LOL. It didn't fit in the comment box.
I have never had group interviews; I can imagine them to be intimidating. I tend to cure my curiosity by googling like crazy - so I'd know what I'm expecting. Generally, aside from the company's website, forums helped me a lot. I don't think I can give any advice besides the typical ones like be calm, confident, dress for success, etc. Instead, below are what I have done and questions I have been asked.
In general,
1. I have expressed great interests in the corporations with clear and objective reasons. I usually sound unusually optimistic. I'd remember a few stats about the company/industry that you can "show off". I tend to think that besides that I am suitable for the job, I'm usually just likable. For the Daiichi job interview, I made stupid jokes (they turned out to be very informal). For HSBC job, I spoke on a friend-level asking for advice as a Financial Advisor (he turned out to like my curiosity and interest about the job). Of course, however, speak professionally.
2. I have shown objective evidence that I have the experience in the position that I am applying for. If I didn't, I would tie in other experience that are closely related to it. I didn't have experience in sales, but I had experience in fundraising.
3. Ask questions; let your curiosity and interest show. Never ask questions that you can find out from the company's website.
4. Email the interviewers asap to thank them. Send a snail mail within a week to thank them.
5. Make sure you know what the position you are applying for entails! Make sure you know their job descriptions.
6. I'd review the qualifications for the job and make sure I address all of them when I am asked to describe myself. Like, if they're looking for a team player, I'd stress how I am a team player.
Daiichi Life:
1. Where do you see yourself in x years? - Getting my MBA; stressed on the importance of higher education to me.
2. Summarize your experience.
3. What do you think the difference is between Japanese and American? - Explained the difference between Asian's work ethics and Westerners' work ethics. (Racist comments, but they bought it and laughed)
4. What Chinese restaurant would you take the executive of Daiichi if he were to visit New York? - Peking Duck, Shanghai Food - soupy dumplings
5. What are some positive qualities you have? - Good work ethics, etc.
6. What are some negative traits you have? - I blanked out. I said I was a workaholic, and I have taken steps to balance my work and life. (The trick is to say something negative that isn't really negative)
7. Does that mean you are not as serious anymore? - No, blah blah blah.
HSBC (3 interviews)
1. Summarize your experience.
2. What do you know about Finance? - Nothing; I can never learn enough in classrooms.
3. What experience do you have with sales? - Fundraising; if I can convince alumni to donate $ to the school that they didn't even like, I can do anything with sales.
4. What are some positive qualities you have?
5. What are some negative traits you have? - I blanked out again. I said something about work and family again.
Bank of America (3 interviews, assessment, survey, phone interview)
1. Situational Q&A:
- If the customer disagree with your recommendation to open a certain account and s/he asked to speak with another personal banker, how would you handle this? - I would explain to them in detail why I have made the recommendation. If s/he insisted on speaking to another personal banker, I would allow it.
- How would you avoid similar problem in the future? - I would give detail explanation before suggesting a product/service. I would be less aggressive. I would present the recommendation as an only an option.
- How would you gather your information for a project that you have no experience in? - Internet, experienced peers
2. Phone Interview:
- What do you think the everyday life is for a personal banker? - Opening accounts, meeting sales goal
3. Interviews:
- Questions on language proficiency - situational question
- Role play for coaching an unmotivated subordinate who hasn't met their sales goal - (assistant manager & subordinate) - Ask open-ended questions, offer help, monitor what s/he did wrong, be sympathetic and asked if there were problems at home, etc.
- Role play for my experience at a fundraising environment (alumni & caller)
- Do you think tellers are important? - Extremely, because they deal with 90%+ of customers and they are essential for bring sales by referrals
- Why do you want to work for Bank of America? - Specific stats on its position in the industry; Growth / Sounded Optimistic (will soon be the benchmark in the industry and overall amoung all organizations)
- How did you hear about this position? - Were looking for management trainee position; it was the only one of its kind
- If you were the assistant manager tomorrow, how would you increase sales? - Since we can't pull customers in and tellers deal with most of the customer, I'd demand tellers to ask for referrals to see if the customer will open up accounts that they don't have based on our information of them. (They were impressed that I observed this as a customer.)
- What are some of the first things you would do if you were hired? - Make sure I know what the tellers are doing, because I wouldn't want to be managed by someone who doesn't know what I'm doing as well. I see that personal bankers and tellers may be segregated due to the duties/responsibilities. I can imagine that personal bankers who have worked for 1+ year and not know the tellers. Therefore, I would postpone getting to know peers who I work closely with and make sure I befriend the tellers first.
- Negative Traits - I blanked out yet again. (You'd think I would have a set answer by now) I made up something about how I treat my subordinates as merely subordinates, and I should listen to them on a level as a friend.
4. Survey:
- Behavioral questions on management - basic questions I already learned from my major
- ie. What's more important? - profit, employees, etc. - Employees
Staffing firms & others:
- Summarize your resume/experience.
