How do you plan to build relationships with your team members at BlackRock?
Your interviewer wants to know whether you successfully build strong relationships with your team members. "We all have a role to play in leading the firm's future growth. We believe that diverse teams with complementary strengths are critical to our success." Discuss how you're proactive in getting to know your colleagues and fitting into BlackRock's collaborative culture. Draw on past experiences you have had building relationships with colleagues in previous positions, and describe how you would go about it in this position.
"From my first day on the job, I would take the time to break the ice with my colleagues by setting up an individual meeting with each person. In the past, I've done these meetings over lunch or in an office where I've had questions prepared to get to know the person personally and professionally. I want to ask my colleagues what they expect from me and what I can expect from them. I've found that these conversations open doors for working with each other moving forward. I know that BlackRock is known for its work culture and team environment, which is one of the main reasons I'm drawn to this position."
"Being the new person on the job can be a high anxiety time for some people, but I love the opportunity to break the ice with my coworkers by making that first contact. I think it's important to get to know each other personally because we spend so much of our lives together in the workplace, and I am a caring person who wants to know how last night's soccer game went for the kids. Beyond that first ice-breaking conversation, my work relationships are solidified through my work ethic and proving that I am a true team player."
"I would start by being open and transparent and giving everyone a chance to get to know me while making efforts to get to know them. Then I would lean on them for their insights and experience to learn what direction they felt the firm was growing in. This would give me an idea of their strengths and unique manners of contributing and where I could find opportunities to grow among them and within the company."
