27 Heritage Bank Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Heritage Bank interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view six answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. How do you define success?
How to Answer
Think about your definition of success. Be sure to tie your answer into the success that you plan to bring to this particular position, should you be offered the role with Heritage Bank.
1st Answer Example
"I define success through my ability to reach the goals that are set out for me. On a personal level, the things I wish to achieve in my life. On a work level, the targets that are set out for me as well as the professional development that I seek."
2nd Answer Example
"For me, success is achieved when I can be proud of what I have accomplished in the day, and can also be proud of the attitude that I kept while meeting those accomplishments."
2. Here at Heritage Bank, part of your job will entail talking to our customers about sensitive and confidential information. How will you handle these situations if offered this position?
How to Answer
At times in this role, you will be required to discuss the confidential finances of customers and this will happen during customer deposits, withdrawals and payments to the bank. When these situations happen during times where the lobby is busy with other customers, you will be required to speak with customers in a very quiet manner. As you answer this question, make sure that you reiterate that you are aware of the sensitive nature of the transactions you will be working on with customers at Heritage Bank and talk about how you will go about ensuring that a customers private information is kept private. If you have worked in situations that involved confidential material in the past, be sure to talk about them as well.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"When faced with this situation, I would ensure that the conversation between the customer and myself would be done quietly and with any documents out of the view of others. A person's financial situation is private and I would take all necessary measures to keep conversations as private as possible in this role. In my current role, I have frequent private phone conversations with customers and I need to keep the same mindset with them as I would in this job."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Having worked with confidential data and information through my entire career, this part of the job at Heritage Bank would be second nature to me. By keeping a neat and tidy work area, I would be able to ensure that any customer information was filed appropriately after each transaction and wouldn't be viewable to the next customer that I handled. When it comes to personal interactions, I would ensure that our conversations were held in a quiet manner as privately as I'm able to do so."
3. What ideas could you bring to Heritage Bank to help grow revenue in this branch?
How to Answer
If hired as the next Branch Manager at Heritage Bank, one item that you will be continually tasked and evaluated on is your ability to help grow revenue at the branch through new customer acquisitions and increased sales of banking products. This question gives you the chance to cite your revenue growing skills and how you will apply them to the banking industry. Prior to your interview, be sure to do your research on growth and revenue in the banking industry and think of a creative way or two that can really sell your interviewer on your ability to help drive increased revenues at the branch you are interviewing with.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"While I will always be a firm believer that traditional marketing techniques are key to creating new business and revenue, an outside the box approach can always be vital as well. Here at Heritage Bank, I would make it a priority for frontline staff like Tellers to be trained in advanced sales skills to help upsell customers in their regular conversations with them. Customers of Heritage Bank typically see the frontline workers the most and Tellers are most likely to steer your customers towards revenue generating products."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Over the past five years, I've become more entrenched in data analytics in my current role to help drive revenue and I think the banking industry can surely use data analytics to help predict customer trends. With the rapidly changing service combinations that banks put out, data analytics could be key in helping predict customer preferences and that data could be put to use to put out the most preferred packages for future customers."
4. How do you work in environments with people who are different from you?
How to Answer
The banking industry thrives on team players with communication and listening skills who can help build internal and customer relations with individuals of diverse backgrounds. Give an example of how you led a team, or collaborated with a group for a school project, to show Heritage Bank that you are perceptive and sensitive to the needs of others.
1st Answer Example
"I have worked with people from all backgrounds and personalities. Whenever I join a new team, I make a point to get to know each person and find ways we can connect. I'm outgoing and friendly with everyone I meet while respecting their different styles and any open ideas they may bring to the team."
2nd Answer Example
"Diversity is all around us, whether it be at work or home. I treat everyone equally and give everyone the respect and positive attitude that I would expect to receive from them."
5. What is the greatest challenge you have faced in your career so far? How did you overcome it?
How to Answer
Consider sharing a professional challenge or a situation you overcame in school. Heritage Bank wants to hear about the situation and the action you took. Interviewers also want to hear about results. Give an example that demonstrates your perseverance and proactive approach to facing a challenge or conflict.
1st Answer Example
"When I was working for my last company, we had a drastic shift in leadership that required the organization to adapt quickly to new ways of doing things. This required me to tap into my ability to lead change management for my work and my team. To make this process smoother, I scheduled frequent updates with my team, peers, and leadership to ensure all deliverables were being met on time and the transition to new processes was being handled with the utmost professionalism not to impact the level of service our clients received. It was a great learning experience for me and the entire organization."
2nd Answer Example
"The greatest challenge I have faced in my career was the culture of nepotism in my previous position. It is very challenging to overcome morality based difficulties in the workplace while maintaining a positive attitude and keeping motivated. I overcame these feelings by getting to know my co-workers on a more personal level. Making strong connections with others, who were facing the same difficulties as I was, was very helpful."
6. What experience do you have working on an advanced phone system and what skills do you have that you feel would be essential to work with our clients over the phone?
How to Answer
As the customers of Heritage Bank become more virtual, a good chunk of business transactions happen over the phone. In this role, you will be expected to bring solid skills in handling the technical side of the phone system and great communication skills to handle customers when not face to face. In your answer, talk about any experience you have in working a multi-line phone system. As well, talk about the communication and organizational skills you have to ensure that you can help customers in any way possible over the phone.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"In my current position, I handle a majority of the incoming calls to our company. I have to triage calls based on customer needs and utilize the system to transfer calls, place customers on hold or push through to another person's voicemail. Some key things that have helped me master this part of my current job are my willingness and ability to learn my company inside and out and my clear and concise communications with customers that call. If hired for this role, I would be very thorough in my orientation process to learn all of the potential situations I would face with customers here at Heritage Bank over the phone."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"The skills that I would bring to the team here at Heritage Bank in this role would be clear and concise verbal communication skills, my ability to read the tone of voice of others and strong organizational skills to handle multiple duties at one time. These skills really helped me thrive in my last role where I was handling customers online, over the phone and in-person in our branch office. At that job, I used and worked on the Avaya cloud based phone system and was able to learn and use all functions of that system."
7. Talk about a time where you felt overwhelmed by your job duties. What did you do to stay organized and on track with everything happening?
How to Answer
At some point during your career up to this point, you've faced a time where you felt completely overwhelmed while on the job. As you answer this question, try to paint a clear picture for your interviewer that explains all of the contributing factors to you being overwhelmed. Then, proceed to focus most of your answer on talking about the skills and resources you utilized to keep you on track and focused during this difficult time. In the end, your interviewer is ideally looking to hear that you can stay organized and on track no matter how busy things get if you're hired to join the team at Heritage Bank.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"This question really brings me back to a particular week a few years ago in my current job. It was late fall as the holiday shopping season was ramping up and our store was very short staffed due to a maternity leave and two employees leaving on short notice. While we were short staffed in the store, it took a full team effort to ensure that customer questions were being answered, shelves were stocked and registers weren't getting backed up. To stay organized, the small team we had on staff worked off of a checklist each day to ensure we weren't missing anything important. Constant communication and flexibility was key for our success as we continually helped each other out on important things throughout the day. For me personally at the end of each day, I took a lot of satisfaction in knowing that I kept my head focused and did a great job."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Over the past four years, my current department has cut staff by almost 50% while the overall amount of work has remained steady. This has led to my total duties doubling over the course of four years. While this has been very overwhelming for, and even detrimental to others that I work with, my ability to handle the stress has been very important. The best thing that I do is set time aside at the end of each day to recap what I've done and make a plan for what to handle the next day. Some of my colleagues can't believe that I set aside 30 minutes to plan, but I know that making a plan actually saves me considerable time in the long run and makes me more productive. As well, on days where I do feel very overwhelmed, it is important to take some personal time during a break to step away and get some fresh air. A quick 10 minute walk outside really helps refresh me for another half day of work."
8. What interests you about this position?
How to Answer
The interviewer at Heritage Bank wants to learn more about how your educational or professional background led you to apply for this position. Share what you are most looking forward to about the role and how it relates to your previous experience or future goals.
1st Answer Example
"I enjoy problem-solving and helping people. I worked as a customer service representative in a call center for Wells Fargo when I was in college, and the experience motivated me to learn more about how to help my clients by understanding more about investing, saving, and using banking services to meet their needs. I think working as a personal banker will give me a great foundation to start my career within the banking industry."
2nd Answer Example
"It is both the job description and the idea of working for Heritage Bank that has piqued my interest. This role offers the growth and advancement that I have desired for some time now. I especially like that in this position, I would be responsible for A, B, and C. I am ready for those responsibilities in my next position."
9. If hired for this role with Heritage Bank, how would you handle a large workload of clients working through a mortgage process?
How to Answer
At the heart of this question, your interviewer is looking to find out how you manage a busy workload by having you talk about your organization skills on the job. In your answer, talk about the skills you have and the tools that you use to stay organized and on-track while handling a large workload. Don't hesitate to talk about the software programs that you use and any other tactics that you use to ensure that all deadlines are met and no issues occur with clients because of too large of a workload. In the end, your interviewer wants to walk away from this question knowing that you'll be able to provide top notch service to the clients of Heritage Bank.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"In my current role, I'm able to handle a very large workload with my ability to stay organized on the job. If you could take a tour of my office, you'd see that I maintain a neat and clean desk with a very organized file cabinet of my current workload. If I need to shift gears and move on to work with another client, I can easily access information on the fly and keep moving. I also utilize my Outlook calendar to set deadline reminders to stay on track of closing deadlines and paperwork requirements and the tasks function within the program helps me stay right on track with all of my clients I am working with at a given time."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"During my time working a large client load as a mortgage consultant, my success was due to my efficiency and organization on the job. If hired for this role with Heritage Bank, my efficiency would be very high because of my experience with the entire mortgage loan closing process and my ability to handle certain challenges quickly with that experience. From there, my organizational skills within the loan process software I have experience with kick in to help me keep each client on track with their loan process."
10. What is one unique skill that you will bring to our loan processing team here at Heritage Bank?
How to Answer
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 Heritage Bank offers you the job. In your answer, be sure to explain why this skill applies to this role.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"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."
11. On the finance side of Heritage Bank, 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?
How to Answer
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 Heritage Bank. 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.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Knowing that the main goal of Heritage Bank 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."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"I would fully expect that a good part of my orientation process into this role at Heritage Bank 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."
12. Walk me through your thought process when delegating responsibilities to others that you are responsible for. What are the important factors that influence your decisions?
How to Answer
As the potential next Branch Manager at this branch of Heritage Bank, your interviewer wants to hear that you have the innate ability to delegate responsibilities among the team that you'll be managing. For this question, they'll be looking to hear that you you can do this effectively by knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your team members and also that you know the responsibilities of each role that you'll be managing. As you talk about your ability to delegate, make sure to talk about the importance of delegating for both your own efficiency in your work and in the work of your team. As well, don't hesitate to talk about your ability to train others when needed to ensure that the necessary work gets completed.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As a manager, I have a really great history in delegating the right work to the right people in the right amount. Any time that I delegate work, it is important that I put the work in the hands of the right person and I do this by knowing the colleagues that I manager very well. If hired for this role, my immediate goal upon starting would be to get to know my team very well. I would have one-on-one conversations with everyone during my first week and would take the time to read prior performance evaluations. After I have a comfortable handle on my team, my next goal would be to divide up work in the best way possible that gets people working to their strengths."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"My first step in a decision making process to delegate work is to evaluate the task at hand for consideration. I ask myself if it is a duty that I as a manager should be handling first. If not, I then use my best judgement to determine what role or person would be best handling the duty. I ensure that I consider factors like current workloads, KSA's of my team and impact of the task to be delegated in my thought process."
13. How do you respond to problems that require a quick solution?
How to Answer
You may experience a variety of issues related to customers or technical issues while working in the banking industry. Give an example that demonstrates your confidence and your strength as a decision maker and a problem-solver.
1st Answer Example
"I can think quickly and can do mental math, problem-solve, and mention other products and services to offer the customers. In the case of an urgent matter, I trust my instincts and can quickly evaluate situations to recognize the next steps and act accordingly. I feel secure in my ability to think and act quickly while I'm working in ABC position for Heritage Bank."
2nd Answer Example
"When faced with a situation where a quick solution is required, I will rely on my training, my memory, and my instincts. I am confident in my ability to find a solution to last minute, or unexpected, problems."
14. We pride ourselves on teamwork here at Heritage Bank 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 Heritage Bank. 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 November 27th, 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 Heritage Bank, 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 November 27th, 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 Heritage Bank, 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 Heritage Bank, where your offices are spread throughout the country and I can imagine that email communication is vitally important."
15. If you were on the job here at Heritage Bank and a customer came to you with a very odd request that you did not know the answer to or how to solve, how would you handle that situation?
How to Answer
If hired for this role at Heritage Bank, you will have the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of customers. Given that variety, the number of unique, and often odd, requests that could come your way are pretty great. Whether a customer is looking to transfer money to another country or some other odd request, your interview is hoping to learn that you are able to think on your feet and not get flustered in any situation you may face on the job. As you answer the question, stay focused on the professional and resourceful approach that you would take with customers when put in this situation and don't hesitate to talk about any similar experiences you've handled in the past on the job.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"If I were faced with any question that I didn't know the answer to on the job, I would confidently explain to the customer that I would need to bring in another teammate to help solve the issue and would do so quickly. While I always try to be a subject matter expert on any job that I do, working with external customers can always bring new things. If I could use any resources like a company intranet page or other documentation to help solve the issue myself, I wouldn't hesitate to do that either."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"First, I would make sure that I fully understood the situation by asking more questions of the customer and would do so in a very polite and professional manner. To ensure that the customer knows a plan moving forward, I would then explain my next course of action. If it was an issue that I had to approach my manager about, I would do so immediately and I would show the customer where they could wait in the lobby. If I would be consulting any documentation or other resources, I would do the same with the customer to not have a holdup in the lobby. Then, I would work diligently to find an answer and make sure the customer was handled in a respectful and efficient manner."
16. Tell me about your favorite manager. What did you enjoy most about working with them?
How to Answer
Heritage Bank wants to hear what excites you and keeps you motivated in a co-working relationship with your boss. They are interested in your values and want to hear about your experience developing relationships with managers.
1st Answer Example
"I love my current boss because she leads with a collaborative and team-oriented style. We have regular team huddles to provide ongoing communication about process changes or upcoming events."
2nd Answer Example
"My favorite manager was my very first manager when I worked at Company X. She was attentive and spent a lot of time mentoring me. I feel that many of my positive work-based skills and qualities are because of how she interacted with and trained me."
17. Talk about your experience in mortgage loan closing. How would this experience be beneficial to our team here at Heritage Bank?
How to Answer
As a Loan Consultant with Heritage Bank, you will be tasked with guiding clients through the complete mortgage process. This will include seeking the best funds available, completing paperwork and seeing the loan through to closing for them. For this question, your interviewer can a good sense of your experience by taking a look at your resume, but they're looking to get more details on your mortgage closing experience by having you talk in detail. Be sure to discuss your specific experience and tie what you can to this specific role with Heritage Bank.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, my current role involves a lot of detail in the loan closing process for the customers that I work with. I assemble and prepare closing documents and coordinate the details of the closing process when all terms of the sale are met. In this role with Heritage Bank, I think that my hands on approach that I currently take with my customers would suit your clients well because I take the time to work with them one-on-one and never hesitate to provide top notch customer service to any person that I'm working with."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Having been in the mortgage business for over ten years, I have a vast amount of experience in seeking personalized mortgage options for clients and walking them through the entire loan process. I am familiar with the processing of necessary loan closing documents in several state and know all of the fine details that are required to ensure that there are no hiccups in the process for clients. This experience would allow me to hit the ground running in this role here at Heritage Bank."
18. Customer service is the name of our game at Heritage Bank. If hired for this role, how would you be able to provide the best customer service possible to our clients?
How to Answer
While following all of the steps of a mortgage process and handling client inquiries along the way is the foundation to success in this position, you will be relied on to provide the best customer service possible to all clients because the mortgage section at Heritage Bank is just one small piece of the pie in their business. If a client feels like they weren't handled with respect and compassion, they could take all of their business elsewhere and see an impact financially because of it. To show that you can provide top-notch customer service in this role, talk about how you provide a personalized experience for the clients you work with and talk about the interpersonal skills you possess that make this possible.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"With any customer that I work with, I take the time to get to know them and listen to their thoughts, concerns and questions right from the start. I like to hold what I call an intake session to listen to all of these things. After hearing each customer out, I then talk about what I can do to alleviate their concerns and answer their questions right from the start. From that point forward, my customer service skills go the extra mile by staying in constant communication with my clients through either email or phone because I feel that over communication is important right from the start. As human, we have a desire to know what is happening all of the time and I make time to do this for my clients. Last, my customer service starts and ends with a positive attitude and a smile on my face. I take pride in being a front facing representative of my company and work my tail off to ensure that customers know that my company is there for them."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"In my experience, provide the best customer service comes down to doing the little things right. While often overlooked by some in our industry, a smiling face and simple conversations to get to know your customers can go a long way towards building a foundation for a great long-term relationship and I don't take these little things lightly. Even though I may be experiencing a huge workload or stress somewhere else on the job, I am focused and happy when I am face to face or on the phone with the client. At those times, they deserve 100% of my attention and focus and they get that every single time."
19. What is your experience in managing an overall performance appraisal process for your staff?
How to Answer
While your interviewer can see that you have employee management in your experience from your resume, this question is allowing you to really get into detail about what experiences you have in working through a performance appraisal process with your staff in the past. While being open and honest in your experiences, try to highlight your ability to use fair judgement in writing performance appraisals and highlight any technologies that you've used to help manage the performance of your team. As well, don't hesitate to discuss any of the difficult conversations you've had in the past with your staff as Heritage Bank will look to you to be an effective part of this process as their next Branch Manager.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"In my current role, I manage a team of 13 employees and our policy is to conduct appraisals near a staff member's hire anniversary. I'm a firm believer that writing an appraisal takes preparation throughout the year by documenting performance. When it comes time to writing the appraisal, we use an online performance management system that makes organizing details within the appraisal really nice. I always block time on my calendar to take the time needed to focus on putting detail to paper and don't rush through it because feedback is so important to improving the performance of my entire team."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I have over 10 years of management experience and within that experience, I have a lot of experience in the performance appraisal processes for my staff. I take the approach of using a fact and documented based approach with my staff rather than personal opinion. Being in a very volatile and high turnover industry right now, evaluating my staff on tangible factors is very important. Throughout my career as a manager, I've had to have many difficult conversations with staff that were put on performance improvement plans based on their annual reviews and am comfortable having these conversations in a professional, yet personal manner."
20. Talk about a time you had to handle failure at any point in your career. How did you handle that situation and move forward with confidence?
How to Answer
This is a question that is being posed to you that gives you a chance to show your ability to overcome adversity and handle yourself with integrity during a time of failure. Your job in answering this question will be to prove that you can cope with failure in a productive way that leads to making the situation right and learning lessons for the future. As you prepare for a question like this for your interview with Heritage Bank, think of a situation where you can highlight both of these things and don't hesitate to tell your interviewer the reasons why the failure occurred. Your interview fully understands that you are a human that makes mistakes and as long as you take a lesson moving forward, you will be in great standing with them.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"A couple of years ago with my current company, my manager asked me if I would consider a promotion into a role as a supervisor for our department. Having not had experience supervising individuals up to that point in my career, I was very hesitant at first. My manager kept telling me that I had the skills necessary to do so. I did accept the offer to become the supervisor and after just three months, I fully realized that the position wasn't for me. I had become very close friends with a lot of the people I was now supervising and that made the real difficult for me. I didn't hesitate to approach my manager to let them know that I wasn't cut out for the role and we worked on a plan for me to transition back my former role. Looking back on the situation, I really learned a lot about myself and who I was as a worker to not put myself in a situation like that again."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"In my current role, I was the person who was informed that we were losing one of our biggest clients to a local competitor. In speaking with the client, they were very unhappy about our customer service and overall pricing. Being responsible for the customer service for our customers, I felt very responsible for losing this client and had to break the news to our leadership team. Right away, our Sales Manager contacted the client to ask a lot of questions on why they were no longer utilizing our services. From there we took a lot of lessons moving forward and I worked through a new customer service policy for my team to follow moving forward."
21. Have you ever operated a currency counting machine or a coin counter?
How to Answer
To help save time and ensure accuracy, Heritage Bank has invested in cash counting technology to help automate cash counting processes within its branches. As a Teller with Heritage Bank, a part of your job will be operating and troubleshooting these machines on a daily basis. Your interviewer will likely be able to simply answer this question themselves by simply looking at your resume. What they are really looking to hear is that you have some tech savviness in working with simple machines in any of your work experience. If you do have direct experience with currency counting machines, that is great! If not, there is no need to worry as long as you can talk about your ability to learn and thrive with different technologies and give examples of times where you've had to do just that.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"While I don't have direct experience working with currency counting technology, I feel very comfortable in my ability to learn how the machines here at Heritage Bank operate. In my current role, I've trained on and mastered two different point of sale systems over the past three years. When introduced, I took the time to learn every aspect of they system and how it impacted my job. Through the training processes, I was attentive and hands on to make sure I could hit the ground running on the sales floor. Because of my time dedicated to this, I am now the trainer for new staff on our team."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Other than cashing in change in my own bank's lobby, I don't have direct experience. But, I do consider myself to have a very high technical acuity when it comes to machinery and technology. If offered a Teller position here at Heritage Bank, one of my first priorities would be to become an expert on all systems that I would be required to work on. In my last role, I had to do just this with the phone and computer systems that were specific to my role and I did this with ease."
22. How would you rate your comfort level receiving money and counting back many to our customers here at Heritage Bank?
How to Answer
As a Teller with Heritage Bank, you will be responsible for the receipt of cash and distribution of cash to customers that come into the lobby and drive-thru of the branch location you would be working at. Your interviewer will be looking to hear about any direct experience that you have in handling money during your career. As you talk about any experience that you do have, be sure to make it clear that you take pride in the accuracy of your work and that you show honesty and integrity that all you do in working with sums of cash.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Because of my cashier experience in the retail industry, I would say I'm very comfortable in handling and counting large sums of cash very accurately. I was responsible for transactions made via cash, check and credit card and at the end of every shift, I had to reconcile my till. I'm happy to say that I never had an issue with a till that was off at the end of a shift or a customer that complained about change that I had given them. This was all due to the extra time that I took to ensure accuracy in every transaction."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"While I don't have direct work experience as a Cashier or Teller handling cash, I would still say that I'm confident in my abilities to handle that aspect of the job here at Heritage Bank. As you can see from my resume, my experience in finance has had me balancing accounting ledgers and those duties required a strict attention to detail and a high level of integrity in the work that I performed. I think this experience would help me transition very nicely to this role."
23. At Heritage Bank, we are building a very team based culture. If hired for this position, what would you be able to contribute to this team based culture?
How to Answer
As Heritage Bank continually builds a team based atmosphere within their branches, they want to ensure that new employees that are brought aboard are true team players that will thrive in their culture. As you answer this question, be sure to stress to your interviewer that you are a team player by talking about your experiences in working as part of a team. Talk in detail about what roles you are comfortable in assuming in a team atmosphere and then discuss your own personality traits that make you a great team player. If possible, try to stress the importance of and your ability to communicate effectively to your interviewer.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"If hired for this role, I understand that I'd be working among a great team of Tellers, Loan Officers, Analysts and Advisers and I really love this aspect of the role here at Heritage Bank. In my current role, I work closely with our administrative and sales staff to help ensure smooth operations on a daily basis. I rely on my ability be upfront in speaking with everyone that I work with, no matter what role they play with the organization. I have no worries in walking into the office of our CFO to talk on a regular basis and wouldn't hesitate to do so if needed for this role."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"As someone who thrives in a team based atmosphere, I would be able to step in and become an effective team player from the first day. I have taken the lead on many project teams during my career and love the responsibility of taking charge on these teams. As well, I can also take directions from others on my team when needed. I have a communication style that is very confident, friendly and professional no matter who I work with. During my career, I've been complimented for my openness to feedback from others and my willingness to help other members of my team when needed."
24. Where do you see yourself in five years?
How to Answer
If you are a recent college graduate or starting a new career, you may or may not know where you'd like to be in five years. Heritage Bank wants to see that you think about the future and are actively working towards your goals. Better yet, they want to know how working for them will help you accomplish your goals! Share how this job will help you get one step closer to achieving your goals.
1st Answer Example
"I plan to continue working in the banking industry as a branch manager, working my way up through attending training and participating in your leadership development program. I am excited to start out in ABC position because I am confident that it will help me achieve my goal and broaden my skill set."
2nd Answer Example
"Being in a leadership role is important to me, so I plan to be working in a management based position at Heritage Bank in the future. I will achieve this through continued education and leadership training while also proving my value to you through my everyday work ethic."
25. Talk about a time you had to communicate with a colleague or customer that was unhappy. What were the keys to making the situation better for all involved?
How to Answer
Your ability to handle conflict will be an important part of this role with Heritage Bank. Tellers are often the first line of defense with customers that call or come into the branch and you will be relied upon to help diffuse any situation that could get out of hand with customers. In your answer, try to focus on your communication skills that you feel are vital to your success in these situations. As you think of a situation you've been in to use in this situation, make sure that you can demonstrate the steps that you took to ensure that the unhappy customer or colleague left the situation in a much better place.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"A few weeks ago, I was having a pretty normal day at the front of the store. About an hour from closing time, a customer stormed through our front door and approached me at a rapid place with a very mad look on her face. She slammed a bag on the counter and demanded a refund for a shirt that she had purchased last week because she claimed it had a tear in the armpit. Before I could even say anything back to her, she then began berating our store for selling inferior products and she demanded to see a manager right away. As calm as I could, I told the lady that I would be very glad to take care of a return for her and I'd be happy to put her in contact with a manager. I let her know that I'd need to take her number as our manager was not in the store that evening. While she still left upset after receiving a refund, I followed up with my manager the next morning to ensure that he followed up with her. He let me know that she had calmed down and thanked me for my service the evening prior. I know that my ability to not take her harsh words personally really helped make the situation better."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Last year, I showed up to work to find my close colleague in a fit of rage at her work area. He was slamming desk drawers and using really inappropriate language. Knowing that this wasn't typical behavior from him, I immediately walked over to see what was wrong. He began by telling me that he had received a very bad customer complaint the day before and was now being reprimanded for it by our manager. He started to then talk badly about our manager and I immediately cut him off. By hearing what he had said, I tried to replay the conversation for him and then asked him what led to the customer complaint. I took a very empathetic approach to learn why he was feeling the way that he did and I quickly learned that he was indeed in the wrong in thet situation. My advice to him was to take a quick walk, calm down and hen go talk to our boss. Later that day, he thanked me for my great advice and talked about the lesson learned moving forward."
26. How do you build rapport with those that you work closely with?
How to Answer
The banking industry relies on the relationships built between the institution and its customers and your role as a Teller with Heritage Bank will find you face to face with many customers. Your interviewer is looking to learn how you go about building rapport with both customers and your colleagues in this question. As you answer, be sure to talk both about why you feel that building rapport is important and the ways that you go about building rapport to those that you work with. If possible, make sure to highlight why building strong relationships is important in the banking industry to really sell your interviewer that you have what it takes to be a part of the success at Heritage Bank.
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"In an industry like yours here at Heritage Bank, one bit of mistrust between your institution and a customer can spell disaster as they withdraw funds and move them somewhere else. I pride myself on ability to build trust and rapport with those that I work with and I do this by being very genuine in all of my interactions and finding time to connect personally with all that I work with. I always remain respectful to the needs of others and do my best to keep a smile on my face and stay positive at all times."
Written by Ryan Brunner on November 27th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"In my mind, building rapport with my colleagues and customers comes down to the basic principle of trust. I build trust with people by doing what I say I'm going to do and delivering results on time. I'm also always considerate to the thoughts of others and work my timeframes around the needs of others, especially when it comes to the customers that I work with. I am confident that my ability to connect with customers in a trusting way will greatly benefit the business here at Heritage Bank because customers want a friendly and trusting face handling their personal finances."
27. Describe a difficult problem and how you approached it.
How to Answer
Interviewers at Heritage Bank like to see employees coming up with creative solutions. Problem-solving skills are highly regarded within the banking industry. Use an example that explains the complexity of the situation. You can also use the job description as a guide for some of the challenges you could encounter in this new role. Try to keep it relevant and relatable to the position.
1st Answer Example
"I took a client call that had a history of poor customer experiences with the organization. One after another, the customer was left frustrated on our banking processes and voiced their concerns in a manner that was unpleasant. I took the initiative to listen and understand their frustrations, then partnered with the different departments in the company to resolve the concerns and save the customer relationship."
2nd Answer Example
"While attending university, I was assigned a group project with a group of less than motivated individuals. My grades and performance were significant to me, so I approached the group with a leadership and mentorship mentality. I uncovered what motivated everyone on the team and took the initiative where others would not."