Tell me about the last time had to deal with a demanding client while you were busy with other things on the job.
This question not only aims to assess whether they could trust you to represent their brand when engaging with their clients but also whether you could be trusted to multitask the varying functions of your job while maintaining your attention to detail. How you answer could potentially inform them whether you meet their required experience level, whether you would be able to manage your stress, and operate with integrity. As they state on their site, "We are a fiduciary to our clients. Our clients' interests come first. The fiduciary mindset is the bedrock of our identity. It reflects our integrity and the unbiased advice we give our clients. And it's what inspires us to come to work every day and help people build better futures."
Try to make your responses as structured and concise as possible. Avoid rambling or delivering roundabout answers. This is why it is recommended to use the STAR method when structuring your answers. Address each answer by first offering the SITUATION involved with your example. Then move into the TASK this situation required. Then share the ACTION you took and the RESULT of your actions. This will add structure to your answers.
"I had a client who was upset that some of their portfolio had lost value, but they were upset about something that didn't affect their portfolio, as they were investing conservatively with the long-term planning for their retirement. I was in the middle of preparing for a meeting that I was going to conduct in 15 minutes. I quickly dropped everything and worked on calming this individual by actively listening to their grievances, mirroring what they were communicating so that they felt heard, and empathizing situationally. I then educated them further on our approach and what you often see with such stable, long-term stock investments. I was able to walk them back from the cliff with five minutes left to prepare for my meeting. I then wrapped up my notes in shorthand, informed everyone attending the meeting that there would be a three-minute delay, and I was on top of it after that."
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