Personal Financial Advisor Interview Questions & Answers

Personal financial advisors provide advice to help individuals manage their finances and plan for their financial future.

Interviewers look for candidates that demonstrate excellent skills such as:

• Math skills
• Analytical skills
• Sales skills
• Speaking skills
• Interpersonal skills

In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for personal financial advisor positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!

Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.

Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates

Below we discuss the skills you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.

Analytical skills

Why interviewers are interested in your analytical skills:

In determining an investment portfolio for a client, personal financial advisors must be able to take into account a range of information, including economic trends, regulatory changes, and the client’s comfort with risky decisions.

Interpersonal skills

Why interviewers are interested in your interpersonal skills:

A major part of a personal financial advisor’s job is making clients feel comfortable. Advisors must establish trust with clients and respond well to their questions and concerns.

Learn more about interpersonal interview questions and how to answer them!

Math skills

Why interviewers are interested in your math skills:

Personal financial advisors should be good at mathematics because they constantly work with numbers. They determine the amount invested, how that amount has grown or decreased over time, and how a portfolio is distributed among different investments.

Sales skills

Why interviewers are interested in your sales skills:

To expand their base of clients, personal financial advisors must be convincing and persistent in selling their services.

Speaking skills

Why interviewers are interested in your speaking skills:

Personal financial advisors interact with clients every day. They must explain complex financial concepts in understandable language.

(source: bls.gov)

Personal Financial Advisor Job Interview Questions & Answers

During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:

• Employment history
• Skills and abilities
• Accomplishments
• Job qualifications
• Educational background
• Career goals
• Personality

Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.

Examples Of General Personal Financial Advisor Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. How would you describe yourself?
3. Why do you want to work here?
4. What interests you about this position?
5. Walk me through your resume.
6. What motivates you?
7. Why are you leaving your current job?
8. Describe your work ethic.
9. What is your greatest strength?
10. How does your experience qualify you for this job?
11. What is your greatest weakness?
12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
13. Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
14. What are your expectations for this position?
15. What are your career goals?
16. Why should we hire you?
17. What did you like most about your last position?
18. What did you like least about your last position?
19. How do you handle stress?
20. What is your greatest accomplishment?

Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!

Examples Of Specific Personal Financial Advisor Behavioral Interview Questions

Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.

1. Tell me how you build relationships with your clients. Can you explain how you go about guiding them?
2. Give me an example of how you deal with demanding clients.
3. What would you do if a client tried to push you to act unethically?
4. Walk me through how you evaluate a client’s financial position. What are the first steps you take?
5. Tell me the most successful financial strategy you have developed for a client.
6. What is the most challenging financial strategy you have developed for a client?
7. How do you make sure that you stay up-to-date on recent industry developments?
8. Tell me what you know about ‘x’ (insert a specific field of knowledge required for the job)?
9. How would you describe your work ethic? Can you give me an example of a situation that illustrates your work ethic?
10. What skills do you think a personal financial advisor needs to possess to be successful?
11. How do you establish trust with your clients and respond well to their questions and concerns?
12. Tell me about a time you made a mistake as a personal financial advisor. How did you fix it?
13. What approaches do you use when giving financial advice?
14. How do you deal with stressful situations? Can you give me an example of a time you had to deal with a stressful situation?
15. If I were a prospective client looking for financial advice, why would I want you to advise me on my financials?
16. What software programs do you use in your day-to-day work as a personal financial advisor?
17. How do you gain the trust of new clients?
18. How do you manage client expectations?
19. Explain to me how you maintain loyalty as a financial advisor.

Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview.