How to Answer: Walk me through your finance-related education. Which courses were your favorite? Where did you struggle?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Financial Analyst job interview.
24. Walk me through your finance-related education. Which courses were your favorite? Where did you struggle?
What You Need to Know
Your interviewer wants you to breathe life into your education, going deeper than the bare facts on your resume. Discuss more than the degree you earned or your coursework, and showcase the life lessons you learned and your on-the-job experience. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." Discuss the challenges you faced, the obstacle you overcame, and the experiences and life lessons that increased your emotional intelligence.
Written by Kevin Downey on August 1st, 2023
Answer Example
"I have a Masters degree in Finance. I am also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). I completed my Masters degree from Stanford University in 2006. My CFA designation was awarded to me in 2010. During my studies, my favorite course was International Business. I found it incredibly eye-opening to learn about financial matters in other regions. Statistics is the area that I struggled with the most. I hired a tutor for that course and completed it with strong grades."
Written by Rachelle Enns
Experienced Example
"I earned my Master of Business Administration degree at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. I gained favor with my professor, who actively mentored me during the last year of my studies before I earned my bachelor's degree. Thanks to Professor Johnson's encouragement, I returned to pursue my Master's degree and earned several scholarships, which helped carry me to the finish line. But what I learned most was how my professor coached me when I stumbled and helped me pick myself back up. Thanks to that encouragement and those words of wisdom, I have increasingly taken every setback in stride and have the fastest situational reaction times and emotional maturity of anyone I know. Now I take pride in mentoring others as Professor Johnson mentored me."
Written by Kevin Downey on August 1st, 2023