UBS Aon Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our UBS interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 8 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
Table of Contents
The advice you’ll find in this interview set covers much of what you can expect from UBS’s interview process. We’ve done a lot of the work for you, compiling information from UBS’s interview preparation worksheets, from advice offered by their recruiters, and we’ve transcribed valuable information and advice from the video content on their website. In addition, you’ll find information regarding the assessments you can expect, as detailed on the UBS website, and from their assessment vendors website, which is a consulting company called Aon.
In short, UBS contracts Aon, a British global consulting firm, that also offers online assessments, asynchronous video interviewing, and two-way remote video interviewing. Many of the assessments they offer are in the form of on-screen written tests, many of which offer multiple-choice answers. Some of those will be behavioral or situational tests, and some will pose more technical questions specific to the role you are applying for. The advice offered in our interview set will primarily focus on the behavioral interview questions you can expect from their asynchronous (one-way recorded) video interview, or their live remote interview. Though, after reading through our materials, you’ll discover the advice we offer will prove useful with those other assessments as well.
AS UBS states on its website, “Depending on the role you have applied for, we might ask you to complete one or more online assessments.” The openings on its jobs boards typically specify whether the role “requires an assessment on application.” However, most of their interviews involve remote, online video interviews.
There are several practice tests available on UBS’s careers site, as well as on Aon Assessments' website. A primary focus of those assessments will be the “UBS Culture Match,” where “you’ll be presented with realistic work scenarios to see how well our culture and values complement your approach.” They highly recommend you learn more about their purpose, culture, and their three keys to success, which we’ll cover in this MQ interview set.
Before your interview, it’s important to understand how Aon’s assessment works, and how to best apply the advice we offer in this MQ interview prep set. Aon didn’t start out as an AI-driven assessment vendor. Rather, they are an international management consulting firm. Using a different model and approach from other assessment vendors such as HireVue, Aon’s assessments are driven by speech-to-text technology. Their AI scans “the words spoken by interviewees in their responses and then codes or scores them in each competency area.” Such as drive, structure, flexibility, composure, positivity, awareness, cooperativeness, sensitivity, humility, teamwork, and compassion, to name a few. They’ll then use their findings to score an individual on their work styles, such as their task style, adaptation style, achievement style, interaction style, and emotional style. They call this “Natural Language Processing AI” model their “Psychometric Talent Assessment.”
“We focus on speech-to-text only and use natural language-processing artificial intelligence. The questions presented on the screen link to personality traits in response to how a candidate acts in specific situations. The AI is trained to work with actual behavioral indicators to create a fair and transparent process, and extracts what is said into a transcript. It then goes through the text, identifying words and phrases that would potentially be used by expert raters to score each answer, replicating and enhancing the best human raters’ method of finding positive and negative behavioral indicators. These are linked to different personality traits used to formulate a score for each trait and for each candidate. The final scores for each candidate are generated, and recruiters can choose to step-in and adjust the AI scoring should they see the need to do so. This allows for the best possible augmentation of human and AI expertise.”
With this Mock Questions interview, we’ll offer you a competitive edge by guiding your approach to answering each question. We’ll walk you through how to focus your choice of words to increase your ranking with the Natural Language Processing AI while offering insights on how to appeal to the recruiter who will make the final decision.
Accomplishment
1. Tell us about yourself.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Most often, this question sets the stage for the rest of the interview. It offers you an opportunity to introduce yourself and deliver your best pitch. Additionally, it's your interviewer's job to get to know who you are as a candidate. They need you to present your best self, which in turn will help them make a more informed decision about who they should hire. If they have trouble getting to know you, there's less of a chance they'll take the risk of bringing you on board. Also, the more forthright and honest you are throughout the interview process, the more accurately Aon's Natural Language Psychometric Talent Assessment will score you on your answers. So, it's in your best interest to make everyone's job easier throughout your interview, which serves as a performance indicator that you would make their jobs easier if you were part of the team.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
Throughout UBS's careers site, you'll find advice from their recruiters who put together their "strongest tips for you to stand out in all the right ways." Their advice is intended to help you navigate their application process, from crafting your CV and resume to preparing for their assessments. One common piece of advice they frequently repeat is, "We get it. Interviews can be intimidating (especially when it's on video). Be authentic. All you have to do is be yourself. We want you to do your best. We want to see the real you, so use this time to show us. Answer the questions as if you were in front of the interviewer in person and just be yourself. Keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers. Have your pitch ready. Practice being able to summarize your professional profile - what you've achieved and what your ultimate goals are. Get comfortable talking about each point on your CV, backing up claims with concrete examples. Have a few anecdotes ready that highlight skills that make you the best fit for the job (these don't always have to be about work)."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 22nd, 2024
How to Prep
As one of their featured employees details in one of their blogs, they prepared for their assessment at UBS by taking advantage of "mock interviews that helped me build up my confidence. I also prepped potential responses using the STAR method." STAR is an acronym for SITUATION, TASK, ACTION, RESULT. It serves as a basic method for structuring your answers and showcasing your strong communication skills. So, start by composing a brief bio using the STAR method. This will help you avoid rambling on in a cyclical manner, which can be difficult to follow. Instead, by structuring your answers in a linear fashion with a beginning, middle, and end, you'll be showcasing strong communication skills which will position you as a more desirable candidate.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What to Avoid
When taking their Psychometric Talent Assessment, remember you want to choose your words carefully, while aligning yourself with the UBS culture. Use words and phrases that showcase a positive attitude, your personality traits, and how the best version of you responds to the specific situations presented in these questions. Avoid any words or terms that have a negative association with them. Stay focused and positive, and come prepared to showcase the best version of you throughout your interview.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"I've been a Capital Adequacy Analyst since I earned my degree in professional accounting back in 2020. When I first started at my current company, I was given important tasks like managing month-end deadlines, conducting analytical reviews, and preparing a monthly report for our stakeholders. But, since I was entrusted with these, I have felt a bit stagnant in my growth, and feel there is less development opportunity than there was in the first year and a half. Morale also seems to be lagging in the workplace, and my leadership often praises me for going above and beyond in being supportive and increasing the morale of my teams. But I've been feeling for a while now that it may be time to find a work environment with a company culture more in line with my own values. It didn't take me long to rank UBS as my top choice, for all the right reasons, so here I am, shooting for the stars."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Accomplishment
2. Tell us about one of your proudest achievements.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
By learning more about one of your most recent accomplishments, they'll gain a clearer sense of your drive, motivation, and experience level. How you answer will also offer them a stronger sense of your work ethic. One of the categories Aon's Natural Language Psychometric Talent Assessment scores on is Achievement Style, which they break up into two categories. This first category is Ambition, where they rate a candidate's answer on a scale of 1 to five, with one being contented (cruising along with the status quo), and five being Striving (to overachieve). The second category is Power, which scales you between being a contributor (finding power in helping the team) versus being a controller (claiming power for yourself). So, to help you navigate how to phrase your answer, you'll want to go in with a clear sense of UBS's culture, pillars, and principles so you can more effectively align yourself with the positive language they used to describe their approach, their people, and who they are as a company.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 22nd, 2024
How to Prep
UBS offers a PDF which they call their "Recruitment Readiness Worksheet"," which they designed to help you prepare for your interview process. Regarding your proudest achievements, they recommend keeping them within the last five years. "Remember to include: Your wow! What makes them special? Impact and scope? Challenges overcome? Key learnings from these factor experiences: Things you would do differently with hindsight."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Pro Tip
There is a lot of additional advice they offer worth considering, most of which we've pulled from the videos on their careers site. Such as, "Turn your experiences into takeaways. Convey what's most important. Think about who you are and what you want us to know about you. What should we remember about you after the interview is over? Write these things down and tie your answers back to them."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"I work out of a small office in our town, and we primarily serve one high-profile client and their industry. About six months ago, we ran into something of a predicament when the systems in our department went down. We had several important reports we were generating and compiling at the time of the server failure. Also, our manager was going through something of a personal crisis, and was keeping to themself in their office with the blinds closed. While they are normally capable, on this occasion, they weren't. So, I asserted myself and stepped into their office, and I ended up serving as their liaison through this minor crisis. Then, I was on the phone with our IT staff and delegated further coordination with them to a member of our team. Then I was on the phone with our client, explaining our situation and that this would only be a minor delay of a few hours. I delegated further communications with them to another member of our team. Next, I drove to our storage space, picked up several laptops, and set up a new Wi-Fi system that used our phones as hotspots. I tried to reschedule our Fed-Ex pickup for the reports, but they couldn't accommodate our request, so I canceled. Once we completed and compiled the reports, we printed them out via Bluetooth, and I raced across town and hand-delivered them to our client's desk. That was my first taste of being in a position of real leadership. It was quite rewarding, and I can't wait for the next opportunity to make such an impact. The best part was how high morale was at the end of the day. Everyone felt a sense of accomplishment. Even our manager came out of their shell."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Behavioral
3. What does integrity mean to you? Give me an example of when you have displayed good ethical judgement and accountability.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The aim of this question is to assess how aligned your character is with their culture and values. To this end, Aon's AI-driven Natural Language Psychometric Assessment will evaluate your answer to help determine your fit for UBS. It will do this by not only evaluating the keywords you use, but the overall content of your answer and the message it sends. Therefore, stuffing your answer with keywords won't be enough. You'll want to speak with sincerity. Offer examples or situations where the integrity of your character truly shined, and where you were your best self while on the job.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Pro Tip
Most employers require their employees to adhere to their company's code of conduct and ethics. Someone who seems versed in their company's code serves as a good performance indicator. But being familiar with the UBS code of conduct and ethics would showcase truly going above and beyond. Nearly every company publishes their code online, either on their website or online in PDF format, and can be easily found via any basic search engine query.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
When you read through UBS's code of conduct and ethics, you'll find several statements surrounding the model of integrity they expect of their employees, and how it is integral to their culture. "We are committed to maintaining a culture based on high ethical standards and accountability with integrity. Our already strong, inclusive culture is grounded in our three keys to success. We stay focused and engaged to ensure we deliver on our commitments. We don't just follow laws, rules and regulations - we do what is right based on our defined principles. This includes acting as one firm and increasing the ease of doing business through simplification and efficiency - for all of our internal and external stakeholders."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"I would say integrity comes down to living by doing the right thing. Doing the right thing applies to your conduct in every situation, starting with supporting every member of your team in every way you can. This can range from making sure everyone's voice is heard, to helping them get ahead in their work when you have the capacity to do so. It means always representing your clients' interests, at speed and with transparency. Behaving in a compassionate, emotionally mature, and professional manner at all times. Being a pillar for your team- reliable and trustworthy. And acting on principle, speaking up when necessary, being courageous, taking ownership and responsibility, and holding yourself accountable to your own standards. Doing the right thing.
So, in a recent example, I was in the breakroom, and a friend and coworker of mine seemed visibly shaken. I asked them what was wrong, and they told me a leader of ours used a term that was a very offensive pejorative where they came from, and they couldn't tell if they did so intentionally or not. They also felt they couldn't say anything to this person, out of fear of retaliation. I asked them if I promised I could do so tactfully in a way where I could guarantee they wouldn't have anything to fear if they would like me to handle it. After some initial resistance, they agreed. I then went to a trusted member of our leadership, who was from a similar background as this employee, and explained what had happened. We triaged this matter, had a discussion with the offending supervisor, who seemed visibly shaken by their blunder. They agreed to take some sensitivity training and gave a heartfelt apology to this individual in front of the whole group. In no time, they were working closely together again."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Career Goals
4. What kind of work environment are you looking for?
The Goal
How you choose to approach this question is entirely up to you, and should be specific to you and what you are looking for in your ideal employer. Whether you're looking to work in a supportive company culture, in a flexible working environment, or have professional development opportunities available to you to help further your career, is up to you. The key is aligning what you are looking for in an employer with what they have to offer. This will assure them you see this potential professional relationship as a mutually beneficial, long-term fit.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 22nd, 2024
What You Need to Know
UBS advertises that they offer "flexible ways of working when the role permits. We offer different working arrangements like part-time, job-sharing and hybrid (office and home) working." They also advertise that their purpose drives their culture and "is at the heart of everything we do, and our culture keeps us all focused - as one team," and that it mobilizes their employees to support the future vision of their firm, as mutual stakeholders in their success. "We respect and seek to empower each individual and support the diverse cultures, perspectives, skills and experiences within our workforce. Join us. From gaining new experiences in different roles to acquiring fresh knowledge and skills, we know that great work is never done alone. We know that it's our people, with their unique backgrounds, skills, experience levels and interests, who drive our ongoing success. Together, we're more than ourselves."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Pro Tip
Remember, the recruiter will eventually review the asynchronous interview, which may then result in an invitation for a live video interview. So, try to understand your audience before your interview, so you have a clearer understanding of who you're appealing to. UBS offers similar advice. "Learning about your interviewers can help you prepare. Use LinkedIn and Google to find out about their roles and experience so far. And, who knows, maybe you have something in common." They also suggest you "use the job advert to anticipate what you'll be asked." Lastly, even though many of these questions touch on the same subject, avoid being redundant in your answers.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
Here is some additional information on UBS's approach to promoting flexible work. "Home office, or in the office? For most of our employees, both are possible. We've long supported flexible work whenever possible. As a result, around 93% of our employees are eligible to work at home several days a week. We're also rolling out a virtual worker framework in the US that will allow eligible employees to work completely remote. Options like this, along with flexible locations, flexible hours, part-time working, job-sharing and partial retirement, help us attract and retain a larger and more diverse group of employees, including early-career talent, working parents and those in continuing education. They also put increased emphasis on technology and virtual collaboration, sparking the kind of innovative thinking that makes us more agile and helps us further improve clients', and colleagues', experiences."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
1st Answer Example
"I'm looking for a collaborative team environment that is a hybrid, flexible working environment. I consider myself an ambivert and require something of a balance between working on my own and working in a team. I am also looking to work in an environment where everyone is more focused on supporting each other, concentrating on the group effort rather than being competitive and trying to advance their own goals."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Career Goals
5. What made UBS stand out as an employer?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
There will be several similarly phrased questions you'll encounter in your interview, such as asking you why you want to work with UBS, and asking why UBS would want to hire you. Similarly phrased questions that have distinct meanings serve to test your attention to detail, while assessing the sincerity and originality of your answers, rather than offering answers which are generic to any job. So, when answering this question, you'll want to specify how UBS stands apart and why you want to specifically work for them. Detail how your career goals align with what they uniquely have to offer you.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
How to Prep
A UBS employee featured on their "Meet Us" employee culture blog, touches on this very question, "A huge selling point for me was the firm's position as the world's largest and only truly global wealth manager - this really helped showcase just how successful the firm is! Their culture is also people focused, there's so many useful initiatives to support employee development, such as the UBS University. I was confident I'd be joining a great firm that would help me continue to develop my career."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
A tool to help you prepare for this question is UBS's Recruitment Readiness Worksheet, which offers several exercises to guide you through making your CV and resume shine while aligning yourself with their company culture. One exercise invites you to record yourself answering this question, then playing it back and watching it from the perspective of your interviewer and scoring your answer from one to five.
For example, one category they invite you to score yourself on is "Motivation for role." On the low end of the scale, they've offered a summary of an unqualified candidate: "Hard to understand how their interests and aspirations match their career choice. No evidence to suggest they have reflected on their skills match for the chosen role. Lacking clarity on what they can bring to the table. Responses are generic to any employer." Whereas someone who they would consider a top performer would score closer to the following description: "Provides credible rationale for career choice. Demonstrates an understanding of skills required for role. Showcases their potential value-add to the division they are joining. Clear understanding of the unique selling point of UBS and division of choice."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Pro Tip
When answering this question, as advised by their recruiters, "you'll want to be able to speak to what's on your resume, how you learned from it, and relate it to what we're looking for. Why you, why us? Understand what you have to offer, and let us know why we're a good fit for you."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"I was really drawn to the company's global positioning. I am very focused on my career plan. Although I've adjusted it a few times, and understand things don't always go according to plan, I am very determined and look forward to developing professionally. This is another reason I was drawn to UBS as an employer, because of all the development programs available, and UBS University, and how supportive of an environment it seems to be as well. Lastly, the company culture, values, and sustainability goals are very important to me as well, and this feels well aligned with my values."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Career Goals
6. Where would you like to take your career next?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Your interviewer is interested in learning how focused you are on your career as a professional. This question offers you an opportunity to detail how the value propositions UBS advertises to their target talent stood out to you, and how those incentives fit into your five-year career plan. So, you'll want to identify, with sincerity, how your goals and their offerings feel aligned, and precisely how UBS seems ready to help further your career goals and milestones.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
How to Prep
The best approach to answering this question is to fully familiarize yourself with everything UBS has to offer you, identify their wish list for their ideal recruit, and identify exactly how the two align. Also, check out their employer awards, which they advertise on their careers site, and find out who recognizes them as an employer of choice. Also, read testimonials and see what their employees are saying. For example, another one of their employees, featured on their blog, offers the following advice: "Seize every opportunity. The firm has so many resources and it's up to you to make the most of it."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"I consider myself an equal rights activist and was impressed by the company's awards for gender equality, women's empowerment, and disability equality. Additionally, UBS's mentoring programs and technical training programs caught my eye, as well as all of your leadership development programs. You see, I am very interested in developing my leadership skills, and to start training for a leadership role in the near future."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Compatibility
7. Why should UBS hire you?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question goes beyond skills and experience, but centers just as much, if not more, on culture fit. It's aimed at identifying whether you have a clear sense of the type of candidate they are looking to hire. A quick way to identify their target talent is through the value propositions they post in their recruiting efforts, which are tailored to market and appeal to their ideal candidates. Simply reiterating their language and statements back to them will be flagged by Aon's assessments as a generic response. So, be sincere and original in your response, and be ready to share why you believe you would be an asset to their teams.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
UBS frequently expresses they develop their employees, keeping them passionate and motivated, which ensures better outcomes for their people, their business, and their clients. They desire to recruit those who see this as a long-term career opportunity. "We invest in our employees' development and seek to help them grow their skills and their careers. A key part of our talent management strategy is to offer career opportunities, not just jobs, because employees with forward-looking, agile mindsets drive better client service and satisfaction. Internal role changes help people build skills and relationships across teams, locations and businesses."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Focus Your Answer On
According to the following statements, they are looking for unique perspectives with innovative mindsets who are passionate about their work, are not egocentric, enjoy collaborating in a team environment, and thrive when feeling they are part of something bigger than themselves. "Who inspires us? Our employees. It's our differences - who we are, the experiences we have and bring and how we think - that move us forward. We value what diversity brings and make sure your passion, commitment, and hard work are encouraged (and rewarded). We also believe that collective ideas bring results and drive progress: great work is never done alone. Each of us is more than one person. We're more than ourselves. Join us to fulfill your potential and purpose. Your potential is yours for the taking. Unlock it. Fulfill it. Exceed it. Carve out the next step in your career path."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Tips
To identify what they are looking for, you'll want to align your skills and attributes to what the role requires. In addition to the advice and tips UBS offers, review their recruitment readiness worksheet and prepare for your interview process through those exercises, such as this one: "List 4 top skills that you think are required for the role/program you're applying for at UBS. Compare this list against the skills you highlighted. How many of the required skills fall into your personal top 4 listed skills? Focus on the skills you need to build on. List future projects and activities you could get involved in to build upon your skill set."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"I think UBS should hire me because, in a multitude of ways, I already feel like I am a member of the team. I am always reimagining how I can do my job better, with simplification in mind. I am all about making connections, am an incurable optimist, and believe every little thing we do can make this place a better world. The company's values are my values. According to everything I learned about the culture, I feel like I fit the mold. This goes beyond the hard skills I've listed on my resume and CV. For me, it has everything to do with character. I have a strong work ethic and my standard is above and beyond. I could say more, but I will let the actions behind the answers to the other questions in this interview speak for themselves."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Compatibility
8. What is your personal purpose statement?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This is one of several questions aimed at assessing how compatible you are with their company culture. "What inspires us? Our purpose is why we do what we do, our culture is the way we do it. Our strong and inclusive culture is grounded in our three keys to success: our Pillars, Principles, and Behaviors. They determine what we're built on, what we stand for and how we do it." How you answer stands to inform them of how familiar you are with their company, and how aligned you are with their culture, which they define as "the way we achieve our purpose and strategy."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 23rd, 2024
How to Prep
Before your interview, spend some time coming up with a personal purpose statement, and how it aligns with the culture and ecosystem of UBS. You want your personal purpose to be sincere and genuine. Remember, Aon's Psychometric Talent Assessment aims to distinguish generic responses from genuine ones. So, as UBS's recruiters advise, "come prepared." Get a firm understanding of how they define personal purpose, and how a career with UBS would feel fulfilling and would align with and help give you a sense of purpose. "We get it. Interviews can be intimidating (especially when it's on video). We want you to do your best. Stand out in all the right ways. Think about what might be asked in advance. You want to spend your time answering the questions, not thinking them through. It stands out when someone does their homework."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 23rd, 2024
What You Need to Know
There's a video on UBS's careers site, on their 'Meet Us' page which is titled, "Finding my personal purpose changed my life," and may come up in your live interview. Watch it, and you'll be equipped to speak about it, providing further opportunity to connect with your interviewer, while showcasing a strong work ethic and high standard of performance.
The video features two employees who find their purpose in stepping outside of their comfort zone, assisting a high-impact nonprofit organization that offers higher education to students in developing countries. They were introduced to the "Leader as a Coach" academy, with the goal of strengthening their leadership impact by connecting themselves to their individual purpose, strengthening their self-awareness, and further developing their emotional intelligence. All the while coaching Kenyan young talents.
Not only were they able to enhance their leadership and coaching abilities, but they were able to volunteer for a worthy cause, step outside of their comfort zone, and do so on the job with UBS. By investing in young talent globally, UBS is "reimagining the power of investing. Connecting people for a better world. This is our purpose. This is UBS. At UBS we're reimagining the power of people and capital to create a better world for all of us - a world that's fair. That's sustainable. And that gives everyone the opportunity to thrive. A key part is in making connections: drawing on our global ecosystem of partners, clients and communities to share ideas, bring opportunities to life and make a real impact."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 23rd, 2024
Tips
You'll want to go into your UBS interview with a comprehensive understanding of their culture and be able to articulate how and why you feel this is the right fit for you. You want to proceed with sincerity. UBS counts on the members of their team to not only have a personal purpose, but to be united in their purpose. They describe their employees as "the power behind our purpose. Purpose is your why. Purpose is where you find meaning. Purpose is the reason you get up in the morning. The experience you have every day. Purpose is our why too. Everything we do starts with our purpose. Our purpose shows up in our actions. These are not just words. It's guiding everything we do, where people and ideas are connected, opportunities are brought to life and where our thought leadership can be impactful."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 23rd, 2024
Answer Example
"I'd say that my personal purpose is helping others realize that everything they say and do has an impact. There is great power in every one of our actions and inactions. And, to make a real impact, you have to act with intentionality. So, my purpose is to be ever conscious, and to increase my impact by living with purpose."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Compatibility
9. Have you done any volunteering or are there any causes you feel committed to?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
UBS places a lot of focus on the social well-being of its employees and those of the communities it operates in and serves. "To complement this, we match employee charitable donations and provide paid leave for employees to volunteer their time on community and environmental initiatives, in addition to UBS-organized community events. We also sponsor and help employees positively impact their communities and society at large by matching charitable donations." Therefore, the UBS recruiter wants to know whether their philanthropic efforts in any way motivated you to pursue a career with them. How you answer, and the words you choose, will help Aon's Natural Language Processing AI identify how sensitive, compassionate, and humble you are, along with other key traits which might prove valuable in the workplace.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
What You Need to Know
UBS proudly advertises that their "employees logged 177,003 volunteer hours in 2022. We aspire to create a fairer, more prosperous society, championing a healthier environment and addressing inequalities at their root. This ethos underpins our purpose and is in line with our external commitments, such as our pledge to progress against the Sustainable Development Goals. We are committed to acting with the long term in mind and creating value for clients, employees, communities, and investors. Through the UBS Optimus Foundation, we drive impactful philanthropy that delivers real solutions for social needs."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 23rd, 2024
Tips
When preparing to start your online assessment, UBS recommends you "dress professionally, appropriately, even for a video interview. We'll be treating this just like a standard interview and hope you will too. Make sure to reflect your most professional self. Consider your posture and how you project yourself and match them as you would if you were meeting with us in person." Aon offers similar advice on its website, which offers several practice tests and tips on how to prepare for your online assessments. "Be aware that this is an opportunity for you to make a good first impression to the employer. The recruiter will see and hear you and your environment. Therefore, it is advisable to make sure you wear appropriate clothes and tape your recordings in a calm and appropriate environment."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 23rd, 2024
Experienced Example
"Actually, yes. Thank you for asking. Aside from my degree in accounting, I also have a degree in counseling and am an accredited psychologist. Counseling is a passion of mine, but not one that I want to make a living from. It can be a tough profession, and it is easy for those who are highly sensitive individuals like me to burn out on the job. So, I decided not to abandon my degree when I realized it wasn't the best profession for me, and chose to earn that degree so I could still do it more so as a hobby. So, once a week, on Saturdays, I volunteer six hours at a local domestic violence shelter. Six hours a week is about all I can handle. It's super rewarding, and I am very passionate about the cause."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Competency
10. What sets USB apart from their competitors?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Aon's assessment will not just score you on each answer to each question, but on your collective performance throughout your interview, giving your recruiter a clearer idea of your experience level, and how invested you are in your profession and your industry. The aim of this question is to provide them with further clues as to why you'd prefer to work for them over one of their competitors.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Tips
There are several pride statements published across the UBS website which they use to distinguish themselves from the rest of their industry. So, familiarize yourself with their language, opinions, and how they present themselves to their clients. Doing so will assure their recruiter that you could be trusted to reflect their view when serving as a representative of their company.
In UBS's recruitment readiness worksheet, they have an exercise called "Employer's Wow Factor." This exercise challenges you to list 3 top competitors to UBS and to describe what's special and distinctive about them, how those competitors define their culture, and to contrast that from UBS. Going through this exercise will help you better understand how UBS differs "in terms of structure, products and services, global reach and core successes."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
Here are some of the ways UBS distinguishes itself as an employer in its industry, which might directly impact you as a candidate: "We're proud to be one of the first banks certified by the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation for our equal pay practices. Check out our awards sites to see how we measure up in business and as an employer. Not a finance guru? No problem. We're not expecting you to be. We're here to grow with you. Focus on your strengths. If you share a passion for the industry, let us know. In particular, we actively support internal mobility opportunities for all employees and work to create a talent pipeline that stretches from graduate and international mobility programs for early career talent to targeted development for mid-level and senior leaders. In the process, we've become known as a great place to build a career."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Answer Example
"For starters, UBS is the world's largest and only truly global wealth manager. So that on its own sets them apart. Additionally, their policies on equal pay give them a leading edge, especially when recruiting talent. Which leads to having the greatest talent in the industry collaborating behind their doors. This is one of the primary reasons I want to pursue a career here, is their people. I want to learn from the best, and to be counted among them."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Discovery
11. How do you find time to relax outside of work?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question is aimed at determining whether you put effort into maintaining a strong work-life balance. Before considering any potential candidate, your recruiter needs to ensure whomever they hire is focused on sustaining their own well-being. So, it's their aim to identify those who will find job satisfaction with them, and imagine this opportunity as a long-term fit. They're hoping your answer to this question will inform them of whether you prioritize your well-being in your spare time and how sustainable an employee you'll be, or whether you are more likely to burn out on the job, bring the stresses of your personal life to work, or the stresses of your professional life home.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
At UBS, they recognize that, at times, maintaining a strong work-life balance can be challenging, depending on the circumstances. So, on their website, to attract their ideal talent, they detail the benefits they offer to support their employees through more challenging times and to promote their employees' work-life balance. "At UBS, we understand that a good work-life balance is pivotal to our employees' overall wellbeing and to their job satisfaction, and therefore productivity. Employee wellbeing is extremely important to us, and that's why we offer competitive benefits to all employees across the firm. We work hard to ensure our employees, whatever their needs, are supported throughout the employee lifecycle." On their website, they offer more in-depth detail on their award-winning benefits programs, which range from health and well-being, physical well-being, mental well-being, and generous time-off benefits, to name a few.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Focus Your Answer On
In a careers blog post on their Meet Us webpage, one of their featured employees details how they spend their time when asked this very question. "A few colleagues and I will meet to have dinner or catch a movie after work. During weekends, you'll find me running or hiking. I used to play ultimate frisbee during my university days and I hope to join a league soon." Here they've provided specifics on how they relax, how they promote their physical wellbeing through team sports, and independently, and how some of these activities involve those they've built relationships with at work. So, consider how you do the same on each point. Think of the hobbies or activities you enjoy that help you recharge outside of work.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"Well, typically on my Friday nights, I go home and make a big bucket of popcorn and treat myself to a movie from my couch. I have a large backdrop and an HD projector, so I can feel like I have a true movie theater experience from my couch. The next day I wake up, go for my morning run, do some light reading, and then spend my day offering my services volunteering at a local shelter. Afterward, I typically blow off that steam by hanging out with friends, getting a nice meal or drinks, and dancing. Then, on Sunday, I typically go for a long hike in the woods. Then I dedicate the rest of the day to unscheduled time, where I do some cleaning, some cooking, or plan and prepare for my week, and handle those tasks at a leisurely pace."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Diversity
12. Tell me about your experience working among diverse cultures in an equitable and inclusive work environment.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The contemporary method for promoting workplace innovation involves leveraging a diverse workforce with a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and cultures. UBS even emphasizes this on its website. "Having different views at the table is more important than ever if we want to be successful. We need these different angles and ideas. We will be much more successful when we recognize the value this brings to the table." In addition, according to several year-after-year studies, the majority of job seekers are looking for employment with companies whose values align with their own, with a primary focus on DEI (diversity, equality, and inclusion), and their environmental impact and sustainability goals. So, how you answer this question stands to inform Aon's assessment model of whether you have experience working in such an environment and collaborating with those who have varying perspectives and come from different backgrounds than your own.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
What You Need to Know
Diversity questions are one way to determine your cultural competence. Conveying cultural competence requires interest, openness, and curiosity. Aon's AI Natural Language Processor will scan your transcript for whether you are supportive of your fellow team members, and exhibit empathy, emotional intelligence, strong communication skills, humility, and an eagerness to learn from others.
Here is how UBS describes what this looks like in their culture: "Treating people with respect, listening, allowing them to finish, allowing people to have a voice in a room, celebrating our differences, learning from each other, supporting each other, making sure that all voices are represented, that all voices are amplified. We can only move the bar if everyone knows and understands the value that diversity can bring. If we know where our strengths lie and where we need to improve."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
How to Answer
It is crucial to convey cultural competence while addressing diversity-related questions. Effective collaboration within an organization necessitates a high level of cultural competence from everyone involved. When responding to this question, emphasize the unifying aspects of diversity and the importance of accepting the human experience with sensitivity. Exhibit compassion and acceptance of others. Avoid appearing uncomfortable or out of your element when responding to this question. Relax, come across as in your comfort zone, and be clear and decisive in your communication.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Answer Example
"I have a great deal of experience working in culturally diverse environments, whether at work, where I volunteer, or in the neighborhood I live in. Also, my extended family is rather diverse as well. I cherish learning from varying outlooks and perspectives."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
EQ
13. Tell me about the last time you were given feedback. What was the feedback, how did you respond, and what was the outcome?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
UBS emphasizes the value giving and receiving feedback has on its "high-performance culture." They even have an integrated feedback tool "that makes it easy for employees to give and receive feedback to colleagues throughout the year." So, they need to make sure anyone they hire into their company is receptive to feedback and is focused on their own professional growth. "We value our high-performance culture and ensure that we appropriately assess and reward all of our employees."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
In addition to your emotional style, Aon's Natural Language Psychometric Talent Assessment will probably score you on your Adaptation Style as well. Aon breaks down your adaptation style into two categories: Conceptual, on a scale from practical to abstract. Flexible on a scale from consistent to flexible, and mastery, on a scale from doing versus improving. For example, someone who is adaptable, and looks at their feedback as valuable information which they can use to fast-track their professional growth will be insightful and open to feedback. They'll be flexible and willing to reinvent their approach to their work, while consistently aiming to identify opportunities to implement what they learned from the feedback they received.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Pro Tip
Based on UBS's feedback culture, they tend to focus on how an employee's behavior impacts their contributions and outcomes. So, to showcase yourself as a more desirable candidate, you want to offer examples where you proactively sought out feedback and were hyper-focused on your own development, as opposed to someone who perceives feedback as criticism and tries to avoid it. In addition, take care with your choice of words when describing how you reacted and responded to the feedback in your example, as it stands to inform the assessment model of your emotional intelligence, attitude, self awareness, and perception.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"Well, I was working on a project not long ago, and put a lot of effort into it, and did a lot of extras. It was my goal to accomplish those extras and come in ahead of my deadline. So, I turned it in early and was eager to get feedback on the project. Well, you have to be prepared to not always get the feedback you hoped for, and this was one of those occasions. The feedback was that I accomplished a lot in a short period, and the extras were commendable. But, the work felt rushed and could use some polishing. There were a variety of grammatical errors, some formatting inconsistencies, and one occasion where the information was incomplete. I was disappointed in myself, for sure. But I got back to work and turned it in just before the deadline. I was then commended for turning in the polished work, taking the learning opportunity of the feedback to heart, and for the extra effort and additional findings I included. But, I didn't get it in ahead of deadline, so not having hit all of my goals, it felt like a failure to me. But I learned from it, making it all worthwhile."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
EQ
14. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question focuses on your experience level, and how engaged and proactive you are with your professional development. By exhibiting a clear understanding of your strengths and your growth opportunities, you can detail your vision of the goals and milestones you hope to achieve next, and even more so, how you envision UBS's development opportunities helping further your goals. So before your interview, spend some time thinking of your strengths and weaknesses (growth opportunities). Revisit your career plan, the comments from your previous performance reviews, any feedback you've received, or comments offered by your peers.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
UBS suggests its clients use a tool called SWOT, which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Even though it is a business tool designed for their clients, there are aspects you can apply to yourself. According to their guidelines, start by identifying your strengths, which you would define as your competitive advantages, your core competencies, and your experience. When identifying your weaknesses, consider the resources you depend on, and how you have yet to be self-reliant, to identify where you stand to improve on the most. Then identify your opportunities for growth with a clear understanding of the needs you aim to meet, and your strategy for improvement.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"I'd say my core strength is that my standard of work is to always go above and beyond and to outperform my personal best. But, my weakness is that when I don't succeed, I can be a bit hard on myself, and in my disappointment, I can get a bit quiet and withdrawn. There are a couple of co-workers who spot this, and give me pep talks. That helps remind me and bring me back to earth, and this is something I am working on."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
EQ
15. Tell us about the last time you dealt with a setback.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question focuses on your emotional intelligence, and how you respond to, and move on from, your setbacks. The example you share may serve as a future job performance indicator. For example, someone who adapts and adjusts their perspective to learn from their failures is more likely to take ownership of their mistakes and less likely to repeat them. Whereas someone who tries to cover up their mistakes or failures is less likely to take responsibility, nor to learn and grow from the experience, and will probably repeat that same mistake again in the future.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
Based on their rating system, Aon's Natural Language Psychometric Talent Assessment will score you on your emotional style, which they will break up into three scaled categories. Based on your choice of words, they'll evaluate your composure, on a scale from passionate to calm. They will also rate your positivity, on a scale from concerned to hopeful, and your awareness, on a scale from insulated to self-aware. So, considering this, a high-scoring, mature individual is someone who is calm and doesn't allow their decision-making to be influenced by their emotions, likely has a positive attitude, and a clear perspective of how others might perceive them.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
How to Prep
Here's some basic advice from UBS's recruiters concerning your self-presentation, and how to focus on the content of your answers. For example, your emotional state during the interview may impact your choice of words, and influence the messaging of your answers. "It's normal to be nervous. Most people feel the same way as you do! Take a moment to calm your nerves before starting. Take a deep breath. You want to appear confident, engaging and prepared. Think about what we'll ask. Those who are well prepared rarely have a reason to be nervous. We want you to do your best. Stand out in all the right ways. This is the best chance we'll have to find out more about you, so try to think about what you want us to know. Whether it's why you want to train with us, what your strengths and weaknesses are, or even how the person closest to you would describe you. You don't have to overthink this, but the better prepared you are, the more you'll stand out. It's not just what you achieve, but how you achieve."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"I was part of a group of five who were all competing to train for one available leadership position. One leader was training us together as a group, and after two weeks that person would narrow the pool down to two, and a week later, down to one individual who would eventually fill that available position. So, I went in with the approach of learning everything I could about the training program, the position, and what it takes to succeed. But, my gross miscalculation was that I didn't put effort into understanding the communication style and leadership style of the person who would ultimately decide our fates. So, every time I aimed to be a go-getter and impress, I actually annoyed the mentor, who preferred those who were active listeners, who stayed silent and said yes, learning to do things their way. So, I was eliminated in the first round. That was a valuable lesson, and instead of competing for the next leadership position that came available, I focused on my communication skills, adaptability, and interpersonal skills, knowing that developing those first would inevitably make me a better leader later on."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Experience
16. What do you expect to accomplish in your first 90 days on the job?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How you answer this question stands to inform them of your approach to entering a new work environment. In most situations, it is their expectation for a new hire to focus on earning trust and building relationships in the workplace. Anyone who earns a job offer will be awarded that opportunity for their merits, and, although it is perfectly natural to be excited to start contributing to the company on day one, most leaders prefer their recruits take the time necessary to familiarize themselves with their processes and systems, learning all they can while assimilating into their culture and environment. However, those who answer this question by suggesting they will enter the workplace and start reinventing how things are done on day one, may come across as arrogant, lacking humility, and would likely not fit into their culture, nor earn the trust of their teams. So consider how the natural language processor will evaluate the words you choose when answering this question.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
What You Need to Know
UBS takes pride in its approach to simplification, "streamlining our processes and systems. Making it easier for you to work with us." They also detail how, during your "first three months, you will receive a comprehensive UBS training and education schedule to help you familiarize yourself with the UBS Wealth Management platform. You will also be provided with support from our dedicated technology onboarding team, which will help with any hardware and software entitlements. They will ensure that you are fully integrated into the UBS systems on day one."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Answer Example
"Well, I know what I am capable of, and am aware of my strong suits and skills. But I would need to be oriented and fully trained first before I could confidently put them to good use. This includes getting to know my teams, on a professional and personal level. This takes time, and I need to earn their trust before I can earn their confidence and their approval. So, I would focus on those things first, and learn the systems, procedures, and policies forward and backward. Then I would proceed with asking lots of questions. Once I had all the confidence and information needed, I would rise to every opportunity to improve and innovate any way I can."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Experience
17. Tell me about your approach to taking a risk when you did not have all the information at hand to make an informed decision.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question revolves around how responsible you are with the company's assets, including their reputation. How you answer could inform them of whether you are a liability, by taking unnecessary risks, or whether you are an asset, making informed decisions and only taking well-considered calculated risks. Your answer could also inform them of whether you are capable of adhering to their code of conduct and ethics, where they specify their high standards for "performance and professionalism. We are committed to balancing sustainable performance and appropriate risk-taking, including sound conduct and risk-management practices. We remain focused, engaged, and diligent to prevent unintended misconduct."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
With this question, Aon's Natural Language Psychometric Talent Assessment will likely score you on your Task Style, which they break into two categories, drive and structure. They'll rate your drive on a scale from being relaxed to being focused, and how structured your approach is, on a scale from keeping your eye on the big picture to being detail-focused. For most, there is no right or wrong approach, as it comes down to your personality and behavior. Its aim is to determine how aligned you are with their culture and how well you would work with the rest of their teams.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Experienced Example
"I first try to be as informed as possible so that I can approach situations where taking a calculated risk is necessary. So I actively listen and do what I can to anticipate the needs of my leadership teams. I am also very resourceful, including relying on those members of the team who have specialized areas of interest. Only when I am sure the calculated risk is assuredly low, will I move forward with that course of action. But, if I am not confident, the risk I will take is not taking the risk at all, and relying on those who have more confidence and experience, or waiting for them to make the call."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Experience
18. How do you stay up to date and informed in your field?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Aside from joining their talent network or connecting with them on social media, the recruiter wants to get a feeling of your passion for your professional field. They'll score this by how actively you stay informed and on top of current trends or developments in your field. How you answer this question may inform them of your active interest, your commercial acumen, and your expertise. This may also inform them of whether you can be trusted to represent their company when interacting with their clients, or whether your colleagues can rely on you as a trusted resource of information.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
How to Prep
When answering this question, cite the sources you rely on. In a live interview, expect a follow-up question about any noteworthy articles or topics that have recently piqued your interest. They even recommend on their website that when preparing for your interview, you should "list 2 news/business articles that have interested you in the past 2 weeks. Does the article impact the finance industry? If not, it's worth selecting another article. What is, in your view, the impact of this article on the finance sector? Will it mean anything for the division you're applying to, or for UBS in general? How do you personally think UBS should prepare/respond to the impact/opportunities highlighted by the news article? Describe what you think is the likely impact/opportunities of this news story or article for UBS?"
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
When scoring your response, they would classify a poor performer as someone who is only "quoting something they have read about, no real reflection on what this means. Fail to provide practical examples of how they have demonstrated commercial thinking. Example fails to showcase their own thoughts/insights on what they have read. Response fails to evidence a genuine interest to develop commercial acumen and expertise." Whereas a top performer's "response demonstrates their interest in current affairs and how they reflect on what this means for us and our clients. Example shows how they apply strong commercial thinking to their experiences (academic studies, interests, volunteering, work experience, etc.). Showcases how they read, reflect and express their own opinions on business news, macro economic trends, etc. Example responses highlight genuine interest in business affairs."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Answer Example
"I regularly read a wide variety of periodicals. The ones I most prefer are Bloomberg and The Economist. One of the biggest pieces of news that I've been following surrounds UBS's strategy to cut costs from its absorption of Credit Suisse. After the company's emergency acquisition of Credit Suisse, their biggest competitor, I was curious how long it would take to boost their earnings to make sure the mammoth deal pays off."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Experience
19. What would you consider your strongest skills?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question is similar to asking how you believe you stand apart from the other candidates interviewing for this position, and how UBS would stand to benefit from hiring you. How you answer might reveal your familiarity with the expectations of this role, and how the hard and soft skills you have to offer align with their culture and behaviors. As they state on their website, "It's not just what you achieve, but how you achieve."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
How to Prep
UBS's recruitment readiness worksheet has an exercise designed to help you take account of your strongest skills. "What are they looking for? List top skills that you think are required for the role/program you're applying for at UBS. What are your strongest skills? Reflect on recent feedback from friends, family, team members, colleagues, etc. If you haven't got any, time to start asking! List top skills that you think are required for the role/program you're applying for at UBS, and rank them, strongest to weakest. Evidence through real life examples. Give examples of activities/initiatives that you are kicking off to ensure you build on and perfect these skills. Choose a different example for each skill."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
What You Need to Know
According to UBS's recruitment readiness worksheet, they describe someone on the low end of this scale as someone who "selects responses that fail to demonstrate skills required for role, hard to follow, takes a long time to answer the question," and provides "statements that are not backed up," or whose "responses are very negative or overly critical of others." Whereas, they describe someone on the high end of the scale as someone who answers with a "well structured response, succinct and to the point, showcases what is relevant only. Evidences response with clear examples," and has a "positive attitude and poise."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"Well, I do believe this of myself, but it helps that many of my coworkers have voiced this as well, that I am an extremely positive person who works hard and sets the pace and motivates everyone around me. Many of my coworkers have told me they love working with me, and that when we work together, they feel unstoppable and that anything is possible. I am also a strong communicator, very empathetic, and adept at helping those I work with cope with their stress or any other work-related issues they are facing."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Experience
20. Tell us about the last time you had to take responsibility for your actions.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question is aimed at whether you take ownership of your actions, and stands to reveal your experience level and your leadership potential. Open questions such as these have more to do with how you interpret them, and what your interpretation of its meaning stands to reveal about your attitude and worldview. How you structure your answer, and the words you choose, will be assessed and scored by the natural language model.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
According to UBS's recruitment readiness worksheet, they describe someone on the low end of the scale as someone who "fails to highlight resilience and ability to learn from mistakes," and is "not willing to accept/showcase direct accountability for mistakes." Whereas someone who scores highly is "open to disclose examples of things that have not gone to plan and highlights lessons learned. Displays integrity, admits fault when required, shows good ethics, clearly highlights overall goals, required actions, accountability and results."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
How to Prep
On their careers site, UBS states that they "want you to do your best, so we've put together our strongest tips for you to stand out in all the right ways. Put yourself on camera and record your answers to each question to prepare for your interview. Eye contact is important. Look into the camera, not at the screen. This will be our first impression of you, so establishing a personal connection can go a long way." Then they suggest you go back and review your performance and "put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter and evaluate your responses. How did you perform?" They then recommend you use their worksheet or take notes and score your performance as you continue to practice in this manner.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"Well, a co-worker came to me for help. I had a full plate and was already multitasking. But I wanted to help and I strive to be an overachiever. So when they asked my input on something they were struggling with, which I had previous experience with, I advised them hurriedly to steer them in the right direction. But, I didn't communicate this well and mixed up some of the details. When they turned in their work, their findings were flawed. As soon as I heard I went straight to my supervisor and explained the fault was mine. I then committed to helping them fix their report, and that together we would get the work turned in before the deadline at the end of the day. This, in turn, resulted in me turning in my work late. But the responsibility was mine, and I wasn't going to let my co-worker down."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Job Satisfaction
21. What motivates you at work?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
An employee who is continually motivated to perform with excellence likely feels a relative amount of job satisfaction. They also likely have a clear understanding of which tasks they enjoy performing the most, which aspects of their job or their company culture have the most to offer, as well as the value they place on the workplace relationships they've built. To take this further, UBS classifies someone who showcases motivation for their role, highlighting their relevant skills and experience, while promoting their "unique selling point" as a top performer. Whereas, someone who fails to highlight their motivation for their current role, or offers nothing distinctive, or responses that the interviewer has heard before as an unqualified candidate, is someone who is more likely to put in the bare minimum and quickly burn out on the job.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
On UBS's recruitment readiness worksheet, they offer an exercise called "What Motivates You," designed to help you prepare for this question. They offer several statements which they suggest you rank in the order of your personal preferences. Keep in mind, these are statements they have formulated that are in line with their culture, and which they likely value in their employees. "Listening and finding solutions to every problem you encounter. Thinking outside the box, challenging the status quo, redefining the art of the possible. Researching and developing strong subject matter expertise, being renowned as the expert. You get a real buzz from seeing how minor tweaks can drive impactful change. Working for our clients to deliver best-in-class products and services. Interested to see and understand how major world events impact the global stock market. You are fascinated by how technology can revolutionize banking as we know it today. Building extensive and complex financial knowledge. Defining efficient processes, that will drive a best-in-class client and customer experiences. Keeping up with the new regulatory environment and advising on the overall impact. Becoming a trusted advisor to clients. You're keen to explore how organizations can drive employee wellbeing and high performance."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
How to Prep
Go in with a thorough understanding of the job you are applying for. List the type of tasks and projects you look forward to the most. Consider what you hope to learn, and how their career development programs would keep you looking forward to building a future with them. Then meditate on how you would structure your response.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Answer Example
"One of the things that really motivates me at work is motivating others. I have a very positive can-do attitude that I've been told is very contagious in the best way. I love it when others come to me for insights, advice, or for more information on something they heard about in the news of our industry. I also believe that simpler is better, and am always puzzling and thinking about how to make things run smoother through greater efficiency. I am very solutions-focused and have been told I have a very outside-of-the-box way of looking at things. When I am valued for these things, and anything else I have to offer, I find that very motivating. Whatever I can do to help out the team."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Salary
22. Do you feel compensation should be rewarded for tenure or merit?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
There are many who feel their loyalty, on principle, should be rewarded, especially when committing to staying with company long-term. There are others who might view this outlook as taking their employment for granted, feeling comfortable performing in a manner that barely meets expectations rather than exceeding expectations. This question is designed to assess your values on this matter. How you answer should inform them of how you expect to be rewarded, and how informed you are on how they compensate their employees.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
What You Need to Know
UBS details on its website that it rewards its employees based on their performance while applying EQUAL-SALARY Foundation standards to their HR practices. "At UBS, our pay practices are designed to ensure that we appropriately reward employees for their contribution. We apply compensation principles reflecting a pay-for-performance approach. We are committed to incentivizing the right behavior by establishing reward principles and internal control frameworks. Evaluation of individual performance reflects both the what (contribution) and the how (behavior). Our global HR policies and standards, including reward, performance management and promotion, are reviewed annually. Our processes are also global, and we take the same review approach and have the same standard of excellence across all of our locations."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Answer Example
"I believe that everyone should be acknowledged for what they've contributed in equal share. Everyone's merit should be rewarded. But, if you aren't contributing, you shouldn't be rewarded just for being around a long time. Especially when there are others who are committing far more. I familiarized myself with UBS's policies on this when I was exploring this opportunity, and the more I learned, the more I realized this was the right company for me."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Stress
23. Describe a recent high-pressure situation when you worked as part of a team. What was your role in the team? How did you approach working with others?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question centers on how effectively you manage your stress, and whether you allow your emotions to dictate your behavior in high-pressure situations. How you answer could inform them of how your conduct and performance might impact their teams, and whether your attitude and emotional intelligence would be of benefit to the team's performance or a detriment. Additionally, your response and your choice of words might indicate how team-oriented you are, or whether you withdraw in such situations and tend to your own emotional needs rather than the situational needs of the team.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
According to the testimonials of their employees in their videos and blogs, UBS's work culture fosters a very supportive team environment. They encourage their employees to reach out to their colleagues for help and guidance when they need it. "We care about our employees, and we want to support them. We also know that healthy people who are comfortable being themselves at work perform better individually and are more engaged in their team's success, both of which lead to more impactful outcomes."
UBS also offers a wide range of benefits "designed to promote mindfulness and support resiliency in managing stress, spanning social, physical, mental and financial well-being." Among their offerings are a Headspace app subscription, virtual fitness challenges, an employee assistance program, and financial education events in every region, among others.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Pro Tip
With this question, Aon's Natural Language Psychometric Talent Assessment will likely score you on your Interaction Style. They break this up into two distinct categories, your assertiveness, and your liveliness. They'll scale your assertiveness from one to five, one being cautious to five being socially bold. And, they'll scale your liveliness from one to five, one being reserved and five being outgoing.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Answer Example
"Well, there was a high-pressure situation at work that I can't go into too much detail due to the confidentiality of the client involved. But, as the team was scrambling to recover from this incident, a key member of our team allowed their stress to get the better of them. You see, they bore the brunt of the fallout from this situation and got quite an earful from the client, which impacted their morale significantly. Soon, their stress got the better of them and they were reacting negatively and lashing out at other members of the team. So, I asked the employee who'd lost composure and was behaving unprofessionally to step aside with me, and I let them lash out at me at length. I objectified the situation, kept asking them questions, listening, and soon I empathized with them, and mirrored their concerns. Not before long, they were calming down. I then further objectified the situation by detailing how allowing their stress to negatively impact the morale of the team only made matters worse and furthered us from our end goal. So, long story short, I was able to help them recalibrate and refocus their attention on taking action and reversing our situation. Which we did, while raising morale in the process."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Teamwork
24. What are you most valued for by your teams?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
According to the scoring system of their recruitment readiness worksheet, they want you to offer evidence of where you collaborated with others, where you were committed to the group effort, the project, and how the goals accomplished were bigger than yourself, and where you couldn't claim credit all for yourself. You want your response to showcase your relevant or transferable skills for the role. You want to display good evidence of teamwork. And lastly, you'll want to provide evidence of how they have gone the extra mile.
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
UBS offers several statements on its website detailing its collaborative and supportive work culture. So do your homework, thoroughly familiarize yourself with how they describe their environment, then do equal homework on yourself, taking note of all the ways you are well aligned. "It's not how often, but how well we collaborate. Having a collaborative culture is vital for the team's success, and decisive for customer satisfaction. We work in an environment of trust. And winning someone's trust is hard work. The first step for everyone in the team is to be willing to go the extra mile to provide thoughtful solutions and measurable added value for our clients, as well as for the success of our colleagues - the two go hand in hand."
Also, here is a statement from one of their leaders, who describes the effort they invest in their teams to foster "a team culture that is open to honest, empathetic, and respectful feedback. I also feel that it all comes down to showing appreciation for the little things, and going above and beyond expectations to surprise your partners. And in order to do so, you need to know them. You need to fully understand how you can help them to achieve their goals or dreams."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Tips
On their website, UBS offers tips to help you ensure your video interview is a success. "Test it out. Can we hear you? Can we see you? If possible, do a test run, or two, to make sure everything is working correctly (sound, video, lighting, camera angle). Switch off devices that could distract you. We don't want anything to throw you off your game. Delete the distractions. Look around. Would anything in the background be distracting to you speaking, or to us when viewing? Find a quiet place and try to tame down any tendency to fidget in your chair or with your hands. We want the focus to be on you."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 24th, 2024
Answer Example
"I think it is how team-oriented I am. I am reliable, and I am frequently told that everyone feels like they can depend on me. I help out whenever I can without hesitation. I also have a good attitude and am good at morale. I rarely get stressed out and never let my stress get the better of me. I am also very empathetic and am adept at helping others cope with their stress as well. But, aside from these, I am a big promoter of the team, and each individual teammate. You can always count on me to give credit where credit is due, and to sing the praises of everyone I work with. Too often they let their humility get in the way, and how they contributed goes unnoticed. But that never happens on my watch, because I always give shoutouts to every member of the team."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Teamwork
25. Talk about a time when you helped support your colleagues to achieve overall team success.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Your answer to this question will be evaluated for how team-oriented and supportive you are, which stands to inform them of how aligned you are with their work culture, and whether you can build relationships with, and earn the trust of, their teams. Every recruiter not only has to consider whether the candidate would get along with their teams but whether their teams would approve of any individual they hire. This is yet another aspect of ensuring a candidate is a good match for their culture. For instance, in one of their 'Meet Us' careers blogs, a featured employee shares their experience working as part of the UBS team. "Great work is never done alone. When you feel supported and trusted, you feel empowered and work doesn't feel like work. And by taking the opportunity to learn from my team and those around me, I'm learning to create an impact and push for meaningful change."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
Aon's assessment will evaluate your responses and score you for your teamwork style, which they will break up into three categories: your cooperativeness, your sensitivity, and your humility. Concerning your cooperativeness, they'll rate you on a scale of one to five, from being more independent to being more team-oriented. They classify someone who "tends to be more independent as generally less interested in teamwork and cooperation." Whereas they suggest someone who "tends to be more team-oriented and accommodating" might sometimes be taken advantage of.
Then, they'll rate your sensitivity on a scale of one to five, where one is more stoic and five is more compassionate. Someone who is more stoic "tends to be rough-minded and unsentimental, but also candid and direct." Whereas someone who "tends to be kind, compassionate and tolerant, may have difficulty providing negative feedback or being firm with others."
Lastly, they'll rate your humility on a scale from being proud to being humble. Someone who tends to be proud, they suggest, is "cunning and effective at managing situations requiring tact and posturing, but can also be seen as manipulative at times." Whereas they suggest someone who is humble "Tends to be humble and honest, but may be less effective in advocating for their own interests at work."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024
Answer Example
"There was one time I finished a project early. Printed out, emailed, backed up, done and done. Then our computers went down. Most of the rest of our teams were not so far ahead in their work as I was. We lost half a day. I wanted to help, so I volunteered to proofread anyone's work and be a second set of eyes wherever I could. So, knowing what I am good at, I didn't ask if I could help. I just walked up to them and told them, let me help with that. I am also the fastest typist of everyone on the team, and I knew it. Next thing I knew, I was cross-checking reports, making notes, and sending them back. So many papers were flying across my desk. It was like a scene out of a movie. But we kept scrambling over each other and I acted as backup to everyone. Everyone got their work in on time, and every individual project everyone was working on turned into a team project by the end of the day. What a great and incredibly stressful day."
Written by Kevin Downey on February 25th, 2024