Banking Interview Questions & Answers

Firstly, I was asked to talk about myself, talk them through my CV. Then we moved on to the next stage asking me a duple of competency based questions focusing on team work, attention to detail, motivation, strengths and weaknesses, and finally, my overall interest within the banking and financial services sector. I was asked to perform a role play over the phone between me and the recruiter (playing the role of a fictive client), assessing a PPI claim and gathering correct information then send it back in a form of summary. The first format was a conversation and role play over the telephone and then assessment centre where I had to assess and analyse, provide findings and reasons, and initiate final decision on a PPI claim.

The main difficult question was related to the suitability and eligibility of the clients in order to correctly assess the PPI claims. I got stuck as suitability.

Make sure you read all the case studies and you fully understand the eligibility and suitability criteria for PPI claims. The initial pack comes with about 12 case studies. Each different PPI claims which have already been assessed. Ensure you read each and one of them and can answer all questions concerning the eligibility and suitability criterion. Without knowing this you would not be able to perform the final task int he assessment centre.

At the assessment centre we had a case study, a fictive PPI complain on behalf of the client. Our role was to analyse and present the findings of the case and on what grounds the client initiated the complaint. IN form of a letter we had to write all findings and respond to the customers each pint. Analyse the suitability and eligibility of the client and determine whether he was indeed mis-old the PPI or not. Decide whether to upheld or reject the case and explain in an official letter (template provided) as to how we came to that decision. Also perform the required calculations in rode to decide the amount needed to be refunded for the client.

The first stage was an application form followed by two online tests, firstly a verbal reasoning test, which if passed lead to a logical reasoning test. The second test was the harder of the two as the time limit was quite short for finding the patterns in the sequences of shapes. Once I had passed both of these I was then invited for a phone interview which lasted 25 minutes with a member of the recruitment team. We started with a conversation about my academic record, and then I was asked a series of competancy questions about why I would suit the role and what skills would allow me to do in the role. I was called 45 minutes later to invite me to an assessment centre 5 days later. This lasted 4 hours and was split into 3 tasks, individual, group and interview. In the individual task we were given 60'minutes to read some information and prepare a presentation, after which we were asked questions on. This was chalenging, but at the same time interesting as it gave me a very good impression of what the job would entail. After this, we had a group task in which we had to rank pieces of information in order of priority. This was interesting, and it paid dividends tomget to know each of the other candidates before the task. Thirdly, there was an interview one on one. This was 45 minutes long and was competancy based and then around 20 minutes to ask questions. After the day, I was called 2 hours later to be offered the role.

Why would you suit this role rather than the other candidates? This was difficult as I did not know the other condidates strenghts.

Research the company very well, as well as try to really heighten your commercial awareness. It may be difficult due to nerves, but as it is a long day, with intense scrutiny placed upon you, it is very advisible to try and eat either beforehand, or some of the refreshments that were provided. When you do the online tests, make sure you are in a quiet room with no distractions as any lapse in concentration will affect your scores considerably.

It was very well run, and owing to the company who it was for, was very professional. The other candidates had similar qualifications so it meant we had a lot to talk about as we had plenty in common. The first task was very daunting when I first started to prepqre for it, but once I had calmed my nerves, it was enjoyable.

The application process comprises of completing the online application, then numeracy, verbal and strength based assessments. Following this, you will be invited to complete a video interview at your convenience. The questions will mainly concentrate on your strengths and weaknesses, but also question your knowledge of Lloyds. Look at their most recent analysis, which is available on their website, and at a market analysis of the banking industry by the Big 4 Consultancies for example.

What is your biggest weakness?

Name five things you think will change in the banking industry in the next five years and explain how lloyds can innovatively respond to each one.

Make sure to prepare your pitch really well. It will make you more relaxed during the day and you might not have time to practice it before you begin.

Ensure you are up-to-date on banking developments, particularly with regards to technology.

If you are successful, the next stage will be the assessment centre or, as they call it, the Innovation Lab. Instructions beforehand are excellent. You will be required to prepare for a presentation. If it is over 5 minutes they will cut you off. They are looking for you to devise a new business idea for the Commercial Banking department.

The day is short; either a morning or afternoon session and every minute is accounted for. There were only 8 people at my assessment day and we were divided into two groups of four in order to complete the tasks in different orders.

The day started with a 50 minute interview. This interview went through your motivation for lloyds, what developments were occurring in the banking sector and finally what your personal strengths and weaknesses are. Make sure you have good examples, as they want detail.

The written project was short, half an hour to complete two tasks. The first is about Lloyds key strengths and weaknesses and current developments. The second is about Fresh Thinking; devising a new idea for them. Perhaps when you are preparing for your presentation, think about this area as well.

The group task will depend on your team. The tasks are simple, but competition can make it a very unpleasant and heated experience. Ensure that you get to know your group well, as you need to know who you can and cannot work with before the group task.

Finally, the Pitch is 1:1. You will have five minutes to prepare in front of them (you should already be ready but can use flipboards) and then you start. Questions afterwards will differ depending on the sustainability, practicality and expense of your new idea.

The interview was conducted over the telephone, during which I was asked about the company itself, and the information covered in my CV, including professional experience, both previous as well as my current employers. I was also asked about core competencies required for the position, such as PC literacy, ability to work with large data sets and foreign language skills.

The most difficult questions that I was asked were about the ability to work with large data sets as I do not know what types of data sets are involved.

I would advise to research the company, be prepared to match the requirements from the advertisement to the candidate's skills. Furthermore, I would advise to ask specifically for an example of an exercise in the perception test, which was given during the assessment day.

I was given two tests, which included a perception test and a verbal test. The tests were timed. I was asked to read a lengthy text about money laundering and answer specific questions and to write a letter to a colleague asking for information.
The second test was a perception test, which was 8 minutes long. During the test, which had 100 questions, I had to match a series of signs on the left hand side with one of the four answers on the right hand side, which were very similar.

My initial telephone interview lasted around 20-30 minutes for my role of Commercial Banking Management Trainee. The interviewer was very polite, friendly and helpful. During the interview I had to provide an example for each of HSBC's 3 values; open, dependable and connected. After this I was asked why I wanted to join HSBC and why I was suited to them and my job role. The interview was very competency based. Upon passing the interview have your national insurance number present as they will conduct checks on you to ensure you are right for the position.

To provide a detailed description of how I fit HSBC's three values: open, dependable and connected.

To learn a detailed description of how you fit HSBC's three values: open, dependable and connected. You must provide very detailed descriptions using the STAR method. After this I was asked why I wanted to join HSBC so prepare something for this and a reason why you was suited to them and your job role. The interview was very competency based.

Yet to have one, scheduled for next week

The process began with filling out an application form requiring basic information such as education details, employment history as well as a CV upload.

Shortly after this I was notified through email to carry out a series of online exercises. These included a numerical assessment and a verbal reasoning test. The tests last between 20-25 minutes and allowed you to practice beforehand, without time conditions, to get an idea of what to expect.

The interview was part of the assessment of the assessment center (see below)

Questions regarding in depth details of credit risk,
What will you struggle with most in this role?

Make sure at lunch you network with members of staff

The next stage of the application process was an invitation to an assessment center and a request to answer an online personality test prior to attending. The personality test is straight forward and is to get an idea of what sort of individual you are, this had a time limit of 25 minutes but doesn't require that much time as it is multiple choice and quite easy to answer.

The assessment center was between 10am -3pm and we were given a schedule of the days event. It began with an introduction to the organisation and a tour of the office, we were then split into 2 groups, one group would began with interviews, the other would take part in a group exercise.

The interviews consisted of 2 separate 45 minute long interviews, one with a member of HR, the other with a member of staff from the department to which you applied. These interviews went over applicants CVs, motivations to apply and knowledge of the company.

While the group was undertaking these interviews the other group had to undergo a group activity. This involved being given incomplete data about a client and the issues they are facing, then being given a task to describe why they have these issues and any recommendations we could put forward to deal with these. The activity didn't require us to present back these recommendations, just to discuss as a group and come to a conclusion. At around halfway through the discussion we were presented with some new information and had to incorporate this into our decision and adjust our recommendations accordingly.

Once each group had finished their task, we would then go to lunch with the interviewers and the HR staff, we were given chance to network and talk to staff in this break to gain an insight into life at the bank.

After initially filling out an online application, consisting of basic biographical information and educational history, I was invited to attend an assessment centre.

The assessment centre comprised:

Psychometric tests (numerical and clerical)
Interview 1 (CV-based)
Interview 2 (competency-based)
Group exercise and presentation

This job may involve repetitive administrative tasks - would you become bored by that?

Try to think of good examples for a variety of competencies before your interview. Although a specific list like some employers provide is not available, the typical competencies such as leadership, teamwork, taking initiative, overcoming difficulties and working under pressure provide a good starting point around which to structure your answers.

Follow the news and be knowledgable about current affairs, particularly in the banking sector, for your interview.

There were around a dozen candidates attending the assessment centre. The first exercise involved a numerical test and a clerical test. The numerical test was straightforward and much easier than similar tests I have completed for other companies (GCSE maths standard at most). The clerical test required you to read information from a source and tick boxes on another sheet about which types of information had been mentioned in the source. This was not difficult but required you to work quickly.

The tests were followed by two individual interviews, each with two interviewers. The first was concerned with your CV and your educational and professional experiences. There were also questions about your motivations for the job and why you wanted to work for Citi. The second interview was more competency-based, looking for experiences where you could demonstrate skills such as leadership, teamwork, working under pressure etc. The interviews also offered a good opportunity to ask questions about the role and working for Citi in general - I found that the interviewers were happy to talk about their experiences, which was very helpful.

The final task was a group exercise with about 5 of the other candidates. Each person was given a copy of the case study and had to come up with ideas during individual reading time. We were then given around half an hour to discuss the case as a group before presenting our ideas to a panel of 5 assessors.

I applied to HSBC through SEO London. I was first given a telephone interview, which focused mainly on commercial awareness. The questions included: What are the current issues facing HSBC? What will the world look like in 2050? How do these issues impact the division you will work in? What skills make you suitable for the division? The interview lasted around 35 minutes and was with a member of the HR team. The interview was very quickly completed as there is a time limit.

The most difficult question was: what will the world look like in 2050? This needed one to touch upon aspects of finance, economics, technology and health. The candidate had to demonstrate an understanding of the real world issues. Make sure you point out the HSBC has strength in the emerging markets and tie this into your answer.

Make sure you stay calm and ensure that when you present, everything you say is relevant. It's easy to fall into the trap of rambling but it's more effective to be clear and concise. Choose a 2 or three pieces of information to focus on as opposed to cramming 8 points into a short time slot.

At the AC, we were first given a group exercise where we had to work as a team to recommend business initiatives. We then had 45 minutes to draft a presentation based on market information. We then gave a recommendation to a senior employee on how we could capitalize on the opportunities evident in the information pack. We were quizzed around how we chose our answer, and were asked to explain our reasoning process.

My initial application was via the internet, where I filled in an extensive application form, then was invited to undertake internet based assessments. These involved numerical tests, situational judgement tests, and psychometric tests. I was then invited for a face to face interview at the location of the job. The face to face interview lasted around an hour, I was asked questions about my previous experience, including typical interview questions ("when have you provided excellent customer service?"), etc. It was quite a relaxed interview, and afterwards I was shown around the premises.

Questions about my previous work experience which I have not been met with, such as situational aspects like dealing with difficult customers, which I rarely experience.

Revise typical interview questions, it is certainly worth Googling common interview questions and answers, as the questions are very general to your previous experience. The hardest part was the online assessments, particularly the numerical tests, which were not difficult, but the time limit makes them very difficult to answer. I'd also recommend reading around the role and the company.

Face to face interview.

The telephone interview was quite straight forward and was what should be expected. The interview lasted about 25minutes and I was questioned mainly about myself and how I would react in certain situations. Then we spoke briefly about why I wanted the role. The interviewer was very professional. The online assessment beforehand was quite easy but should not be taken lightly

Why do you want to join TSB over its competitors?
Describe a time you had to make a big decision? How did you deal with it?

Come prepared and remember the role is for a telephony sales person so practice before you arrive dealing with unexpected callers. Although the information that is given over the phone is pretty straight forward, how to process that information is the tricky part.

After a breif introduction we sat and had an informal interview for the interviewer to get to know me and ask a few questions. this lasted about half an hour.

We were asked to look through a booklet given to us by a member of the TSB team and memories the phone call process. After taking mental notes for 15 minutes we where then put on one of the company phones to answer a call from a customer who wanted to buy a house. Using the protocal given we had to address the call in the correct manner. I panicked at this stage because the information was slightly overwelming. A worthy assesment!