Interview Tips - Finance and banking: Understanding recruiter requirements

There are many qualities that a professional in the finance and banking industry must possess, and as hiring experts confirm, being honest and forthright during the hiring stages, ranks high in the checklist

Whether it is providing information in the resume, answering hiring manager’s questions during interview or assisting clients with asset management, the sensitive nature of a financial service or banking job places some core values at the top of recruiters’ candidate screening checklist. These include:

• Strong ethics
• Attention to detail
• Accountability

Here’s how you can incorporate these qualities in your job search and application and make a positive impression during the selection process:

Your resume - honest, factual, straightforward

·                                 The initial screening of a resume by a recruiter involves framing questions around the information provided by the candidate. As Sandip Mallik- Director, HR, Aviva India says, “Depending on the role in question, I spend considerable time reading resumes as it helps me think through the questions that need to be asked during an interview.”

Understanding both - the position’s requirements and your career aspirations will help you place the right amount of information. It’s not only about what you want the recruiter to read about you, but also about addressing questions recruiters may have about your profile. Even small details like experience at varied job locations can be viewed as an advantage from a recruiter’s standpoint. “We look for people who come from finance academic background, preferably MBA, and also for people who have worked on multiple key projects in large banking or financial service companies. Sometimes, even having worked in multiple geographies becomes a preference,” says Kamal Karanth, MD, Kelly Services India.

·                                 Include details about your qualifications, experience and skills – but only as much as so to build the hiring manager’s interest to explore your profile further and invite you for the interview round. According to Archana Shiroor Head - HR, Barclays Corporate India, “A lengthy, five-page resume does not necessarily mean that one has handled many roles and is quite experienced. It is important for a resume to be crisp and to the point.”

·                                 Forthrightness in presenting details is not just an appreciable quality, but an expected one. “Very often, we find that resumes do not have the year of passing covered explicitly in the academic credentials, the work-experience mentioned does not add up to the total number of working years and lastly, the resumes are too long, and tend to miss out on the recruiter’s attention span,” says JM Prasad Chief – Human Resources, ING Vysya Bank.

·                                 Focus on including result-oriented information, achievements or even the potential impact of your work.

Interview round - Showcasing preparedness, experience, dependability

The sensitive nature of bank transactions makes honesty and ethics crucial factors. It is also imperative to display a responsible attitude towards your previous employer. As a job applicant, be prepared to elaborate and consolidate upon the facts that you presented in the resume.

 “Overconfidence or displaying extra smartness is something that puts me off. One should really be genuine throughout the interview. Answering a question before the interviewer has actually finished, shows indiscipline and also desperation to get the job. Boasting about oneself would lead to minus points. One must act in a balanced manner even if he or she has an excellent proven track record and s/he must substantiate achievements with proof that includes certificates or testimonials etc. Finally, if you don’t know answers to a question, don’t make wild guesses; be honest in sharing that you don’t know the correct response,” says Sunaina Mattoo, Executive Vice President - Human Resources at Bajaj Capital Ltd.

A job hopper – Yes or no?

While job hopping commonly raises eyebrows over a candidate’s commitment levels, an honest and forthcoming attitude will land you in good stead with the interviewer. It is facts that recruiters look at, and candidates should be able to provide rational reasoning for their career choices. Frequent job changes can be explained as the need to explore the industry in order to find the right job and organizational culture.

(Source -: shine.com)