Customer service is the name of our game at Aldermore Bank PLC. If hired for this role, how would you be able to provide the best customer service possible to our clients?

"With any customer that I work with, I take the time to get to know them and listen to their thoughts, concerns and questions right from the start. I like to hold what I call an intake session to listen to all of these things. After hearing each customer out, I then talk about what I can do to alleviate their concerns and answer their questions right from the start. From that point forward, my customer service skills go the extra mile by staying in constant communication with my clients through either email or phone because I feel that over communication is important right from the start. As human, we have a desire to know what is happening all of the time and I make time to do this for my clients. Last, my customer service starts and ends with a positive attitude and a smile on my face. I take pride in being a front facing representative of my company and work my tail off to ensure that customers know that my company is there for them."

While following all of the steps of a mortgage process and handling client inquiries along the way is the foundation to success in this position, you will be relied on to provide the best customer service possible to all clients because the mortgage section at Aldermore Bank PLC is just one small piece of the pie in their business. If a client feels like they weren't handled with respect and compassion, they could take all of their business elsewhere and see an impact financially because of it. To show that you can provide top-notch customer service in this role, talk about how you provide a personalized experience for the clients you work with and talk about the interpersonal skills you possess that make this possible.

"In my experience, provide the best customer service comes down to doing the little things right. While often overlooked by some in our industry, a smiling face and simple conversations to get to know your customers can go a long way towards building a foundation for a great long-term relationship and I don't take these little things lightly. Even though I may be experiencing a huge workload or stress somewhere else on the job, I am focused and happy when I am face to face or on the phone with the client. At those times, they deserve 100% of my attention and focus and they get that every single time."

Tell us how you keep your knowledge current with ongoing changes in the banking industry.

"I am interested in learning about helping my customers with their investments. I like to read financial blogs to stay on the cutting edge of latest trends. I also enjoy reading the latest books with a financial scope and listening to financial advice. I also follow Aldermore Bank PLC on Twitter and keep abreast of relative headlines."

Due to the competition within the banking industry, Aldermore Bank PLC strives to stay relevant by adapting their products and services to meet customer needs. Consider reading some news articles, press releases, or blogs, to learn more about the industry.

"I am an avid reader, and my top go-to books for banking related knowledge are A, B, and C. I also listen to a few investment-related podcasts on a weekly basis. I understand the importance of staying on top of the latest trends and news in the banking industry."

Pretend an old friend just awoke from a coma that lasted over 30 years. How would you describe the internet to them?

"Just like my role as a Risk Analyst, the most important thing that I could do in this situation would be to relate it to everyday things that the person would be familiar with. I would explain that the internet is a combination of television, mail, telephone, the local library and an old computer all put into one place. Each one of those components would help explain things like email, YouTube and all of the other life altering things about the internet. To really throw them for a loop at the end to blow their mind, I'd have to let them know that their local grocery store is also available too!"

A common tactic used in interviews for Risk Analysts is making you think on your feet. This brain teaser question, or any similar to it, will judge your thoughts processes to come up with an answer rather than what your final answer is as this is a very open ended question. As you provide an answer to this question, make sure that you explain why you are coming up with your answer and your thought process behind them. A solid thought process on your end shows that you can be analytical and while creatively solving problems using your critical thinking skills.

"I think that the best way to make it easy to understand would be to start explaining it in its simplest format and then expand from there. I'd draw two neighboring houses and show how the computers in each house can connect to send electronic mail, pictures, videos and information to each other. Then, I'd expand this out over the entire world where we are all connected with all of the feature of the internet. A simplified approach like this is also necessary in our work as Risk Analysts in the financial arena and it really helps people grasp new and very complicated things quickly."

Among the common issues that are faced by Data Analysts in their work, which one or two problems do you feel really challenge analysts in the financial industry?

"From my two years of experience as a Data Analyst in the financial industry, of course the common issues of overlapping data and duplicate entries did come up. But I've found the biggest issue to be the collection and implementation of real-time data to be the biggest hurdle. With markets continually changing on a daily basis, I've had to be diligent about updating reports for my advisors that I work closely with because what may be valid and real one day may be out of date the next."

While the challenges faced by general data analysts makes for a pretty long generalized list, this question is allowing your interviewer the chance to see your critical thinking skills by having you talk about which challenges you feel will be critical in the financial field. While there isn't necessarily a right or wrong answer in this question, make sure that you are able to speak intelligently about your answer and provide ways with how you can meet the challenges in your work with Aldermore Bank PLC.

"Having some very close contacts that are already working in the financial field in data analysis, I understand that manual data tracking can be a pain point due solely to the time needed to complete. Being highly educated in automated processes and utilizing machine learning in other industries, I think the knowledge I could bring to the team here at Aldermore Bank PLC would really help advance your data analysis practices within my first six months on the job."

If a client here at Aldermore Bank PLC were to be denied the financing that they desire, how would you handle that situation?

"This is a very common occurrence in my current role in the mortgage industry. When a client is denied financing, I am very up front and honest with them in my approach. The most important thing that a customer wants to understand is why financing is denied and my experience in the finance industry lends well to me explaining the importance of credit scores and debt to equity ratios. I have found that customers that are denied financing really take well to my approach and I have had many customers come back after doing the personal work needed to improve and succeed in their application process."

As a Loan Officer at Aldermore Bank PLC, you will have times where you will have to have the difficult conversation with prospective clients that are being denied financing. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you take a professional approach with the clients and that you have a firm understanding of the regulations surrounding loans in the industry. To seal the deal for this question, talk about your ability to educate the client to better the chances that they will come back to Aldermore Bank PLC for business in the future.

"Life as a successful Loan Officer is about being knowledgeable and professional and I pride myself on my ability to project both of those things. In the times I need to personally decline a potential customer, I am firm and fair with them. I don't beat around the bush in any way because this can leave a customer with a false sense of hope. Taking the time to explain the regulations for the loan in layman's terms often helps customers understand things better as well."

At Aldermore Bank PLC, we are building a very team based culture. If hired for this position, what would you be able to contribute to this team based culture?

"If hired for this role, I understand that I'd be working among a great team of Tellers, Loan Officers, Analysts and Advisers and I really love this aspect of the role here at Aldermore Bank PLC. In my current role, I work closely with our administrative and sales staff to help ensure smooth operations on a daily basis. I rely on my ability be upfront in speaking with everyone that I work with, no matter what role they play with the organization. I have no worries in walking into the office of our CFO to talk on a regular basis and wouldn't hesitate to do so if needed for this role."

As Aldermore Bank PLC continually builds a team based atmosphere within their branches, they want to ensure that new employees that are brought aboard are true team players that will thrive in their culture. As you answer this question, be sure to stress to your interviewer that you are a team player by talking about your experiences in working as part of a team. Talk in detail about what roles you are comfortable in assuming in a team atmosphere and then discuss your own personality traits that make you a great team player. If possible, try to stress the importance of and your ability to communicate effectively to your interviewer.

"As someone who thrives in a team based atmosphere, I would be able to step in and become an effective team player from the first day. I have taken the lead on many project teams during my career and love the responsibility of taking charge on these teams. As well, I can also take directions from others on my team when needed. I have a communication style that is very confident, friendly and professional no matter who I work with. During my career, I've been complimented for my openness to feedback from others and my willingness to help other members of my team when needed."

Tell me about a goal you achieved. What steps did you take to get there?

"Early in my career, I strived to get to know the banking and thrifts systems from a 360-degree view. I worked hard to partner with my peers in learning how their roles contributed to the whole organizational flow. I set a goal to become head teller within the first five years of working in this industry. I hope to continue that career path with Aldermore Bank PLC and am excited for the opportunity to do so."

The banking industry offers a variety of opportunities to those who are motivated. Aldermore Bank PLC is seeking individuals who think about the future and aspire to be successful in everything they do. Think about something you accomplished through hard work and dedication.

"A few years ago I set the goal to complete my Bachelor's in Finance while working full time. I achieved this in just four years, through spending a lot of time in online studies, between working as a bank teller. I am very proud of the discipline and dedication I was able to put towards this goal."

Why do you want to pursue a career in the banking industry?

"I am passionate about the field of finance and accounting, mixed with an unwavering passion for quality customer service. The banking industry allows me to tap into both areas and have a lot of fun making positive customer experiences along the way."

Before your interview, take some time to think through your career goals. Aldermore Bank PLC is looking for motivated individuals who want to grow within the company. Share your career plans. Talk about how this position will help you achieve your goals!

"Careers in banking run in my family! My mother was a banker and my father, a financial advisor when I was growing up. It always fascinated me how smart they both were. It's in my blood!"

Talk about a time you had to communicate with a colleague or customer that was unhappy. What were the keys to making the situation better for all involved?

"A few weeks ago, I was having a pretty normal day at the front of the store. About an hour from closing time, a customer stormed through our front door and approached me at a rapid place with a very mad look on her face. She slammed a bag on the counter and demanded a refund for a shirt that she had purchased last week because she claimed it had a tear in the armpit. Before I could even say anything back to her, she then began berating our store for selling inferior products and she demanded to see a manager right away. As calm as I could, I told the lady that I would be very glad to take care of a return for her and I'd be happy to put her in contact with a manager. I let her know that I'd need to take her number as our manager was not in the store that evening. While she still left upset after receiving a refund, I followed up with my manager the next morning to ensure that he followed up with her. He let me know that she had calmed down and thanked me for my service the evening prior. I know that my ability to not take her harsh words personally really helped make the situation better."

Your ability to handle conflict will be an important part of this role with Aldermore Bank PLC. Tellers are often the first line of defense with customers that call or come into the branch and you will be relied upon to help diffuse any situation that could get out of hand with customers. In your answer, try to focus on your communication skills that you feel are vital to your success in these situations. As you think of a situation you've been in to use in this situation, make sure that you can demonstrate the steps that you took to ensure that the unhappy customer or colleague left the situation in a much better place.

"Last year, I showed up to work to find my close colleague in a fit of rage at her work area. He was slamming desk drawers and using really inappropriate language. Knowing that this wasn't typical behavior from him, I immediately walked over to see what was wrong. He began by telling me that he had received a very bad customer complaint the day before and was now being reprimanded for it by our manager. He started to then talk badly about our manager and I immediately cut him off. By hearing what he had said, I tried to replay the conversation for him and then asked him what led to the customer complaint. I took a very empathetic approach to learn why he was feeling the way that he did and I quickly learned that he was indeed in the wrong in thet situation. My advice to him was to take a quick walk, calm down and hen go talk to our boss. Later that day, he thanked me for my great advice and talked about the lesson learned moving forward."

In this role as a Risk Analyst with Aldermore Bank PLC, you will be expected to be the expert on changes in financial regulations that impact our business. How do you keep yourself up to speed on these changes currently?

"I have been a CFA member for over five years now and I really look forward to the quarterly CFA Digest publication, the CFA Magazine and their news brief email that comes out daily . I find these are great resources that cover things ranging from daily news that impacts our work lives to very big picture studies and findings as published in the digest. If hired for this role, I would continue to be an active CFA member and would continue to utilize their resources for my work."

In a rapidly changing field like finance, you are expected to keep up with the changes at the snap of a finger and to gauge your ability to do this, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you will have the resources needed. Talk about the groups or publications that you belong to where you get imperative news on the field. If possible, use an example of a time where you shed light to your organization on a new risk from one of those publications. As well, don't hesitate to mention that you enjoy reading and learning new things in the field.

"As a risk professional, I have been a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals for many years. I have been certified by the association for Financial Risk Management and I try to attend their national conference every year to network and learn from other professionals. The FRM group has enable me to keep on the forefront of changes in the financial management that impacts risk on an almost daily basis and the group helps me live and breath financial risk every day."

Have you ever operated a currency counting machine or a coin counter?

"While I don't have direct experience working with currency counting technology, I feel very comfortable in my ability to learn how the machines here at Aldermore Bank PLC operate. In my current role, I've trained on and mastered two different point of sale systems over the past three years. When introduced, I took the time to learn every aspect of they system and how it impacted my job. Through the training processes, I was attentive and hands on to make sure I could hit the ground running on the sales floor. Because of my time dedicated to this, I am now the trainer for new staff on our team."

To help save time and ensure accuracy, Aldermore Bank PLC has invested in cash counting technology to help automate cash counting processes within its branches. As a Teller with Aldermore Bank PLC, a part of your job will be operating and troubleshooting these machines on a daily basis. Your interviewer will likely be able to simply answer this question themselves by simply looking at your resume. What they are really looking to hear is that you have some tech savviness in working with simple machines in any of your work experience. If you do have direct experience with currency counting machines, that is great! If not, there is no need to worry as long as you can talk about your ability to learn and thrive with different technologies and give examples of times where you've had to do just that.

"Other than cashing in change in my own bank's lobby, I don't have direct experience. But, I do consider myself to have a very high technical acuity when it comes to machinery and technology. If offered a Teller position here at Aldermore Bank PLC, one of my first priorities would be to become an expert on all systems that I would be required to work on. In my last role, I had to do just this with the phone and computer systems that were specific to my role and I did this with ease."

If you were on the job here at Aldermore Bank PLC and a customer came to you with a very odd request that you did not know the answer to or how to solve, how would you handle that situation?

"If I were faced with any question that I didn't know the answer to on the job, I would confidently explain to the customer that I would need to bring in another teammate to help solve the issue and would do so quickly. While I always try to be a subject matter expert on any job that I do, working with external customers can always bring new things. If I could use any resources like a company intranet page or other documentation to help solve the issue myself, I wouldn't hesitate to do that either."

If hired for this role at Aldermore Bank PLC, you will have the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of customers. Given that variety, the number of unique, and often odd, requests that could come your way are pretty great. Whether a customer is looking to transfer money to another country or some other odd request, your interview is hoping to learn that you are able to think on your feet and not get flustered in any situation you may face on the job. As you answer the question, stay focused on the professional and resourceful approach that you would take with customers when put in this situation and don't hesitate to talk about any similar experiences you've handled in the past on the job.

"First, I would make sure that I fully understood the situation by asking more questions of the customer and would do so in a very polite and professional manner. To ensure that the customer knows a plan moving forward, I would then explain my next course of action. If it was an issue that I had to approach my manager about, I would do so immediately and I would show the customer where they could wait in the lobby. If I would be consulting any documentation or other resources, I would do the same with the customer to not have a holdup in the lobby. Then, I would work diligently to find an answer and make sure the customer was handled in a respectful and efficient manner."

What statistical analysis tools do you have experience working with?

"In my current role, most of my analysis is handled in SAS and I've really grown to appreciate the program's ability to to manage large data sets and create predictive modeling in the financial field. From a past job, I have experience on SPSS and also with the SQL programming language to build robust databases. Of course, I have received expert level training in Microsoft Excel and consider myself a master of the program."

As a successful and resourceful Data Analyst, your interviewer at Aldermore Bank PLC is expecting you to be knowledgeable and well-versed in the many tools available to you. In your answer, be sure to show diversity within particular programs like SAS and SPSS while also explaining that you are very proficient in Microsoft Excel. On top of the programs, talk about any experience you have with programming and database language like SQL and Python.

"Having been in the field for over 15 years, looking back at the technological advancements in the tools that we use is very amazing. I consider myself very fluent in both the Sisense and KISSmetrics programs. I also have a good amount of experience in Crystal Reports."

Tell me about your cash handling experience.

"As a bank teller, I have handled cash as a part of customer transactions for the past two years. I am experienced with deposits, savings withdrawals, cashing checks and issuing traveler's checks. I am excited to learn more about Aldermore Bank PLC cash handling procedures."

Share some of the details of your experience in cash handling, which are relevant to the position.

"The majority of my cash handling experience includes my time in retail. I was a cashier at Store ABC for three years. As far as the banking industry goes, I have some experience in handling cash from my three months with Bank XYZ."

How do you stay organized?

"I prioritize my workload against deadlines to stay organized, always putting the needs of customers first."

Staying organized is essential to make sure that you are thorough and pay attention to details, to keep customers happy. It is also necessary for accomplishing your daily tasks behind the scenes. Share a few tools that have helped you stay on-task and on-time.

"I work closely with my peers to share responsibilities and ensure key tasks are delegated out, should there be an important deadline to consider."

Talk about a time where you felt overwhelmed by your job duties. What did you do to stay organized and on track with everything happening?

"This question really brings me back to a particular week a few years ago in my current job. It was late fall as the holiday shopping season was ramping up and our store was very short staffed due to a maternity leave and two employees leaving on short notice. While we were short staffed in the store, it took a full team effort to ensure that customer questions were being answered, shelves were stocked and registers weren't getting backed up. To stay organized, the small team we had on staff worked off of a checklist each day to ensure we weren't missing anything important. Constant communication and flexibility was key for our success as we continually helped each other out on important things throughout the day. For me personally at the end of each day, I took a lot of satisfaction in knowing that I kept my head focused and did a great job."

At some point during your career up to this point, you've faced a time where you felt completely overwhelmed while on the job. As you answer this question, try to paint a clear picture for your interviewer that explains all of the contributing factors to you being overwhelmed. Then, proceed to focus most of your answer on talking about the skills and resources you utilized to keep you on track and focused during this difficult time. In the end, your interviewer is ideally looking to hear that you can stay organized and on track no matter how busy things get if you're hired to join the team at Aldermore Bank PLC.

"Over the past four years, my current department has cut staff by almost 50% while the overall amount of work has remained steady. This has led to my total duties doubling over the course of four years. While this has been very overwhelming for, and even detrimental to others that I work with, my ability to handle the stress has been very important. The best thing that I do is set time aside at the end of each day to recap what I've done and make a plan for what to handle the next day. Some of my colleagues can't believe that I set aside 30 minutes to plan, but I know that making a plan actually saves me considerable time in the long run and makes me more productive. As well, on days where I do feel very overwhelmed, it is important to take some personal time during a break to step away and get some fresh air. A quick 10 minute walk outside really helps refresh me for another half day of work."

If hired for this role with Aldermore Bank PLC, how would you handle a large workload of clients working through a mortgage process?

"In my current role, I'm able to handle a very large workload with my ability to stay organized on the job. If you could take a tour of my office, you'd see that I maintain a neat and clean desk with a very organized file cabinet of my current workload. If I need to shift gears and move on to work with another client, I can easily access information on the fly and keep moving. I also utilize my Outlook calendar to set deadline reminders to stay on track of closing deadlines and paperwork requirements and the tasks function within the program helps me stay right on track with all of my clients I am working with at a given time."

At the heart of this question, your interviewer is looking to find out how you manage a busy workload by having you talk about your organization skills on the job. In your answer, talk about the skills you have and the tools that you use to stay organized and on-track while handling a large workload. Don't hesitate to talk about the software programs that you use and any other tactics that you use to ensure that all deadlines are met and no issues occur with clients because of too large of a workload. In the end, your interviewer wants to walk away from this question knowing that you'll be able to provide top notch service to the clients of Aldermore Bank PLC.

"During my time working a large client load as a mortgage consultant, my success was due to my efficiency and organization on the job. If hired for this role with Aldermore Bank PLC, my efficiency would be very high because of my experience with the entire mortgage loan closing process and my ability to handle certain challenges quickly with that experience. From there, my organizational skills within the loan process software I have experience with kick in to help me keep each client on track with their loan process."

How do you build rapport with those that you work closely with?

"In an industry like yours here at Aldermore Bank PLC, one bit of mistrust between your institution and a customer can spell disaster as they withdraw funds and move them somewhere else. I pride myself on ability to build trust and rapport with those that I work with and I do this by being very genuine in all of my interactions and finding time to connect personally with all that I work with. I always remain respectful to the needs of others and do my best to keep a smile on my face and stay positive at all times."

The banking industry relies on the relationships built between the institution and its customers and your role as a Teller with Aldermore Bank PLC will find you face to face with many customers. Your interviewer is looking to learn how you go about building rapport with both customers and your colleagues in this question. As you answer, be sure to talk both about why you feel that building rapport is important and the ways that you go about building rapport to those that you work with. If possible, make sure to highlight why building strong relationships is important in the banking industry to really sell your interviewer that you have what it takes to be a part of the success at Aldermore Bank PLC.

"In my mind, building rapport with my colleagues and customers comes down to the basic principle of trust. I build trust with people by doing what I say I'm going to do and delivering results on time. I'm also always considerate to the thoughts of others and work my timeframes around the needs of others, especially when it comes to the customers that I work with. I am confident that my ability to connect with customers in a trusting way will greatly benefit the business here at Aldermore Bank PLC because customers want a friendly and trusting face handling their personal finances."

What do you know about Aldermore Bank PLC?

"I was impressed by the variety of services you offer your customers, and the mission statement at Aldermore Bank PLC. I found the mobile app extremely user-friendly, and I like the new features that help customers save money."

Aldermore Bank PLC makes it easy to find out basic company information by simply browsing their website. You can also search employee reviews to learn about experiences interviewing and working there. Share a few of the facts you learned from researching the company.

"I've read great things about working there and I'm excited for the opportunity to work in such a fun environment.Your employee reviews are strong and I understand that you spend a lot of time with community outreach programs."

How would you rate your comfort level receiving money and counting back many to our customers here at Aldermore Bank PLC?

"Because of my cashier experience in the retail industry, I would say I'm very comfortable in handling and counting large sums of cash very accurately. I was responsible for transactions made via cash, check and credit card and at the end of every shift, I had to reconcile my till. I'm happy to say that I never had an issue with a till that was off at the end of a shift or a customer that complained about change that I had given them. This was all due to the extra time that I took to ensure accuracy in every transaction."

As a Teller with Aldermore Bank PLC, you will be responsible for the receipt of cash and distribution of cash to customers that come into the lobby and drive-thru of the branch location you would be working at. Your interviewer will be looking to hear about any direct experience that you have in handling money during your career. As you talk about any experience that you do have, be sure to make it clear that you take pride in the accuracy of your work and that you show honesty and integrity that all you do in working with sums of cash.

"While I don't have direct work experience as a Cashier or Teller handling cash, I would still say that I'm confident in my abilities to handle that aspect of the job here at Aldermore Bank PLC. As you can see from my resume, my experience in finance has had me balancing accounting ledgers and those duties required a strict attention to detail and a high level of integrity in the work that I performed. I think this experience would help me transition very nicely to this role."

Talk about your experiences working with both fellow Analysts and Accountants within your own firm and with external partners. How do you feel that you will be effective in working with our external candidates in this role here at Aldermore Bank PLC?

"While I was drawn to a career as a Risk Analyst by my love of investigation and technical acumen, I am also a people person at heart. In my current role, I feel fortunate that I get to work with and communicate with all levels of my organization each day. If hired for this position here at Aldermore Bank PLC, you'll quickly find that I am sharp, witty, knowledgeable and a great all around communicator. My excellent communication skills start with face-to-face verbal conversation but also extends to written skills as well."

While you are well aware that your career as a Risk Analyst in the financial industry involves many hours behind a desk and plugging away at a computer, Aldermore Bank PLC will expect that you are an excellent team player with your fellow colleagues. On top of that, you will also have an expectation to be a face of the organization for external clients and stakeholders. While a very open ended question, make sure that you hit on your experiences in working as part of a larger team and explain the skills and personality traits that you'll bring to the table if hired at Aldermore Bank PLC. Then, be sure to talk about your experiences working with clients and how you do so effectively.

"One of the big draws for me to this role with Aldermore Bank PLC will be the ability to work closely with your clients to help them analyze their risk. In the roles that I've held as a Junior Risk Analyst up to this point in my career, my interpersonal relationships on the job have been with my colleagues, my Senior Analysts and other from my own organization. As you'll see from my letters of recommendation, I've been commended for my ability to effectively communicate risky situations in a clear, concise and understandable manner and I think the future clients I would work with here would benefit greatly from that ability."

What do you want to accomplish at Aldermore Bank PLC?

"First and foremost, I want to deliver top quality service to customers of Aldermore Bank PLC and perform my responsibilities with best in class service. I want to work at Aldermore Bank PLC because I want to become a financial advisor. Starting out as a professional banker will give me valuable experience resolving client account issues and providing financial assistance, from investments to savings and travel advice."

Set some goals so that you can share how this position at Aldermore Bank PLC will help you to achieve them and how you will add value to Aldermore Bank PLC along the way.

"My primary goal is to achieve a leadership position within the banking industry. To do this, I will continue my related education and take any training opportunities that come my way."

Talk about your experience in mortgage loan closing. How would this experience be beneficial to our team here at Aldermore Bank PLC?

"As you can see from my resume, my current role involves a lot of detail in the loan closing process for the customers that I work with. I assemble and prepare closing documents and coordinate the details of the closing process when all terms of the sale are met. In this role with Aldermore Bank PLC, I think that my hands on approach that I currently take with my customers would suit your clients well because I take the time to work with them one-on-one and never hesitate to provide top notch customer service to any person that I'm working with."

As a Loan Consultant with Aldermore Bank PLC, you will be tasked with guiding clients through the complete mortgage process. This will include seeking the best funds available, completing paperwork and seeing the loan through to closing for them. For this question, your interviewer can a good sense of your experience by taking a look at your resume, but they're looking to get more details on your mortgage closing experience by having you talk in detail. Be sure to discuss your specific experience and tie what you can to this specific role with Aldermore Bank PLC.

"Having been in the mortgage business for over ten years, I have a vast amount of experience in seeking personalized mortgage options for clients and walking them through the entire loan process. I am familiar with the processing of necessary loan closing documents in several state and know all of the fine details that are required to ensure that there are no hiccups in the process for clients. This experience would allow me to hit the ground running in this role here at Aldermore Bank PLC."

What experience do you have working on an advanced phone system and what skills do you have that you feel would be essential to work with our clients over the phone?

"In my current position, I handle a majority of the incoming calls to our company. I have to triage calls based on customer needs and utilize the system to transfer calls, place customers on hold or push through to another person's voicemail. Some key things that have helped me master this part of my current job are my willingness and ability to learn my company inside and out and my clear and concise communications with customers that call. If hired for this role, I would be very thorough in my orientation process to learn all of the potential situations I would face with customers here at Aldermore Bank PLC over the phone."

As the customers of Aldermore Bank PLC become more virtual, a good chunk of business transactions happen over the phone. In this role, you will be expected to bring solid skills in handling the technical side of the phone system and great communication skills to handle customers when not face to face. In your answer, talk about any experience you have in working a multi-line phone system. As well, talk about the communication and organizational skills you have to ensure that you can help customers in any way possible over the phone.

"The skills that I would bring to the team here at Aldermore Bank PLC in this role would be clear and concise verbal communication skills, my ability to read the tone of voice of others and strong organizational skills to handle multiple duties at one time. These skills really helped me thrive in my last role where I was handling customers online, over the phone and in-person in our branch office. At that job, I used and worked on the Avaya cloud based phone system and was able to learn and use all functions of that system."

Talk about a time you had to handle failure at any point in your career. How did you handle that situation and move forward with confidence?

"A couple of years ago with my current company, my manager asked me if I would consider a promotion into a role as a supervisor for our department. Having not had experience supervising individuals up to that point in my career, I was very hesitant at first. My manager kept telling me that I had the skills necessary to do so. I did accept the offer to become the supervisor and after just three months, I fully realized that the position wasn't for me. I had become very close friends with a lot of the people I was now supervising and that made the real difficult for me. I didn't hesitate to approach my manager to let them know that I wasn't cut out for the role and we worked on a plan for me to transition back my former role. Looking back on the situation, I really learned a lot about myself and who I was as a worker to not put myself in a situation like that again."

This is a question that is being posed to you that gives you a chance to show your ability to overcome adversity and handle yourself with integrity during a time of failure. Your job in answering this question will be to prove that you can cope with failure in a productive way that leads to making the situation right and learning lessons for the future. As you prepare for a question like this for your interview with Aldermore Bank PLC, think of a situation where you can highlight both of these things and don't hesitate to tell your interviewer the reasons why the failure occurred. Your interview fully understands that you are a human that makes mistakes and as long as you take a lesson moving forward, you will be in great standing with them.

"In my current role, I was the person who was informed that we were losing one of our biggest clients to a local competitor. In speaking with the client, they were very unhappy about our customer service and overall pricing. Being responsible for the customer service for our customers, I felt very responsible for losing this client and had to break the news to our leadership team. Right away, our Sales Manager contacted the client to ask a lot of questions on why they were no longer utilizing our services. From there we took a lot of lessons moving forward and I worked through a new customer service policy for my team to follow moving forward."

Here at Aldermore Bank PLC, part of your job will entail talking to our customers about sensitive and confidential information. How will you handle these situations if offered this position?

"When faced with this situation, I would ensure that the conversation between the customer and myself would be done quietly and with any documents out of the view of others. A person's financial situation is private and I would take all necessary measures to keep conversations as private as possible in this role. In my current role, I have frequent private phone conversations with customers and I need to keep the same mindset with them as I would in this job."

At times in this role, you will be required to discuss the confidential finances of customers and this will happen during customer deposits, withdrawals and payments to the bank. When these situations happen during times where the lobby is busy with other customers, you will be required to speak with customers in a very quiet manner. As you answer this question, make sure that you reiterate that you are aware of the sensitive nature of the transactions you will be working on with customers at Aldermore Bank PLC and talk about how you will go about ensuring that a customers private information is kept private. If you have worked in situations that involved confidential material in the past, be sure to talk about them as well.

"Having worked with confidential data and information through my entire career, this part of the job at Aldermore Bank PLC would be second nature to me. By keeping a neat and tidy work area, I would be able to ensure that any customer information was filed appropriately after each transaction and wouldn't be viewable to the next customer that I handled. When it comes to personal interactions, I would ensure that our conversations were held in a quiet manner as privately as I'm able to do so."

Tell me about your education. How has it prepared you for this opportunity with Aldermore Bank PLC?

"Getting a Bachelor's Degree in Business Finance was a great experience. I especially enjoyed my accounting courses because they challenged me to think more critically and furthered my analytical skills. I know these skills will help me to handle work at Aldermore Bank PLC and advise clients on important financial decisions."

Share some of the highlights from any of your relevant courses from high school, college, university or on the job training. Explain how your experiences will enhance your performance.

"The bulk of my education has been on-the-job training with my current company. They value continued education and have a tuition reimbursement program which I am happy to have taken advantage of. This year I have taken additional courses in calculus, negotiations, and building a sales pipeline. All of these courses will help me in this role with Aldermore Bank PLC because you are customer service focused while also needing employees who understand banking related concepts and calculations."

Aldermore Bank PLC Interview Questions

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1. Customer service is the name of our game at Aldermore Bank PLC. If hired for this role, how would you be able to provide the best customer service possible to our clients?
2. Tell us how you keep your knowledge current with ongoing changes in the banking industry.
3. Pretend an old friend just awoke from a coma that lasted over 30 years. How would you describe the internet to them?
4. Among the common issues that are faced by Data Analysts in their work, which one or two problems do you feel really challenge analysts in the financial industry?
5. If a client here at Aldermore Bank PLC were to be denied the financing that they desire, how would you handle that situation?
6. At Aldermore Bank PLC, we are building a very team based culture. If hired for this position, what would you be able to contribute to this team based culture?
7. Tell me about a goal you achieved. What steps did you take to get there?
8. Why do you want to pursue a career in the banking industry?
9. Talk about a time you had to communicate with a colleague or customer that was unhappy. What were the keys to making the situation better for all involved?
10. In this role as a Risk Analyst with Aldermore Bank PLC, you will be expected to be the expert on changes in financial regulations that impact our business. How do you keep yourself up to speed on these changes currently?
11. Have you ever operated a currency counting machine or a coin counter?
12. If you were on the job here at Aldermore Bank PLC and a customer came to you with a very odd request that you did not know the answer to or how to solve, how would you handle that situation?
13. What statistical analysis tools do you have experience working with?
14. Tell me about your cash handling experience.
15. How do you stay organized?
16. Talk about a time where you felt overwhelmed by your job duties. What did you do to stay organized and on track with everything happening?
17. If hired for this role with Aldermore Bank PLC, how would you handle a large workload of clients working through a mortgage process?
18. How do you build rapport with those that you work closely with?
19. What do you know about Aldermore Bank PLC?
20. How would you rate your comfort level receiving money and counting back many to our customers here at Aldermore Bank PLC?
21. Talk about your experiences working with both fellow Analysts and Accountants within your own firm and with external partners. How do you feel that you will be effective in working with our external candidates in this role here at Aldermore Bank PLC?
22. What do you want to accomplish at Aldermore Bank PLC?
23. Talk about your experience in mortgage loan closing. How would this experience be beneficial to our team here at Aldermore Bank PLC?
24. What experience do you have working on an advanced phone system and what skills do you have that you feel would be essential to work with our clients over the phone?
25. Talk about a time you had to handle failure at any point in your career. How did you handle that situation and move forward with confidence?
26. Here at Aldermore Bank PLC, part of your job will entail talking to our customers about sensitive and confidential information. How will you handle these situations if offered this position?
27. Tell me about your education. How has it prepared you for this opportunity with Aldermore Bank PLC?

Aldermore Bank PLC Interview Questions

1. Customer service is the name of our game at Aldermore Bank PLC. If hired for this role, how would you be able to provide the best customer service possible to our clients?

2. Tell us how you keep your knowledge current with ongoing changes in the banking industry.

3. Pretend an old friend just awoke from a coma that lasted over 30 years. How would you describe the internet to them?

4. Among the common issues that are faced by Data Analysts in their work, which one or two problems do you feel really challenge analysts in the financial industry?

5. If a client here at Aldermore Bank PLC were to be denied the financing that they desire, how would you handle that situation?

6. At Aldermore Bank PLC, we are building a very team based culture. If hired for this position, what would you be able to contribute to this team based culture?

7. Tell me about a goal you achieved. What steps did you take to get there?

8. Why do you want to pursue a career in the banking industry?

9. Talk about a time you had to communicate with a colleague or customer that was unhappy. What were the keys to making the situation better for all involved?

10. In this role as a Risk Analyst with Aldermore Bank PLC, you will be expected to be the expert on changes in financial regulations that impact our business. How do you keep yourself up to speed on these changes currently?

11. Have you ever operated a currency counting machine or a coin counter?

12. If you were on the job here at Aldermore Bank PLC and a customer came to you with a very odd request that you did not know the answer to or how to solve, how would you handle that situation?

13. What statistical analysis tools do you have experience working with?

14. Tell me about your cash handling experience.

15. How do you stay organized?

16. Talk about a time where you felt overwhelmed by your job duties. What did you do to stay organized and on track with everything happening?

17. If hired for this role with Aldermore Bank PLC, how would you handle a large workload of clients working through a mortgage process?

18. How do you build rapport with those that you work closely with?

19. What do you know about Aldermore Bank PLC?

20. How would you rate your comfort level receiving money and counting back many to our customers here at Aldermore Bank PLC?

21. Talk about your experiences working with both fellow Analysts and Accountants within your own firm and with external partners. How do you feel that you will be effective in working with our external candidates in this role here at Aldermore Bank PLC?

22. What do you want to accomplish at Aldermore Bank PLC?

23. Talk about your experience in mortgage loan closing. How would this experience be beneficial to our team here at Aldermore Bank PLC?

24. What experience do you have working on an advanced phone system and what skills do you have that you feel would be essential to work with our clients over the phone?

25. Talk about a time you had to handle failure at any point in your career. How did you handle that situation and move forward with confidence?

26. Here at Aldermore Bank PLC, part of your job will entail talking to our customers about sensitive and confidential information. How will you handle these situations if offered this position?

27. Tell me about your education. How has it prepared you for this opportunity with Aldermore Bank PLC?