Common Questions For Interview

There cannot be clear cut strategy for the interviews as it all depends on how the interview board is and what they have in their mind on the day. But having said that, it is always wise to prepare well for your interviews, as smart preparation can always help to get through this final hurdle. Although board can throw any question on you but with a little brainstorming and application we can always find out some of the questions which are very commonly asked in the interviews. Candidates should always prepare structured answers of such questions so that they would not find any difficulty at the time of interview. Also keep in mind that interview is a test of your communication skills so remain confident and speak well during interviews, mock interview can help a lot, so practice a lot among your friends and family members.

Just bear in mind that those 10-15 minutes can change your life so don’t have any kind of apprehensions and just be normal. Always talk positive and don’t ever give impression of negativity (even if you are not a positive person). Communicate as much as you can on relevant topics, a few days before your interview, it will not only boost your confidence but also help you to have command over the language. In banking interviews apart from the common questions and answers which I am providing you as under, question may also be from your background, qualifications, current affairs, banking and financial terms etc. So try to cover all such areas.

Tell me about yourself:

This is one of the most common but very important asked questions in interviews. Therefore you need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. Try to cover a brief about you which may include your background, qualifications, experience (if any), your family and your career objective which may include that why you are looking for entering into this sector. Practice this question among your friends to master over it. Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present.

Why do you want to enter banking?

You need to talk about Banking. Your answer can have following bulleted points.

Banking is a fast changing environment and with the advent of new technologies and products scope for learning is much more now.

Retail banking is now very competitive – from telephone banking, retailers and etc Banking is thus now largely sales driven.

You can talk that banking offers a wide range of career opportunities for graduates – not just in branch banking but also in financial services, consultancy and corporate banking.

What significant trends do you see in the future in Banking Industry?

This is your chance to shine. You will be fully familiar with the economic situation and development in the banking industry to tackle such questions. Development which have recently taken in the banking industry, monetary policy, how the industry has evolved in last few years and what is the future alike etc. are the areas which you should prepare.

What do you know about this organization?

This question is one reason to do some research on the organization before the interview. Find out about the performance of the bank in which you are appearing for the interview. What are the strong and weak issues of the bank and how they are performing on financial parameters in the industry? Who are the major competitors and what action bank should take to tackle competition.

Explain how you would be an asset to this organization or why should we select you for this position?

This is another very good question which will give you an opportunity to impress the board. It gives you a chance to highlight your best points as they relate to the position being discussed. Talk about your strong points, qualifications, analytical skills etc. to highlight that how can you be an asset to the bank. Please bear in mind that you have already cleared the hurdle of the written part so don’t ever think that you cannot be an asset. The bank has already tested your analytical abilities and they are now just looking for how you respond to such question.

What is your greatest strength?

Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples: Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude etc.

Do you think you are overqualified for this position?

Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position.