28 Lincoln Financial Group Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Lincoln Financial Group 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. 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 Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 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 17th, 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."
2. 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 Lincoln Financial Group.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group would really help advance your data analysis practices within my first six months on the job."
3. How do you define working capital and why is it important for our clients here at Lincoln Financial Group to take this into consideration when evaluating their finances?
How to Answer
While it will be important for you to explain your knowledge of working capital, your interviewer will really be looking to hear your thoughts on why it is important for clients to consider as part of financial decision making processes. Give an overview of your personal thoughts on the importance of considering working capital while hitting on its ability to maximize an organizations efficiency and profitability.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"While working capital is pretty simple in that is simply defined as an organization's current assets minus their current liabilities, many companies fail to see the importance in these simple numbers. My goal with clients here at Lincoln Financial Group would be to work them toward a positive working capital ratio as that allows them to have the finances on hand to grow and prosper in to the future."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Working capital essentially tells me as a financial analyst about the organizations ability to meet financial obligations in the coming years and their ability to grow prosperously into the future. With accurate financial statements, subtracting liabilities from assets shows the overall health of the finances of an organizations and their ultimate direction for the future. I have a lot of great experience helping turn around organizations that have a negative working capital into a position position in a short amount of time. The clients here at Lincoln Financial Group could benefit greatly from that work into the future."
4. This position at Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group. What sets me apart from my competition is my drive to succeed in this industry and I'd love to bring that drive to Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"From what I understand about this role in Client Services with Lincoln Financial Group, 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."
5. Working on the insurance side of our business here at Lincoln Financial Group, we'll expect you to be creative in your approach with clients. Give an example of a creative way that you worked with a clients and explain how it benefited everyone in the en
How to Answer
On the insurance claims or strategy side of the business with Lincoln Financial Group, utilizing a creative approach to your work will be necessary to show clients that your work can truly benefit them. In your answer, try to use an example that demonstrates outside of the box thinking on your end to give the best service possible to a client that creates a win-win situation for all. Make sure to talk about lessons learned from that example that you can carry forward into this job with Lincoln Financial Group.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As a property claims adjuster for many years, I quickly learned that I needed to be creative when on the site of a fire or a property damaged by major weather incidents. Just last year, I spent a week covering an area that was ravaged buy a tornado and I utilized drone technology to get photos to be able to assess damage that would've normally put me in pretty great danger. I took the time to learn how to fly the drone and use the video and photographing capabilities built into it and was able to work quickly and efficiently while onsite. This greatly helped me write accurate claims while also speeding up the claim process for our insured clients."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"As an advisor who has worked with many clients on their insurance needs, I have many examples of thinking outside of the box when looking at great options for them. Two years ago, I was the trusted financial advisor for a very high profile client. With his children now out of the home and a couple of business flourishing, I helped him create a life insurance policy that would see that his family would be set for life should something bad happen to him. The creative thinking on my part came in relation to how the client had written his will and how we organized his beneficiaries as part of his term life plan. During this process, it was important that I was up to speed on all of his assets so I could help work with him on the best plan possible."
6. What is the most attractive thing in your eyes about this role with Lincoln Financial Group?
How to Answer
For this question, your interviewer is looking to gain insight into what you know and like about Lincoln Financial Group 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 Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Over the past couple of years, I've had an eye on pursuing a career with Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, this is definitely a place that I'd love to be a part of as you continue to grow and prosper into the future."
7. Accuracy is important to us at Lincoln Financial Group. Do you always double check or proofread your work?
How to Answer
Double checking and proofreading are essential parts of a job well done. Assure the interviewer that you are diligent when it comes to submitting good, clean, work.
1st Answer Example
"Spelling and grammatical errors are a pet peeve of mine. I will triple check my work if there is time! I feel that it is imperative to submit error-free work."
2nd Answer Example
"I do my best to put great work out, at all times. I believe in double checking my work although I must admit that I have fallen victim to the odd mistake like the best of us!"
8. If hired for this role with Lincoln Financial Group, 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 Lincoln Financial Group.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 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 April 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, 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."
9. If you notice right now, the time on that clock reads 12:15. What is the angle between the minute and hour hands on that clock?
How to Answer
In any interview with a Financial Engineer or Quantitative Analyst, your interviewer will be looking to pose one or a few different math related questions to show you have the quick skills to come up with a correct answer. For this question, talk your way through how you solved the problem so your interviewer gets a sense that you have the ability to solved basic, and even advanced, math problems.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
Answer Example
"With each hour on the clock representing 30 degrees of the 360 degree circle, I'd use a starting point of 90 degrees for an angle for this answer. But then, I have to factor the hour hand now moving a quarter of the way between the 12 and 1 on the clock. with a quarter of that move being 7.5 degrees, the angle between the hands falls at 82.5 degrees."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
10. In working with financial data here at Lincoln Financial Group, 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Here at Lincoln Financial Group, 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."
11. Lincoln Financial Group seeks out natural and confident leaders. What leadership qualities do you possess?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know that you can take on a leadership role even if it is not a formal leadership title that you possess. Everyone has leadership capabilities, whether they come in the form of training a new employee or merely leading by example.
1st Answer Example
"I feel that I am good at motivating a team. Last year, I motivated my sales team every day, through small incentives and awards, and we ended up being the top sales team in the company for the year!"
2nd Answer Example
"Some great qualities of a leader are:
- Being someone who people naturally want to follow
- Exceptional interpersonal skills
- Strong relationship building skills
- Taking ownership for the team's errors and mistakes
- Excelling at motivating others
- Providing kudos to your team
- Knowing how to select and hire the right people to join the team
- Having a vision for the future
These are just a few to get you started! With which qualities do you most identify?"
12. At Lincoln Financial Group, 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 Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, I will work hard to be highly educated in your services and be proactive and accountable in every interaction that I have."
13. Can you think of a situation where raising debt over equity would be beneficial?
How to Answer
Debt and equity have a very closely bonded relationship with each other in relation to a company's finances. In most situations, raising debt can create too high of an amount of pressure to meet payments versus raising equity. But, there are a few key situations where there is a distinct advantage in raising debt over equity and your interviewer will be looking to hear that you understand at least one of those advantages to be tax shielding, reducing cost of capital and not diluting the stake for investors.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"In the situations where I've advised an organization to increase debt, they've received a distinct advantage in a lower cost form of financing versus equity financing. In the end, this reduced the organization's WACC and came out to be a win for them."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Last year, I advised a manufacturer to take the debt over equity route when adding a new line of products that was guaranteed to be very profitable. This fact allowed the company to simply and quickly repay the loan plus interest while being able to reap the rewards of the extra profits. In that same case using equity, final profit would've been less."
14. At Lincoln Financial Group, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, 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 17th, 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, you'll quickly find that dedicated customer service is one of top qualities that I will bring to you team."
15. Have you ever run into a situation where a company had a positive cash flow but was still in critical financial trouble?
How to Answer
At the heart of this question, your interviewer is looking to dive in and take a look at your critical thinking skills. While positive cash flow is usually a very good sign of a company's overall ability to settle its debts and handle future financial challenges, there are some situations where all isn't as it seems when looking at a company with a positive cash flow. Whether you have run into this situation or not, it is important for you to point out that you are aware of situations where a positive cash flow can be misleading.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"If hired for this position, you can rest assured that I know all considerations necessary when looking at cash flow for an organization when determining their overall financial health. A cash flow statement can often show positive cash flow when they take on new cash from loans or long-term debt. While these items do show up as positive on the cash flow, they don't accurately reflect the profitability of the organization."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"I have come across this situation with a company that was selling off a large chunk of inventory. At the same time, the company was delaying their payables. This showed a very skewed positive cash flow but the real story behind the curtains showed a company that was in serious trouble of keeping its doors open."
16. 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 17th, 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 17th, 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."
17. We pride ourselves on teamwork here at Lincoln Financial Group 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 Lincoln Financial Group. 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, where your offices are spread throughout the country and I can imagine that email communication is vitally important."
18. What statistical models are you familiar with and which do you feel would best apply to the financial field here at Lincoln Financial Group?
How to Answer
Financial Engineers and Quantitative Analysts are relied upon in the financial industry to utilize complex algorithms and math to predict the trading market's immediate future. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to get the sense that you have the skills to apply statistical model in finance by having you talk about the models that are familiar with and have worked with in the past. While being honest about your experiences, be sure to point out that you are aware that some apply more to finance and the market to set yourself apart during this question.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As a data nerd, I love the realm of statistics and I am very familiar with all of the unique statistical models and how to best apply them to different situations. I've applied linear regression when predicting the outcome based on two historically known data points. I've also applied multivariate models when looking at the distribution of multiple data points. Having dabbled a bit in the market myself and now looking to bring my quantitative analysis skills to the financial field, I am very familiar with the Gaussian model for predicting market changes and would love to bring the knowledge that I have of this model to your team here at Lincoln Financial Group."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"As you can see from my prior experience in data engineering and financial analysis, I have extensive experience in time series modelling that utilized both univariate and multivariate models. Multivariate time series modelling has proven to be very effective when looking at and predicting the S&P 500 performance and I think my skills in this arena would greatly benefit your team."
19. We are looking for the most motivated individuals to join the team here at Lincoln Financial Group. 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 Lincoln Financial Group. Prior to your interviewer, try to research the job and Lincoln Financial Group to the point where you can match your career goals with they Lincoln Financial Group 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 Lincoln Financial Group is vitally important to you.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group. 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 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"A career in risk analysis has been a dream for some time and this opportunity with Lincoln Financial Group 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 Lincoln Financial Group would go from there."
20. Customer service is the name of our game at Lincoln Financial Group. 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 Lincoln Financial Group 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 April 17th, 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 April 17th, 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."
21. 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 Lincoln Financial Group.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 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 17th, 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."
22. In this role with Lincoln Financial Group, your communication with clients may not always be pleasant conversations. How do you handle tough conversations regarding insurance claims?
How to Answer
The world of insurance claims and adjusting often entails working with clients through a very difficult time and the job can require your ability to have difficult conversations with clients. For this question, talk about the importance of up front and direct communications while taking an empathetic approach. As well, talk about your ability to make your conversations relatable to clients so they understand what is happening, how this will impact them moving forward and how their concerns get alleviated in the process. In the end, make sure that your interviewer walks away knowing that you are comfortable in these situations and, if possible, don't hesitate to use real world experience you have as an example in your answer.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"Having been in the auto insurance adjustment field for many years, I have worked with many upset customers over time and feel I have a very good approach in working with them. Following an accident, customers often have irrational expectations for how claims should get paid that don't follow their plan. To help clear up this information for the customer from the start, I take the time to explain what their policy entails and how the claims process works. If clients still remain upset, I listen to their concerns and do my best to alleviate those concerns. This approach worked really well recently with a father whose daughter was in a collision with a deer. I explained the comprehensive coverage section of the policy and that he had opted for a higher deductible for that coverage. While he didn't understand how that worked, I took the time to explain how I would assess the damage and coordinate repair with his body shop of choice while he would hold responsibility for his deductible. This conversation helped put him at ease."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Recently, I had to have a conversation with a customer that was considered at fault for a pretty major accident where his liability coverage would likely hit the maximum. From the start of the conversation over the phone, he was still debating his fault in the accident. I let him proceed with explaining his thoughts and concerns. When he finished, I took an empathetic approach in letting him know that while I understood his concerns, my role had to factor in what the police report had determined and that I had no other choice but to use the report in my handling of the claim. Once the customer heard my side, he was much easier to work with and speak to. In this instance, my calm demeanor and my ability to calmly explain my role in the process helped turn a potentially ugly situation into a good working relationship moving forward."
23. Do you have any experience in financial modeling? What skills in financial modeling could you bring to the clients here at Lincoln Financial Group?
How to Answer
In the corporate finance world at Lincoln Financial Group, clients may look to you to be the expert to help them build forecasting models for the future. For this question, your interview is looking to hear that you have experience in financial modeling. Talk about your experience, what industry it was in and what tools you needed to help build as detailed of a model as possible. To seal the deal for this question, make sure to explain that your experience could be used across many businesses and industries with the clients you would be working with.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, my corporate finance experience has mostly fallen in the manufacturing industry and financial modeling for forecasting purposes has been a skill that I've been developing over the past ten years. To start, I consider myself a master in Microsoft Excel to build great financial modeling tools that utilize all necessary data from an organization's financial statements. Though my experience is in manufacturing, my skills in financial modeling are ready to be applied to healthcare, banking or any other industry with your clients."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"I have experience creating financial forecasting models in a few different areas of business. I consider my most unique talent to be my experience in M&A modeling for organizations that are looking to grow their business. In my current role, I've worked with leaders of organizations to strategically plan new acquisitions and modeling M&A for them was an integral part of the process. On top of M&A, I have experience in the standard three statement model and discounted cash flow analysis."
24. What statistical analysis tools do you have experience working with?
How to Answer
As a successful and resourceful Data Analyst, your interviewer at Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 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 17th, 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."
25. In your experience as a Financial Analyst, what do you feel is the best metric to gauge a company's future stock performance?
How to Answer
As a Financial Analyst with Lincoln Financial Group, you will be relied upon by clients to provide the best risk and reward opportunities for them to have the most successful investments While there are many great metrics to use and no right answer for this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are confident in why the metric is important by talking about the details of it. The confidence that you project to your interviewer will carry over to your work with clients and your interviewer will be keying in on this aspect of you answer.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"While there are many excellent metrics to consider for the future of a stock performance, the one that I weigh the most heavily is the price earnings to growth ratio. I prefer the PEG ratio because of its consideration of expected growth rate where simple P/E calculation doesn't consider that. This calculation is specifically great when looking at a wide array of companies within an industry to level their playing field."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"Being familiar with metrics like free cash flow, payout ratio, debt-to-equity and price-to-sales, all can be very useful depending on the situation. In a recent economic downturn like we've had recently, I've relied heavily on the debt-to-equity measurement to measure future performance. As we've seen with many large retailers recently, a simple look into their debt would've shown the potential for disaster in their stock."
26. If hired for this role at Lincoln Financial Group, 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, 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."
27. Data Scientist is a fairly new role here at Lincoln Financial Group. Why do you feel that you can make the jump into the financial industry as a data scientist?
How to Answer
As finance becomes more heavily reliant on data, the need for well educated Data Scientists is becoming a need at Lincoln Financial Group. And while your background may not be filled with experience in the financial field, it will be your job to convince your interviewer that you have the skills necessary to be strong Data Scientist while also having some great knowledge of the financial industry. Be open and honest of where your strong point fall and where you feel you have the most to learn while being open to making that progress in the field with Lincoln Financial Group.
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I have a very strong educational and work background in data science. My work experience in the tech industry has helped me grow in many areas that can be beneficial to the team here at Lincoln Financial Group. I think that my experience in mining and cleaning raw data, paired with my experience in machine learning, could significantly benefit your clients that are seeking new and improved market data."
Written by Ryan Brunner on April 17th, 2020
2nd Answer Example
"My passion and skills for mathematics and computer science drove me to a career in data science and analysis. Up to today, these skills have driven me to create a brilliant start up company that I sold almost ten years ago and then to a career with a large online retailer. Knowing that the financial industry is growing in data analytics, now is the time to strike when the iron is hot. As I've set out on a career search in the field, I have been greatly impressed by what I have learned about Lincoln Financial Group and would look forward to help growing the data side of your business."
28. The clients of a financial firm like Lincoln Financial Group 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 17th, 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 Lincoln Financial Group, 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 17th, 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."