At Credit Acceptance, our clients are the lifeblood of our business and we do everything in our power to make them happy. What does the term customer service mean to you in your work?

"A pursuit of a career in the financial field really suited my two passions in life of mathematics and problem solving. In this role, helping clients solve problems in an efficient manner and with a smile on my face would be the drive to succeed that I need. At the end of the day, if I see that my work helped a client grow their wealth and achieve their financial goals, I know that it was a job well done."

No matter what position you are interviewing for at Credit Acceptance, your interviewer is looking to hear what customer service means to you in your work and how you apply that philosophy in your everyday work life. In essence, they want to hear your story as to why solid customer service is important to you. Prior to your interviewer, be sure to really think about this question to apply what is important to you in how you go about your work. Whether you talk about problem solving or making people happy, this should be reflected in the work that you do.

"As a people person by nature, I have an innate ability to do what is needed to give customers the best experience possible when I'm working with them. This means that I reflectively listen to their needs and concerns and do what is necessary to help them based on what I heard. In my interactions with customers, I am positive, pleasant and nurturing by nature and I've found that customers are very receptive to my style off communication with them. If hired for this role at Credit Acceptance, you'll quickly find that dedicated customer service is one of top qualities that I will bring to you team."

At Credit Acceptance, we expect our Business Analysts to put extra emphasis into the risk management aspects of their project work. How have you performed risk mitigation and risk avoidance in your previous roles as a Business Analyst?

"As you can see from my resume, my Business Analyst experiences come from the software and manufacturing industries where common risks were associated with systematic and operational faults. Similar to the finance industry, I also have experience in helping mitigate legal risk. In my current role, I mitigate legal risk by working with a team of legal experts to know the laws and then develop a series of what-if questions to propose potential scenarios. Based on the what-if scenarios, we can implement specific requirements into the project to help minimize potential risk."

The financial field is often posed with great risks and Business Analysts must always factor potential risks into the equation of any project that they work on. To get a better idea of how you will do this if hired at Credit Acceptance, your interview is giving you a chance to talk about your knowledge of risk and how you have worked with risk mitigation and risk avoidance in your previous positions. If new to the financial services field, it is important to show that you know that common risks can be systematic, operational, legal and credit related.

"From an early point in my career as a Business Analyst, I learned that a solid analysis process is the key to reducing any risk in a project. Two areas that apply the most are scope creep and impact analysis. To reduce scope creep and avoid any risks associate with it, I ensure that all stakeholders understand the scope of the project from the start and that I check in to validate the requirements as frequently as I can."

This position at Credit Acceptance has generated a lot of interest from applicants. What do you feel is the one quality that sets you apart from others we are speaking with about this position?

"As I've talked about during this interview process and from what you can see on my resume, I have all of the technical skills needed to grow your financial advising practice here at Credit Acceptance. What sets me apart from my competition is my drive to succeed in this industry and I'd love to bring that drive to Credit Acceptance to help working with your highest profile clients possible. Growing up and continuing to this point in my life, I've always been a very competitive person. I've played many team and individual sports my whole life and my drive to win in those has definitely carried over to and been a huge benefit in my work as a Financial Advisor. I'd love to bring this competitive spirit to your team."

This question is the perfect opportunity for you to highlight the one key quality that makes you the best person for this position, so be sure to really think about what this one quality is ahead of your interview. While there are many ways that you can take you answer to impress your interviewer and seal the deal for you in getting the job, be sure to avoid making assumptions about the other candidates in your answer. As well, be sure to avoid anything in your answer that points to this job being convenient for you personally or the fact that you'll be getting compensated for this work. Those are quick ways for you to go to the bottom of the candidate ranking list.

"From what I understand about this role in Client Services with Credit Acceptance, my day to day work will include a lot of client interaction and I really feel like the job description was written with my skills and abilities in mind. But the thing that will really set me apart for being the perfect fit for this role is my experience on the sales side of things where I spent five years of my working career in the retail sales industry. In sales, I have developed key skills like product knowledge and selling skills that would be very beneficial to this role."

Talk to me about a challenging situation you had to handle on the job that involved another colleague. How did you handle that situation?

"A couple of years ago, we had hired a new Junior Advisor on to our team and I was tasked with being his mentor. Having mentored several other thriving Junior Advisors prior to him starting, I was excited for the opportunity. Within the first week of him being on the job, I overheard a colleague of mine talking very openly about his disdain for the hire of this new Advisor and witnessing him personally criticizing him in a face-to-face encounter. Immediately, I spoke to my colleague in a private office about my concern over his actions and words towards the new Advisor. Having been a part of the interview process and his early mentorship, I knew that he had the skills to succeed and I reiterated that to my colleague. After agreeing to back off on any private criticizing of the new Advisor and a promise to help mentor him, I learned that direct conversations are the best way to handle workplace conflicts."

At the heart of this question, your interviewer is looking to hear how you use solid interpersonal and relationship building skills to diffuse a difficult situation with a coworker when on the job. No matter what situation that you talk about, make sure to focus your answer on a positive mindset and the steps that you walked through to turn a potentially hazardous situation into a good one. As well, talk about lessons learned from that situation that you keep with you to this day on the job.

"f"A couple of years ago, I approached a colleague that had missed a deadline or a big audit we were conducting and she completely blew up at my during our conversation. At first, I was very taken aback by her response because I had never witnessed that from her in many years of working together. While remaining calm, I allowed her the opportunity to vent to me and it turns out that she was going through a lot of things in her personal life that were impacting her work. While keeping our project deadlines in mind, I also took a personal approach in letting her know that she could bring these issues to me as both a colleague and a friend and we could work through them together in the future. This approach is vital to any conflicts that can arise with colleagues and one I don't hesitate to take when needed."

As a Business Analyst at Credit Acceptance, you will be tasked with working with diverse teams of stakeholders on different projects. How do you handle stakeholders that are difficult and bullheaded?

"Honestly, one of the things that I love the most about being a Business Analyst is the mix of people that I get to work with and if I took an honest look back over time, I'd say that every team that I was a part of had at least one difficult person to work with. In those situations, I rely on an empathetic approach that really tries to narrow down what makes that person tick on the job. With that knowledge in hand, I can then touch them in a relatable manner and even provide them with work that suits their needs the best."

Leading a project team will put you in front of many differing personalities and you need to have the ability to work with every type of personality to be successful in this role at Credit Acceptance. While your interviewer may not be telling you that you will work with a difficult person because they know of a few, they're more looking to see how you utilize your communication and problem solving skills to make the situation better for everyone. As you answer this question, feel free to use an example from the past that highlights how you used your interpersonal skills to work effectively with a difficult person on a project team.

"Just recently, an executive with my company was the final decision maker and stakeholder on a sales project and she had some very unrealistic expectations for the project from the start and she wasn't afraid to let me know. To best handle this situation, I listened to all of her thoughts on the project and asked a lot of follow up questions to get her sense of the project. After that, I asked for a couple of days to rework some design of the project. When we had our follow up meeting, I educated her on a few legal aspects of the project that wouldn't fit into her mold. She thanked me for the insight and we were off on the right path from there."

In this role with Credit Acceptance, we will rely on your analytical reporting skills on a regular basis. Why do you feel analytical reporting is important in the financial field?

"As a Business Analyst, I've always viewed data as a tool to help make the right business decisions and my analytical reporting requires thoroughness in my data reporting. Here at Credit Acceptance, you can easily make decisions based off of hunches or gut feelings. But I have a feeling that the more data gathered to help make the decision, the better the decision ends up being in the end."

Because the financial field is heavily reliant on numbers and data, analytical reporting can be a great tool to help key stakeholders make key decisions that have a positive impact on the business. In your answer to this question, point out the fact that you know the impact that data can have in the financial field and also talk about the types of analytical reporting you have done in the past that can be useful to the team at Credit Acceptance. Also, feel free to ask any follow up questions on the expectation for this position.

Are you familiar with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and how do you think it can be applied to this role with Credit Acceptance?

"I am very familiar with the FDCPA in my current role and I always keep the guidelines in my mind when attempting to collect a debt. In the medical billing field, our company policies are reflective of the FDCPA and prohibit me from contacting clients outside of the hours of 8:00am to 9:00pm. If I ever have to search online records for clients, I also know that I cannot contact them at their place of employment. If hired for this role, you can rest assured that I am very familiar with the act and would be very eager to learn how your policies at Credit Acceptance reflect the act."

First and foremost for this interview question, your interviewer will be looking to see that you are familiar with the act and the legal ramifications for companies that don't follow it. Make sure you can explain highlights of the act and then talk about how you have put them into practice. Last, tie what you know about the act into the role that you are interviewing for while highlighting once again a respect and obedience for the laws in place in regard to debt collection.

"As I have prepared for this interview, I feel that I've done my research to really understand the Fair Deb Collection Practices Act and how it would apply to this role with Credit Acceptance. I understand that my communications must be free of harassment to the individuals I would be contacting and I want you to know that my professional demeanor and communication skills would be of utmost importance in this role. I also understand the issues of time and place of communications to clients as well. So I can have a better understanding of the act and how it applies here, are you able to expand on any specific policies the company has in place?"

Accuracy is important to us at Credit Acceptance. Do you always double check or proofread your work?

"Spelling and grammatical errors are a pet peeve of mine. I will triple check my work if there is time! I feel that it is imperative to submit error-free work."

Double checking and proofreading are essential parts of a job well done. Assure the interviewer that you are diligent when it comes to submitting good, clean, work.

"I do my best to put great work out, at all times. I believe in double checking my work although I must admit that I have fallen victim to the odd mistake like the best of us!"

At Credit Acceptance, we are always looking for bilingual skills from our staff to better suit and expand our client base. Do you speak any other languages fluently?

"Other than three years of German back in high school many years ago, I do not speak any other languages fluently. Even with those three years of schooling in the language, I couldn't hold anything other than a very basic conversation in German."

This is a straightforward question where your interviewer is looking to simply see if you could the additional skill of being bilingual to the team at Credit Acceptance. If you are, it could be potentially highly marketable to new clients. If being bilingual is required for the job, you would likely see those details in the job advertisement. Feel free to speak openly and honestly for this question and an answer of no for this question shouldn't disqualify you from candidacy for the position if it is not a requirement.

"From my time in the military, I did receive formal training from the Department of Defense in Chinese and Mandarin. I used these languages for over two years as an interpreter and I would still consider my skills to be very fluent in speaking and fairly fluent in writing. Do you see these as useful skills for the team here at Credit Acceptance?"

When it comes to financial services, which focus do you find the most rewarding?

"I find many areas of financial services to be intriguing. After researching your company further, I see that you focus on Capital Market Services and Brokerage Services. I really enjoy working in both areas but primarily Capital Market Services and restructuring debt."

There are so many areas of focus when it comes to financial services. Talk to the interviewer about the areas of finance that you enjoy working on the most. Be sure to acknowledge some areas of focus within Credit Acceptance when you answer this question.

"One of the primary reasons behind my application to your company was that you offer Commercial Services. This is an area or strength for me that I look forward to evolving even further."

What would you do in this role with Credit Acceptance if you could not get in touch with a debtor that owes money?

"If hired for this role, I fully realize that it will be a common occurrence to fail to make contact with a debtor. In my past roles, I have found that people with significant debt often change phone numbers and make efforts to avoid important mail. I would always follow company policy in my attempts to make contact through formal letters and phone calls. If necessary, I would scour public records for current address and contact information for the debtor."

This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to see how you will handle a very real situation in the role that you are interviewing for and gives them a chance to test your ethics and legal understanding of the FDCPA. In your answer, be sure to reiterate that you are able to stay levelheaded in your approach while also having the ability to think outside the box and be creative in every effort to find a solution.

List the top 3 skills that you have acquired in your last role.

"In the past few years I was able to upgrade my education while still working full time. The biggest skill that I gained was my ability to multi-task as I worked the dual role of employee and student. I also have strong skills in a variety of Microsoft programs such as PowerPoint and Excel."

You have likely gained many valuable skills in your career. Share with the interviewer which skills you value the most. Be sure to include skills that will potentially benefit this potential new employer.

"There are many skills I gained in my most recent position as I had a great training program and my boss was a strong mentor. If I had to choose three top skills I would say that the biggest ones were effective multitasking, solid closing skills, and cold calling abilities."

What tools do you currently use to help you be a more efficient and effective Business Analyst?

"Being very computer proficient, I consider myself an expert on the Microsoft products like Excel, PowePoint, Access and Outlook to help perform my job effectively. As well, I have very good knowledge of SQL databases as well. If hired here at Credit Acceptance, are there any standard software products that I would be required to work on and learn?"

While the tools that Business Analyst use can vary greatly between industries and even companies, your interviewer is looking to get the sense that you are a resourceful employee that has a good working knowledge of many different types of software programs. While being honest in your answer, try to show diversity in your answer by talking about data specific software, word processing software, presentation software and any other programs that you see fit for this role with Credit Acceptance.

"In recent years, my department has started using Tableau and it has been amazing with its ability to visualize data for our internal and external customers. I've had many hours of training within the program that was tuned for business analytics and I can't say enough good things about the program. On top of Tableau, I also use Microsoft Excel and Crystal Reports on a regular basis."

If hired for this role at Credit Acceptance, I want to be sure that I'm hiring a motivated individual. What motivates you in your daily work and your career?

"I find myself the most motivated on the job when I am being challenged and when I can continue learning new things. From what I've learned in talking to others that currently work here at Credit Acceptance, the fast paced environment and continuous changes in the industry would keep me very motivated in my work and you'd never have to question if I were truly enjoying and being motivated in my work."

In the financial services field, you should have strong personal motivation to succeed in your work and your interviewer is asking this question to see what it is that make you tick while on the job. While being open and honest in how you stay motivated on the job, make sure that your answer doesn't include collecting a paycheck every week or two. While money is certainly a motivator in this field, make sure that you use it in an appropriate context if you decide to talk about the financial piece of this business as being a motivator. In the end, your interviewer is looking to get a sense of how he or she will be able to keep you hungry for more if you are hired for this role.

"At a young age, my father taught me to do what I love and love what I do and I know that as I approach the middle years of my career that I made the right career choice. The personal finance field has really blended my love of helping others succeed and my passion for statistics and computers. In this role with Credit Acceptance, I'll be working with your clients everyday on helping them achieve financial success and that alone is all of the reason I need to get out of bed every morning."

Give an example of a time that you had to resolve a difficult situation with a client or customer. What were the keys to coming to a successful solution?

"Having worked in customer service for one of the areas largest auto dealership for the last six years, handling difficult customers was a situation I had to learn to handle pretty quickly. Just a few weeks ago, I was covering our front desk on a Saturday afternoon when our sales staff was still open for business. I recognized the person approaching the door as a customer that had recently purchased a new vehicle. He stormed through the door, placed his keys on the counter in front of me and said that he demanded a refund on his new purchase because the check engine light had already come on inside of the car. Knowing off the top of my head that his new vehicle was under a full warranty, I calmly let him know that his car was under warranty and that I'd have a member of our sales staff come out and take a quick look. I also let him know that our service department was not working that afternoon and, if needed, we could schedule him for a diagnostic test at his earliest convenience. After our salesman went out to take a quick look and not seeing anything obvious, we ended up giving him a loaner vehicle so his new car could be taken care of on Monday morning. He ended up leaving pretty happy that day and I know that my patience in hearing him out really helped."

In a front facing role with Credit Acceptance where you will be interacting with clients on a daily basis, your interviewer wants to be ensured that you have the skills to resolve client issues with ease and they'll look to do so with this question. In your answer, let your interviewer know that you can take ownership of any situation by talking about a specific time where you did what was necessary to alleviate a difficult situation with a client. Talk about the resources that you used and your interpersonal skills that helped turn a potentially bad situation into a successful one.

"A couple of years ago, I was asked to work with a very high profile client for his financial advising services when he came to our firm because my CEO trusted I could handle what he felt would be a difficult task. From my first meeting with the client, he demanded that we provide more returns than the previous firm that he worked with and he was rather rude with our front desk staff. I took the approach of taking the time to listen to his needs and speak to him more about what my firm could provide. I laid out my experience and track record for him to help him build his trust in me. I knew that with him, I would need to take time to walk through my decision making processes for his investments and he really appreciated that. As of today, we are still working strong together and his wealth is growing."

Give me an example of a time that you had to solve a problem without having all of the necessary information at hand to do so. How did you handle that situation?

"Back when I first joined my current organization, I was taking a role that had been vacant for many months and I had to start with a backlog of work along with the regular daily activities. This customer service role included logging daily visitors and calls and the interim rep only kept brief notes. After taking the time to walk through training and getting running on my own, I realized that the current workload wouldn't allow me to catch up on the backlog of work that had been missed. While I had ideas of how to play catch up on the work, I approached my supervisor with a few ideas and we settled on having me log hours from home on our system as overtime to get caught up. I worked with our IT staff on getting set up on our network from home and was more that willing to help out with some extra hours."

For this question, your interviewer is looking to test your ability to be analytical and resourceful in a specific situation where you had to dig further to solve a problem. Prior to your interview, try to think of a time in the past where you encountered this specific situation and talk through it by laying out the problem and walking through the step-by-step approach you took to solve the problem. Try to be as detailed you can as you explain how you thought the problem out and worked hard to use the resources you could to help solve the problem. Your interviewer will be relying on these fine details to truly see how you will perform on the job with Credit Acceptance.

"Working for a large financial institution, our advisory staff help cover for each other when we are on vacation, sick or simply out of office for the day. We typically team up in group of three to help provide coverage for each other. A couple of months ago, I fielded a call from a colleague's client while she was away on vacation and completely out of phone coverage. The client had several questions about their personal finances that I couldn't help resolve off the top of my head. I let them know that their advisor was away on vacation but I would take the next hour to research their questions and get back to them shortly. This was a very acceptable path of action to the client and I took the time to get their questions answered quickly."

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 Credit Acceptance 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."

On the finance side of Credit Acceptance, we expect our representatives to be ingrained in our sales focused culture. If hired for this role, how would you learn and embrace our sales process?

"Knowing that the main goal of Credit Acceptance is to sell more products, I understand my role on the finance side is to provide customers with the best options for them to walk out the door as a lifelong customer. If hired for this role, I will take the time over the first weeks on the job to fully understand your product line, costs and typical financing procedures so I can hit the ground running in no time. In my current role, I communicate very regularly with our sales staff on each customer that we work mutually together with. It really helps provide the best customer experience possible and absolutely helps boost sales."

As an experienced loan or finance professional, your interviewer is likely very confident in the skills that you would bring to the team. This question gives them the opportunity to how you will fit into the unique culture with the team at Credit Acceptance. Because they are a sales focused organization, your interviewer will expect anyone in this role to embrace that culture. In your answer, talk about your ability to partner with sales staff by using your strong people skills. As well, give your interviewer a sense of how you go about learning new processes if hired for this position and don't hesitate to give an example from your past on how you've done this.

"I would fully expect that a good part of my orientation process into this role at Credit Acceptance would entail a full education on the sales part of the business. I would look forward to working closely with and learning from the boots on the ground sales staff as that would give me great insight into the customers that I would be working with. From there, I would be able to build relationships with the sales staff and build a bond moving forward."

In this finance role with Credit Acceptance, what do you feel would make for an ideal customer experience?

"In this role with Credit Acceptance, I will be dealing with the financial impact on customers of a really large purchase and this type of purchase often causes stress and tension for them. To provide the best overall experience, I will always be very thorough and educational in my approach to make sure that every question that the customer has is fully answered. The worst thing that can ever happen is for a customer to bite off more than they can chew when it comes to a new loan."

In a role as a Loan Processor or Loan Officer, simply following company guidelines and answering questions from customers can be done by a robot. Credit Acceptance will be looking for you to help provide the best overall customer experience possible. For this question, they'll be looking to hear what great customer service on the lending side of the business means to you. No matter how you answer this question, be sure you explain the importance of making the customer feel valued in your approach with them.

"My approach to providing the greatest overall experience to my clients has always been solid listening and communication skills with them. I take the time to get to know my clients and what makes them tick. This approach gives me great insight in how I can best match them with the right loan moving forward. As you'll see when you contact my references, I have a very high overall customer rating in my current role based on customer surveys we have done over the past five years."

How do you stay on top of new trends in the financial services industry?

"I stay on top of financial service trends through a variety of blogs, news sites and financial magazines. My favorite finance news site at the moment is businessinsider.com."

The interviewer would like to know that your passion for financial services goes beyond your work hours. Do you keep on top of industry news and trends on your off time? Assure the interviewer that you are well immersed in the industry.

"I believe that it is crucial for me to stay on top of news in the financial services industry if I hope to be a success. I have joined multiple meet up groups to network with industry peers. It has really helped my network and given me insight into how other financial service professionals are making their careers flourish."

What are some common excuses that you think you will face from debtors in this role and how to you think you would handle them?

"In my current role, I have heard the common excuses like the check is in the mail. In those instances, I make a direct plan with the debtor and then make sure to schedule any follow up for myself if needed. Sometimes, the debtor is telling the truth and we receive payment soon. But if we don't, I promptly follow up with them. I have received some odd excuses as well. A couple of months ago, a debtor claimed that he was just too busy to pay his bills. I was very professional in my direct approach in letting him know that if he had time to talk to me on the phone, he had time to pay his amount owed. He paid his amount owed over the phone that moment."

This question gives you the opportunity to show your familiarity with how consumers typically react to debt collection attempts. If you have direct experience dealing with any of the common excuses that debtors tend to use, talk about how you handle them. If you don't have direct prior experience in a collections role, be sure to research common excuses like a debtor claiming they haven't received any notice of debt and talk about how you would handle those situations. In your answer to how you would handle each excuse, be sure to explain how you will provide great customer service while making every effort to collect in a timely fashion.

"I understand that coming into this role with Credit Acceptance, I will be working with clients that just don't have the funds available to make full payment at the time of contact. In those situations, I would expect that I would have the freedom to work out a payment plan with those clients that satisfies the needs of Credit Acceptance while also giving the client the best results as well."

If a client here at Credit Acceptance 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 Credit Acceptance, 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 Credit Acceptance 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."

In this role with Credit Acceptance, you may often have to handle aggressively angry clients. How would you handle that situation in this role?

"In my current role, handling very angry customers is an every day occurrence. When I face an angry customer in my call center, I have the ability to not take what they say personally. Rather, oI hear them out on what they have to say and then I repeat back what I believe their top main concerns are. With that knowledge confirmed, I focus on speaking back to them in a even toned voice and talk about the solutions that will work for both my employer and the client. I think that in this role with Credit Acceptance, my experience and skills would match greatly in this role."

Being successful in account collections requires diligence and, at times, a very thick skin. This role with Credit Acceptance will put you in contact with clients that could be in poor financial situations and they may take their anger out on you. Your interviewer will be looking to hear that you have the right interpersonal skills to both calm the client down and get the desired results from the client. In your answer, describe how you use your reflective listening skills to put the client at ease. As well, talk about the importance lf solving the problem for Credit Acceptance.

"If hired for this position and put in contact with an angry client, my cool and calm demeanor would be my greatest asset. My firm belief is that letting an angry person talk and then having a focused and calm conversation with them is often the best way to handle the situation the best. I've learned in the past that putting a caller on hold in these situations was the worst thing to do because it gave them more time to stew and become even more hostile, so my approach to talking it through right way works best."

In working with financial data here at Credit Acceptance, what are the steps you would take in the data validation process as part of your work?

"With any large analysis project and performing data validation, my first step is to create a detailed plan for the data needed. This plan will define the required data to be validated and set the way for the remaining steps. The next steps are to validate the information in the database and then the formatting of the data. Finally, prior to validating the data, sampling needs to be done to ensure that a small sample meets the requirements of the project. Being very proficient with many validation programs, I consider myself very proficient in both QuerySurge and Datameer but remain open to learning any new programs here at Credit Acceptance."

Your job as a detailed and proficient Data Analyst requires you to take proper steps in the data validation process to ensure that data used is accurate and clean. Bad data in the financial industry can have a costly impact and your job will be to ensure that doesn't happen. For your answer to this question, discuss the importance and your method for both data screening and data verification as part of the validation process. Also, be sure to talk about any programs that you utilize during the validation process.

"Here at Credit Acceptance, your Financial Advisors rely on the most accurate and up to date data to present to clients and I would take great pride in my job as a Data Analyst to provide the best data possible. To validate data, the two important steps I would take are data screening and data verification. I am very confident in my ability to work with algorithms that screens large sets of data for their accuracy. On top of that, I have worked with a few of the different data verification programs like Experian and Sage Intacct."

What is one unique skill that you will bring to our loan processing team here at Credit Acceptance?

"I think the one skill that I have that sets me ahead of the rest running for this position is my experience and success in the world of sales. As you can see from my resume, my career out of college started in auto sales. In my five years of sales, I worked my up from Associate Sales to a Sales Team Lead at my dealership. Getting to know and master the sales side of the business has really helped me on the finance side with overall knowledge of the business and developing the skills needed to upsell customers on their loans."

Throughout your application process and candidate vetting process, you were brought into interview because your interview was confident that you had the basic skills and knowledge required to handle this job. Now, your interviewer is giving you the opportunity to set yourself apart from your competition with this question. As you prepare for this type of question, try to think of a unique skill that you have that can prove to be a big asset if Credit Acceptance offers you the job. In your answer, be sure to explain why this skill applies to this role.

"As you can see from my experience, I have extensive leadership experience in leading teams of up to 12 employees and I also have remote working experience. Both of these duties have really given me confidence in my decision making abilities. If hired for this position, I would be able to hit the ground running on day one and be trusted with critical decisions where you might not have that ability with other candidates that don't have leadership experience."

What is the most attractive thing in your eyes about this role with Credit Acceptance?

"Over the past couple of years, I've had an eye on pursuing a career with Credit Acceptance because of your reputation as a forward moving financial institution and your commitment to the communities that you do business in. As a person that believes in togetherness and helping others out where possible, these are values that I hold very high and would bring to the team here."

For this question, your interviewer is looking to gain insight into what you know and like about Credit Acceptance and how they will be able to help you meet your career goals. In your answer, try and stay focused on the alignment of your values with the organization's values and demonstrate that you've done your research on Credit Acceptance and the job you are interviewing for. To try and maintain positivity in your answer, try not to talk bad about a previous employer as that can make you sound like a difficult employee and raise a red flag for your interviewer.

"As I enter the midway point of my career, my job search has been focused on finding an employer that I can spend the rest of my career with and someday retire from. Looking at the history, culture and growth of Credit Acceptance, this is definitely a place that I'd love to be a part of as you continue to grow and prosper into the future."

We are looking for the most motivated individuals to join the team here at Credit Acceptance. Where would you like your career to take you in the next five to ten years?

"Now that I am to the midway point of my career, I am looking for my next move to be my final move in finding my work home until I retire. As a successful Financial Advisor today, I want to focus on continuing to grow my skills in advising clients on retirement and private wealth management and it sounds like I'll have that opportunity here at Credit Acceptance. As I continue to grow in my skills and prove my worth to you, a long-term career goal is to be in management where I could oversee the work of Junior Advisors and mentor them towards success."

This common interview question put you in a tough spot where you should talk about your ultimate career goals while also balancing the needs of the position that you are interviewing for and the needs of Credit Acceptance. Prior to your interviewer, try to research the job and Credit Acceptance to the point where you can match your career goals with they Credit Acceptance offers. While your interviewer is looking for a long-term fit for the position they are interviewing you for, it is okay to set your sights higher as long as your goals meet that of the organization's goals. If at all possible during your answer, point out that long-term success with Credit Acceptance is vitally important to you.

"A career in risk analysis has been a dream for some time and this opportunity with Credit Acceptance is really my dream job. If hired here, my goal for the next five to ten years would be to continue to hone my skills and help the work of the department to a point where it is growing and becoming more effective. Down the road, I'm really in a position to be an open book when it comes to where my career with Credit Acceptance would go from there."

Credit Acceptance Corporation Interview Questions

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1. At Credit Acceptance, our clients are the lifeblood of our business and we do everything in our power to make them happy. What does the term customer service mean to you in your work?
2. At Credit Acceptance, we expect our Business Analysts to put extra emphasis into the risk management aspects of their project work. How have you performed risk mitigation and risk avoidance in your previous roles as a Business Analyst?
3. This position at Credit Acceptance has generated a lot of interest from applicants. What do you feel is the one quality that sets you apart from others we are speaking with about this position?
4. Talk to me about a challenging situation you had to handle on the job that involved another colleague. How did you handle that situation?
5. As a Business Analyst at Credit Acceptance, you will be tasked with working with diverse teams of stakeholders on different projects. How do you handle stakeholders that are difficult and bullheaded?
6. In this role with Credit Acceptance, we will rely on your analytical reporting skills on a regular basis. Why do you feel analytical reporting is important in the financial field?
7. Are you familiar with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and how do you think it can be applied to this role with Credit Acceptance?
8. Accuracy is important to us at Credit Acceptance. Do you always double check or proofread your work?
9. At Credit Acceptance, we are always looking for bilingual skills from our staff to better suit and expand our client base. Do you speak any other languages fluently?
10. When it comes to financial services, which focus do you find the most rewarding?
11. What would you do in this role with Credit Acceptance if you could not get in touch with a debtor that owes money?
12. List the top 3 skills that you have acquired in your last role.
13. What tools do you currently use to help you be a more efficient and effective Business Analyst?
14. If hired for this role at Credit Acceptance, I want to be sure that I'm hiring a motivated individual. What motivates you in your daily work and your career?
15. Give an example of a time that you had to resolve a difficult situation with a client or customer. What were the keys to coming to a successful solution?
16. Give me an example of a time that you had to solve a problem without having all of the necessary information at hand to do so. How did you handle that situation?
17. What statistical analysis tools do you have experience working with?
18. On the finance side of Credit Acceptance, we expect our representatives to be ingrained in our sales focused culture. If hired for this role, how would you learn and embrace our sales process?
19. In this finance role with Credit Acceptance, what do you feel would make for an ideal customer experience?
20. How do you stay on top of new trends in the financial services industry?
21. What are some common excuses that you think you will face from debtors in this role and how to you think you would handle them?
22. If a client here at Credit Acceptance were to be denied the financing that they desire, how would you handle that situation?
23. In this role with Credit Acceptance, you may often have to handle aggressively angry clients. How would you handle that situation in this role?
24. In working with financial data here at Credit Acceptance, what are the steps you would take in the data validation process as part of your work?
25. What is one unique skill that you will bring to our loan processing team here at Credit Acceptance?
26. What is the most attractive thing in your eyes about this role with Credit Acceptance?
27. We are looking for the most motivated individuals to join the team here at Credit Acceptance. Where would you like your career to take you in the next five to ten years?

Credit Acceptance Corporation Interview Questions

1. At Credit Acceptance, our clients are the lifeblood of our business and we do everything in our power to make them happy. What does the term customer service mean to you in your work?

2. At Credit Acceptance, we expect our Business Analysts to put extra emphasis into the risk management aspects of their project work. How have you performed risk mitigation and risk avoidance in your previous roles as a Business Analyst?

3. This position at Credit Acceptance has generated a lot of interest from applicants. What do you feel is the one quality that sets you apart from others we are speaking with about this position?

4. Talk to me about a challenging situation you had to handle on the job that involved another colleague. How did you handle that situation?

5. As a Business Analyst at Credit Acceptance, you will be tasked with working with diverse teams of stakeholders on different projects. How do you handle stakeholders that are difficult and bullheaded?

6. In this role with Credit Acceptance, we will rely on your analytical reporting skills on a regular basis. Why do you feel analytical reporting is important in the financial field?

7. Are you familiar with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and how do you think it can be applied to this role with Credit Acceptance?

8. Accuracy is important to us at Credit Acceptance. Do you always double check or proofread your work?

9. At Credit Acceptance, we are always looking for bilingual skills from our staff to better suit and expand our client base. Do you speak any other languages fluently?

10. When it comes to financial services, which focus do you find the most rewarding?

11. What would you do in this role with Credit Acceptance if you could not get in touch with a debtor that owes money?

12. List the top 3 skills that you have acquired in your last role.

13. What tools do you currently use to help you be a more efficient and effective Business Analyst?

14. If hired for this role at Credit Acceptance, I want to be sure that I'm hiring a motivated individual. What motivates you in your daily work and your career?

15. Give an example of a time that you had to resolve a difficult situation with a client or customer. What were the keys to coming to a successful solution?

16. Give me an example of a time that you had to solve a problem without having all of the necessary information at hand to do so. How did you handle that situation?

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

18. On the finance side of Credit Acceptance, we expect our representatives to be ingrained in our sales focused culture. If hired for this role, how would you learn and embrace our sales process?

19. In this finance role with Credit Acceptance, what do you feel would make for an ideal customer experience?

20. How do you stay on top of new trends in the financial services industry?

21. What are some common excuses that you think you will face from debtors in this role and how to you think you would handle them?

22. If a client here at Credit Acceptance were to be denied the financing that they desire, how would you handle that situation?

23. In this role with Credit Acceptance, you may often have to handle aggressively angry clients. How would you handle that situation in this role?

24. In working with financial data here at Credit Acceptance, what are the steps you would take in the data validation process as part of your work?

25. What is one unique skill that you will bring to our loan processing team here at Credit Acceptance?

26. What is the most attractive thing in your eyes about this role with Credit Acceptance?

27. We are looking for the most motivated individuals to join the team here at Credit Acceptance. Where would you like your career to take you in the next five to ten years?