27 Financial Technology Partners Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Financial Technology Partners LLC interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. If you were having an interaction with a client here at Financial Technology Partners and you weren't able to answer their question or solve their problem on your own, how would you handle that situation?
How to Answer
As the forward facing client services representative with Financial Technology Partners, you may be asked serious financial or market related questions that either don't know or aren't qualified to answer. In those situations, you will be expected to explain to the customer how that question will be answered and then deliver a timeline on when it can be answered. In the end, the customer wants to know the clear path to ease their mind and it will be your job to do just that.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"In my current role in Customer Service with Metropolis' largest automotive dealership, I frequently get asked questions that our sales, finance and service staff have to give the final stamp of approval on in answering customers questions. In these situations, I have a great amount of knowledge where I can prepare the customer for speaking with the right person while also ensuring them that the sales, finance or service staff will provide the final answer. Then, I work quickly to get them to the right person."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"In a situation where I didn't know an answer, I would ensure the client that we have the right staff in place that would be able to help them quickly and efficiently. I would communicate to the customer what the next step would be and if that would be me putting them directly in contact with someone or me taking their contact information and having someone get back to them. In the end, setting the right course and timeline would be important for every customer when I faced this situation."
2. Talk to me about a challenging situation you had to handle on the job that involved another colleague. How did you handle that situation?
How to Answer
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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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."
3. Why would our clients here at Financial Technology Partners want you to be their financial advisor?
How to Answer
As a professional in financial advising, you know that relationships are built on trust and integrity and for the business at Financial Technology Partners, this is equally important. For your answer, your interviewer will be looking how to hear how you build trust with your clients to ensure that they are customers for life. In your answer, make sure that trust and integrity are common themes as you discuss how you work with each client's individual needs to build their portfolio.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Looking back on my career to this point, I can say with confidence that my success, and the success of my clients, has been due to my ability to build trusting relationships. My path for building a trusting relationship consists of education, communication and action. I educate each client on a personal level, I set expectations for them and deliver on what I say I'm going to do. If hired for this position here at Financial Technology Partners, you'll be hiring a Financial Advisor that will be great at bringing aboard new clients as I have many current clients that I am confident will follow me here."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Like in any financial advising relationship, confidentiality and integrity are of utmost importance to clients and these are pieces of the relationships with my clients that I hold in the highest regard. My clients know that I can be trusted to safeguard their personal information and use the best resources possible to help make the best decisions for them based on their personal information and situation. I pride myself on the fact that my clients trust me with their personal information and your clients will have this trust in me as well if I'm hired for this position."
4. The clients of a financial firm like Financial Technology Partners can display an arrange of emotions when they work with our Client Services team. How would you handle a situation where a client was very angry?
How to Answer
Whether due to a large amount of money lost on the market or a client feels they were ill-advised by an Advisor, your job as a Client Services Representative will at some point or another deal with a very angry client. For this answer, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you do what is necessary to stay calm and stay focused on finding a resolution. If possible, use a specific example of a time you had to do exactly this and explain how effective communication was critical in making the situation right for the client.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I've spent the last three years in customer service relations for a large insurance company. As you can imagine, a large majority of my customer interactions were with upset customers. I've been called names that I can't repeat here in this interview and my key to working through these situations was to remain calm and not take things personally. Like the financial world, the insurance business is a very life altering experience and a loss or damage to an item is very stressful. I tried to put myself in the customers shoes, see things from their perspective and do my best to ease their situation. In this role with Financial Technology Partners, these same skills would be vital for me to find solutions or the right person to talk to if needed."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"First and foremost, an active listening approach is the first step to lowering the tension from an angry customer. A couple of months ago, we had a very angry customer come onsite to complain about a defective product that cut his hand pretty badly. The customer came onsite to complain even before receiving emergency care, which was apparent that he needed. First, I let him release his anger and it was not a pretty sight. Then I calmly repeated back what he had said and then explained what our policy allowed me to do at that time. Looking back, my sincere approach and calm demeanor helped calm him down and later that day, my manager had a formal complaint sent to the manufacturer and we were assured that they'd be in contact with the customer."
5. Take a couple of minutes to sell this notepad to me.
How to Answer
To be successful in the financial advising field, one top key to success is your ability to sell your service to your clients. For this task, your interviewer will slide a notepad (or other item) to you across the table and ask you to sell it to them. First and foremost, your interviewer will be looking for you to project confidence in your pitch and your ability to find their own needs in what they're looking for in a notepad while you give them your pitch. As you sell them the notepad, be sure that you are confident, creative and that you ask questions of them. Overall, see this question as a fun opportunity to show your advising skills in a very nontraditional way and it will be a success for you.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Well Mr. Jones, I know in your line that you definitely in high need of notepads to help you succeed in your industry and I'm here to show you a new product we have put out to market that can exceed your needs. You'll notice that it features very wide margins that accentuate the note taking procedures for all who use it. You'll also notice that each individual sheet is carefully perforated to make separation from the binding an easy task compared to other notepads. The last feature of our new notepad is that it comes in many different paper colors that suit your needs. If you want, take this sample to your office for a week and put it to use. If you and your staff would make use of it, I can set you up with your first shipment in no time!"
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Mrs. Jones, we at Notepads, Inc. are excited to announce a new line of notepads for our exclusive customers. If you can, tell me a bit about your frustrations with your current line of notepads that you use. Wow, thank you for that. I can tell that functionality, cost and supply are all issues that are of concern and I'm happy to tell you that this fantastic notepad meets your needs with the brightest white paper, narrow ruled, right priced and readily available features. I'd like to talk about you further about pricing and delivery options when you are ready."
6. 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?
How to Answer
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 Financial Technology Partners.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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 Financial Technology Partners would really help advance your data analysis practices within my first six months on the job."
7. We are looking for the most motivated individuals to join the team here at Financial Technology Partners. Where would you like your career to take you in the next five to ten years?
How to Answer
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 Financial Technology Partners. Prior to your interviewer, try to research the job and Financial Technology Partners to the point where you can match your career goals with they Financial Technology Partners 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 Financial Technology Partners is vitally important to you.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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 Financial Technology Partners. 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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"A career in risk analysis has been a dream for some time and this opportunity with Financial Technology Partners 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 Financial Technology Partners would go from there."
8. At Financial Technology Partners, 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?
How to Answer
No matter what position you are interviewing for at Financial Technology Partners, 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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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 Financial Technology Partners, you'll quickly find that dedicated customer service is one of top qualities that I will bring to you team."
9. What statistical analysis tools do you have experience working with?
How to Answer
As a successful and resourceful Data Analyst, your interviewer at Financial Technology Partners 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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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."
10. Our clients here at Financial Technology Partners expect top-tier service and products and we will expect you to do just that in this role. Have you ever went the extra mile for a client when it wasn't expected? Why did you do so?
How to Answer
Financial Technology Partners looks to set themselves apart from their competition by delivering the best service possible in the industry. You, as a customer service professional, are likely used to doing this so in your example, be sure to think about a time where your going above and beyond the call of duty really impacted the overall customer experience. No matter what example you use, be sure to explain why you felt it was important to take that action and what outcomes you are aware that it produced.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"A couple of years ago when I was working customer service in retail, a customer was looking for what happened to be a discontinued item of clothing for her sick mother. The easy route would have been to simply look it up, tell her it was discontinued and have her be on her way. What I did was take down the customers contact information and let her know that I could contact our person that handled archived products. If we could track it down, I would be in touch. With a simple phone call, my colleague was able to track the item down from the supplier and have it coordinated to ship directly. We put the customer in direct contact with the supplier and she was as happy as could be. Looking back on that situation, I felt that it was the right thing to do given the situation that the customer was in and knowing she was a loyal customer of ours."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"My current role in hospitality often has me working with very high profile customers that come to our hotel. Last year, a touring manager for a musician contacted me regarding and upcoming stay for the musician. I proactively asked for their dining and entertainment preferences and with that list, I was able to work with our catering staff to ensure we had preferred items on the menus for the nights that he stayed and that we had a customized video game package in the musician's room for the his extended stay. Prior to him leaving, his manager reached out to thank me for the great service!"
11. Have you ever had a time where you had to explain accounting processes or practices in layman's terms to someone? Why is the ability to do that important?
How to Answer
For people outside of the finance and accounting world, methods and terms can often be very confusing and part of your work with Financial Technology Partners may entail your ability to explain things in the simplest of terms to the leadership staff and employees of organizations that you will work with. If you have a specific time where you had to do this, discuss in detail how you did that and why you felt it was important to do that. Be sure to explain that accounting principles can be hard to grasp and that educating others is a part of your work that you take great pride in.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"In our world, financial terms and principles are almost second nature to us and it can be easy to take the knowledge we have for granted when talking with others. Last year, my current organization hired a new CEO that came from the sales side of the business and he was an extreme work in progress when it came to the financial and accounting side of the business. I took the time to sit down and explain our financial statements to him and get him used to the acronyms that are often used in our accounting department's email communications to leadership. He was very appreciative of my efforts and he really did catch on quickly moving forward in his new role."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"As I understand the business here at Financial Technology Partners, I would have the opportunity to work as an accounting consultant with businesses both large and small. Through my career, I've had the ability work with leaders from many departments to talk about and explain accounting processes and how their job impacts the work of an accounting department. During these times, it was very important to relate things to the person's work in the easiest way possible. I have a lot of great experience in explaining things like ledgers and income statements to leaders so they can understand things in a way that is simple for them. This ability would translate nicely to the work I would be doing here with your clients."
12. This position at Financial Technology Partners 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?
How to Answer
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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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 Financial Technology Partners. What sets me apart from my competition is my drive to succeed in this industry and I'd love to bring that drive to Financial Technology Partners 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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"From what I understand about this role in Client Services with Financial Technology Partners, 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."
13. Give an example of a time that you brought an innovation to an accounting practice for an organization. What was your motivation to do this?
How to Answer
With this being a pretty open ended question, your interviewer is allowing you to have the opportunity to showcase your ability to think creatively and outside the box when it comes to your accounting experience. Whether you implemented a new technology or developed new processes to work more efficiently, make sure that your interviewer walks away knowing that you are an innovator in your work.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Two years ago, I led the charge for my organization to integrate all of our systems together. Of course selfishly, my intent was to positively impact our accounting department by integrating our CRM and ERP systems into our accounting system. After walking through a stringent request for proposal process where we looked at many different vendors, a new interactive system was chosen that every department in the organization could work off of. To this day, we are still seeing the benefits in sales, production and finance. While struggles certainly happened at first with implementing new systems, the small headaches were well worth the benefits we are seeing now."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"When I took my current position six years ago, I began leading a finance department ten people. At that time, my employees were what I considered to be jacks of all trades, but masters of none as they were all doing different accounting and finance tasks with the departments that they worked directly with. Within a couple of months as the manager, it was easy to see that different processes among my employees were causing major troubles. Immediately, I created new job descriptions and placed my staff into task specific roles within the finance department. There were struggles with staff learning to work with new departments at first, but a focused work effort for each individual made our department much more fluent and efficient for our internal and external customers."
14. 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?
How to Answer
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 Financial Technology Partners.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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."
15. We want our advising team at Financial Technology Partners to be happy and healthy. How do you manage the day to day stress of being a financial advisor?
How to Answer
The daily stressors of a career in financial advising can be burdensome, overwhelming and lead to burnout on the job. To get a sense that you can handle stress in a safe and healthy manner and be able to come to work each day with a clean slate, your interviewer is looking to delve into your personal life a bit to see how you manage stress. When answering, you can certainly talk about the things you do on the job to keep as stress free as possible, but also be sure to talk about the things that you do outside of work to avoid burnout. Point out that you have the resources and ability to care for yourself to keep you at the top of your game on the job.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"To begin with on the job, I consider myself very excellent at handling stress. Being a goal oriented person, I find happiness in obtaining goals and consider any necessary stresses in pursuit of a goal healthy. Outside of work, I am a very active person that trains for marathons and spends a lot of time outdoors with my family. I find that these activities help cleanse my mind and heal my body to prepare for a new week on the job."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"When I maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly and spend as much time as possible outside of work with my children, any unnecessary work stresses are put on the back burner and often relieved immediately. I'm a firm believer in a healthy work-life balance, even though it can be very tough to do in our field. Having the ability to answer a client email or phone call during off hours while unwinding has made our work lives better as well."
16. How long will it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our team at Financial Technology Partners?
How to Answer
If you were to be the successful candidate with Financial Technology Partners, when do you expect to make a viable contribution to the organization? Talk to the interviewer about your plan to make a fast impact.
1st Answer Example
"I am interested in making an impact on your organization right away and have already crafted a plan to make that happen. I am a very strong business development professional and I plan to take the territory and expand it to include additional rural areas. This should amount to a strong increase in revenue within the first 9 months of my on boarding."
2nd Answer Example
"My plan, if hired by Financial Technology Partners, is to make an impact as soon as possible. I have researched this position and am very eager so I have created a 90 day impact plan that I would like to share with you."
17. 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?
How to Answer
In a front facing role with Financial Technology Partners 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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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."
18. We pride ourselves on teamwork here at Financial Technology Partners and this role in Client Services relies on teamwork. What are the top qualities you would bring to a team based atmosphere here?
How to Answer
At the heart of this question falls your interviewers need to determine how well you will work with others on the team at Financial Technology Partners. You will be working with high level advisors and managers that are under a lot of pressure to perform in their jobs and your communications with them will either alleviate some of that stress or add to it. To ensure that your interviewer walks away from your conversation knowing that you are a team player that keeps the end goals of the company in mind, focus your answer on your effective communication skills, your knowledge of everyone's role on the team and your knowledge of what your role on the team will be.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As with any team that I have worked on in the past, my priority is knowing that everyone has an important piece in the overall success of the team. In customer service, this is knowing who to contact with the right questions and who to guide customers to when needed. This ensures that our work is done efficiently on our end of things and that our customers are handled efficiently and effectively. If hired here at Financial Technology Partners, my first goal would be to get to know everyone on the team that I would work with, what their roles are and how to best communicate with them."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"My top quality is my ability to communicate, both verbally and through writing. I have excellent interpersonal speaking and listening skills and my past colleagues have always appreciated this. Here at Financial Technology Partners, your clients would appreciate this in my work as well. I am a very efficient and effective written communicator as well and this would be very beneficial at a company like Financial Technology Partners, where your offices are spread throughout the country and I can imagine that email communication is vitally important."
19. What types of compensation structures have you worked under in the past and do you have any expectations for this role with Financial Technology Partners?
How to Answer
Compensation for Financial Advisors can vary from a straight salary, straight commission, salary plus bonus or a fee-only structure. You can speak openly and honestly to your interview about the types of compensation you have received throughout your career up to this point, but it is always important to do your research on Financial Technology Partners and how they pay their advisors when you elaborate on the compensation model that suits you best. In the end, it is important to match your expectations with the compensation structure of Financial Technology Partners.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"In the current role that I have been in since graduating from college, I started on a base salary for three years guaranteed that also had a bonus structure tied in for performance. At the the end of the three year base salary period, I was moved to a straight commission and have been on that for almost five years now. I am very confident in my ability to be a high performing advisor on commissions and bonuses and find that I have a very high motivation to succeed in this atmosphere."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"As an experience advisor that has spent time working with a large firm, a small independent firm and being self-employed, I have worked on pretty much every pay structure possible for our profession. At the point that I am at in my career with an aging family and grandchildren on the way, a salary plus bonus structure is what I'm seeking during my job search. From what I understand about this position, the compensation you are offering falls within those parameters. Are you able to expand on the bonus structure so I have a better understanding of how it works?"
20. At Financial Technology Partners, we pride ourselves on providing the best overall customer experience. Talk about your customer service experience and explain why it will help our clients here.
How to Answer
In the financial services industry, overall client experience is a major predictor of business growth and the team at Financial Technology Partners takes the overall client experience seriously. For this question, your interviewer will be looking for you to expand upon your customer service experience past what they can see from your resume. To seal the deal for your interview, try to talk about times that you have went above and beyond the call of duty to provide the best service possible for a customer.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Over the past five years in my current role in customer service, my number one mantra has been to create the most personalized experience possibl for each person. I have done this by taking the time to get to know the customer, find out what their needs are and creating an experience unique to them. Where my time in automotive sales has really prepared for this role with Financial Technology Partners is in this approach. If hired for this role, I know that I will be relied upon to use open and honest communication skills, time management skills and to take a empathetic and personalized approach with each client and I can definitely be relied upon to do that."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"In my years in a front facing customer service role, I've prided myself on being the face of the franchise. More often than not, my interactions with customers can be the difference between a repeat customer and a person who never comes back again. To ensure repeat customers, I make sure that I am knowledgeable about our products and services, I'm proactive with their needs and I'm always accountable for any mistakes that are made on my organization's side of things. If given the opportunity to join the team here at Financial Technology Partners, I will work hard to be highly educated in your services and be proactive and accountable in every interaction that I have."
21. In working with financial data here at Financial Technology Partners, what are the steps you would take in the data validation process as part of your work?
How to Answer
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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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 Financial Technology Partners."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Here at Financial Technology Partners, 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."
22. Financial Technology Partners strives for client loyalty to keep us running strong into the future. What do you feel are the keys to retaining clients for the long haul?
How to Answer
Businesses in financial advising are constantly pushing the limits to ensure that they retain clients and Financial Technology Partners doesn't take client retention lightly. One slip up and a high profile client will be taking their business to a competitor. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you understand your role in the customer retention equation and how you take pride in that in your everyday work. Make sure to hit on the point that doing the small things, like prompt communication and follow up, go a long way towards keeping clients happy.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"I learned a few very important things from a senior mentor early in my career that I still hold near and dear to my heart to this day. First, clients expect me to be responsive to their needs to ensure that they keep their business with me. Because of this, I return phone calls and emails as soon as I can, even if that means in the evening, the early morning or on a Sunday afternoon. These small actions go a long way in showing my clients that I care. Another key to the success of my long-term clients is my ability to set and manage expectations for them. Clients desire to have a plan and know what that plan entails and I pride myself on my ability to work with them to set goals and a plan to achieve those goals."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Having lost clients in the past that went to another firm, I take that pain personally and do everything I can do to ensure long lasting relationships with my clients. For me, the first key to long term success with my clients is a proactive approach. I don't wait for clients to get in touch with me to make changes to their portfolio, I reach out to them. This action alone shows my clients that I am working for their best interest. Another action I take that shows my worth to my clients are goal tracking and quarterly progress reports that I send out to them. This is particularly helpful for clients that are working with me in their first two years."
23. How do you believe your coworkers would describe you?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know how you are seen by your colleagues. Select approximately three words that truly define who you are. Be sure to choose words that radiate positive thoughts!
1st Answer Example
"I believe that my coworkers, if asked, would describe me as a reliable person who is always ready to submit the best work possible. My work ethic has never been questioned, and I am very proud with the work that I have submitted in my career, so far."
2nd Answer Example
"Here are some other great keywords you could use:
- Encouraging
- Caring
- Knowledgeable
- Reliable
- Focused
- Honest
- Assertive
- Tenacious
- Motivated
- Ambitions
- Conscientious"
24. Which accounting platforms are you familiar working with?
How to Answer
Coming to work for Financial Technology Partners as an accountant, your interviewer is looking to hear how fluent you are in working on the technical side of the job. Talk about your experience in working with some of the many accounting programs. No matter which programs you are familiar working with, make sure that your interviewer has the clear understanding that your readily adaptable to working on any program and that you understand the importance these platforms play in your work.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, my experience over the past 15 years has placed me in a few different industries. With each industry has come experience working with many accounting software programs. I have worked in Infor, QuickBooks, Net Suite and Patriot Accounting over the last five years alone. While they all have their features and benefits that are catered to each industry, I've found myself able to learn systems proficiently and adapt my work to the needs of the systems. If hired here at Financial Technology Partners, you can rest assured knowing that I would pick up any systems with ease."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"In my current role, I work exclusively with SBS Financials Suite. I love its ability to custom create reports that are reusable over time and adaptable to be able to use with different internal customers. I also love the budgeting and electronic invoice approval features of this system. In knowing other systems like Workday and QuickBooks, I am confident in my ability to pick-up and work on just about any system quickly and efficiently."
25. If hired for this role at Financial Technology Partners, I want to be sure that I'm hiring a motivated individual. What motivates you in your daily work and your career?
How to Answer
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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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 Financial Technology Partners, 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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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 Financial Technology Partners, 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."
26. At Financial Technology Partners, we expect our advisors to be available to speak with clients in person, over the phone and through email. What are your experiences in working with clients through different communication methods?
How to Answer
Customer interaction is the name of the game at Financial Technology Partners as they rely on excellent customer to service to retain and grow their client base in a cutthroat market. For this question, your interviewer is looking to get a sense of how you use your communication skills to your advantage in your work and how those skills will benefit Financial Technology Partners. As you answer and talk about your experiences in communication methods, try to show that you thrive on client interactions and have the ability to be both persuasive and trusted with those interactions.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Looking back on my career, I can honestly say that success as an Advisor is really due to my passion for finance and my desire for interactions with other people. Being a people person at heart, I love working with clients in any way possible. My communication style with clients is to get to personally know them so I can relate my advising to them personally. While I definitely prefer to interact with my clients face-to-face, I do have a lot of experience communicating both over the phone and email as well. If hired for this position, you'll see very quickly that I have excellent writing skills."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I have taken advanced training courses in public speaking and written communication to help further me in this career field. In my early days in finance and making the move to financial advising, communication skills were my area that needed the most professional development. Today, I am confident in my abilities to work one on one with clients directly in person, over the phone or through email and have experience handling clients in all three ways. In my current role, I'd estimate that over 50% of my interactions are through email with the remaining interactions split between face-to-face meetings and phone calls."
27. What is the most attractive thing in your eyes about this role with Financial Technology Partners?
How to Answer
For this question, your interviewer is looking to gain insight into what you know and like about Financial Technology Partners 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 Financial Technology Partners 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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Over the past couple of years, I've had an eye on pursuing a career with Financial Technology Partners 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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 14th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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 Financial Technology Partners, this is definitely a place that I'd love to be a part of as you continue to grow and prosper into the future."