should be able to see your face, upper body, and potentially your hands.
Finally, arrive early. Whether you turn up to the office fifteen minutes in advance or log into Zoom ahead of schedule, promptness shows respect and reliability. Treat everyone you encounter, receptionists, assistants, and even other candidates, as if they were the hiring manager. You never know who’s observing, and professionalism is often assessed holistically in finance.
Mastering the Verbal First Impression
The moment you speak, the interview officially begins. What you say, and how you say it, can immediately tell a hiring manager if you’re worth their time. You should immediately highlight how you will add something valuable to the company culture.
The introduction you prepared earlier will help here. Provide a quick snapshot of who you are, what you’re passionate about in finance, and how your recent experience aligns with the role.
For instance:
“Thanks so much for meeting with me. As you may know from my CV and cover letter, I’m [Name], a qualified management accountant with five years in FP&A. Most recently, I led a transformation project that improved forecasting accuracy by 18%. I’m excited about applying that same data-driven thinking in a more strategic role.”
Try to show adaptability, too. Whether you led a remote audit team, navigated a restructuring, or learned Python during furlough, employers seek professionals who can roll with uncertainty and find solutions. Finance is evolving fast. Show that you can, too.
From there, your initial responses are your chance to demonstrate technical fluency. Don’t just list skills, bring them to life. When asked about your experience, weave in specifics about budgeting, modelling, regulatory reporting, or experience with tools like Power BI or SQL.
Remember, active listening is crucial. Nod, paraphrase key points, and ask thoughtful follow-up questions. This helps build rapport, shows emotional intelligence, and subtly positions you as someone who listens before acting.
If relevant, name-dropping can be helpful too. You might reference a mentor, former colleague, or industry contact. Something like: “I recently spoke to a senior risk manager who flagged how your team’s approach to ESG has stood out across the sector.”
Addressing Key Finance-Specific Challenges
One of the reasons finance interview preparation is so important is that the research you do will help you demonstrate that you really know your “stuff.”
You might need to talk about a few things right now, starting with Brexit. This move is really shaking up the finance sector right now, introducing regulatory divergence and different passporting rights and creating new pressure on firms managing cross-border operations.
Acknowledge the post-Brexit realities and offer a perspective on how it’s impacted talent mobility, compliance costs, or risk management. It shows you think like someone already in the business. Talk about the impact this event has had on you and previous teams you’ve worked with, if it’s a chance to show adaptability and resilience.
Equally important is demonstrating your comfort with the tools of the trade. If you’re still learning, be honest, but be specific about how. Mention a recent course, certification, or project where you upskilled in real time.
Recovery Strategies: What to Do if You Slip Up
Even the most seasoned finance professionals can stumble in an interview, particularly when dealing with nerves. Maybe your voice wobbled. Maybe your mind went blank when asked about a compliance framework you haven’t touched in two years. It happens. What matters is how you recover. So, take a breath.
Remember, a nervous start doesn’t necessarily have to define the rest of your interview if you can bounce back quickly. Take a moment to balance yourself, smile, and reset. If you’ve fumbled a question, resist the urge to spiral. Instead, use a transition line: “Let me reframe that,” or “Actually, there’s a better example I can share.” Most hiring managers appreciate self-awareness more than perfection, and those pivots show poise under pressure.
If you’re hit with a curveball question you haven’t prepared for, don’t panic. Unexpected questions like “What’s your perspective on using AI for document drafting?” aren’t always about giving a “right” answer. Interviewers want to see how you think about the question.
Take a second, structure your thoughts (past, action, result), and answer with calm intention. You can even admit what you don’t know, if you follow it up with how you’d find the answer. That’s the kind of resilience financial firms value deeply.
Making the Right Finance Interview First Impression
Your first impression in a finance interview matters more than most people realise. From thoughtful preparation and polished presentation to clear communication and graceful recovery, every choice you make shapes your impression and your opportunities.
The good news? These are skills you can build. Practice. Reflect. Rehearse with friends or mentors. Keep refining your approach and learning. Remember, it’s not just about acing every interview but shaping your long-term trajectory.
Aim to show clarity, confidence, character, and view every mistake as a learning opportunity.
Thanks
Rachel
About Rebus Financial Recruitment
Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, ranging 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 understand employer and employee needs and match them perfectly.
To learn more, contact one of our team members today or call us at 01282 930930.
