Tell us about your ideal work environment.
The hiring managers at Morgan Stanley want to know that their work environment matches your career needs and desires. The goal of your response is to clearly describe your ideal work environment so that the decision-makers can assess if this opportunity is a two-way match.
When applying for a job, the fit has to match both ways. The hiring managers at Morgan Stanley know this, and they want to ensure that the work environment is suitable for you.
There are a few factors to take into consideration when looking at the work environment:
- Are questions encouraged without judgment
- Is continued learning and education encouraged
- Does the office allow for flexibility such as working from home or flexible hours
- Are there regular team stand-ups and opportunities to collaborate
- Is it an open-air environment without cubicles or walled offices
- Is two-way feedback encouraged and acceptable
- Are the goals and objectives set as a team, individually, or both
- Are there strict dress codes, after-hours expectations, and other restrictions
- Is the initial training comprehensive, or is there a sink-or-swim mentality
- Is recognition provided for a job well done, or are regular performance incentives provided
- Are employees promoted based on performance or only on tenure
Choose two or three work environment factors that are important to you, and discuss why you value these factors. Once you have described your ideal work environment, connect your desires and what you know/have heard about working for Morgan Stanley.
The average HireVue interview takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. This one-way video interview typically includes 3-5 questions. Depending on the HireVue parameters set by Morgan Stanley, the asynchronous interview platform will generally give you 30 seconds to prepare a response and up to 2 minutes to answer each question. It's important to note that HireVue stops recording as soon as your time limit is up, so it's better to run under time than overtime.
"My ideal work environment is where I am working with supportive and positive people. We help each other achieve our goals and celebrate victories together when working as a team. I find that the best work environment is when we empower each other by uplifting each other and rising together. From my research, I read that Morgan Stanley values championing an environment where all employees feel a sense of belonging and are heard, seen, and respected. I appreciate these values and look forward to contributing to a healthy work environment."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
My ideal work environment starts with a company whose values are aligned with mine - a commitment to excellence, a challenging but supportive environment, diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility. Next, I want to work with people I respect, utilize my skills, and do work that matters.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! Mentioning the company's values is a great idea, as is discussing your desire to work with people you respect, use your skills, and do work that matters. You can also discuss the type of communication you prefer from management, what an ideal work-life balance looks like for you, what kind of training you prefer, how you like the company to recognize employee successes, and so on. Think through what you like and mention any overlaps between your preferences and what the company appears to offer. Great job!
