communication among group members, and coordinatedtheir energies toward reaching our team's goal.16.What motivates you to put forth you greatest effort?Sample excellent response: You would think that becauseIam interested in sales, only financial compensation wouldmotivate me to achieve.Although monetary rewards areimportant to me,I am driven to succeed internally.More thananything,Iwanttoberespectedbymyfriends and coworkersfor being the best at what I do. Whether I am considered tobethe bestcardetailer in my hometown orthe best columnistfor my college newspaper, I want to be recognized as thebest.17.Giventhe investment our companywill make inhiring andtraining you, can you give us a reason to hire you?Sample excellent response: I sincerely believe that I'm thebest person for the job.I realize that there are many othercollege students who have the ability to do this job. I alsohave that ability.But I also bring an additional quality thatmakesmetheverybestpersonforthejobmyattitudeforexcellence. Not just giving lip service to excellence, butputting every part of myself into achieving it. In college and atmyprevious jobs,I have consistently reached for becomingthe very best I can become.I think my leadership awardsfrom my college, and my management positions are theresult of possessing the qualities you're looking for in anemployee.18. Would you describe yourself as goal-driven?Sample excellent response:Yes,and I demonstrated mygoal orientation as president of the local Jaycees, acommunity service organization.Iam very proud of thefactthat Isetagoal of signing50 new membersbytheend of theyear,and I accomplishedthat
communication among group members, and coordinated their energies toward reaching our team’s goal. 16. What motivates you to put forth you greatest effort? Sample excellent response: You would think that because I am interested in sales, only financial compensation would motivate me to achieve. Although monetary rewards are important to me, I am driven to succeed internally. More than anything, I want to be respected by my friends and coworkers for being the best at what I do. Whether I am considered to be the best car detailer in my hometown or the best columnist for my college newspaper, I want to be recognized as the best. 17. Given the investment our company will make in hiring and training you, can you give us a reason to hire you? Sample excellent response: I sincerely believe that I’m the best person for the job. I realize that there are many other college students who have the ability to do this job. I also have that ability. But I also bring an additional quality that makes me the very best person for the job — my attitude for excellence. Not just giving lip service to excellence, but putting every part of myself into achieving it. In college and at my previous jobs, I have consistently reached for becoming the very best I can become. I think my leadership awards from my college, and my management positions are the result of possessing the qualities you’re looking for in an employee. 18. Would you describe yourself as goal-driven? Sample excellent response: Yes, and I demonstrated my goal orientation as president of the local Jaycees, a community service organization. I am very proud of the fact that I set a goal of signing 50 new members by the end of the year, and I accomplished that
19.Describe what you've accomplished toward reaching arecentgoalforyourselfSampleexcellentresponse:My first few years in banking had me on the fast track tobranch management.Irealized at some point along the waythat my truepassionwas in offeringfinancial advice notlimited to checking accounts and loans.It was at that pointthat I made the necessary arrangements to go back to schoolfull-time to pursue my goal, which I am just about to achieve.2o. What short-term goals and objectives have youestablishedforyourself?Sampleexcellentresponse:Myshort-termobjectivesaretograduatefromtheProfessionalDevelopmentProgrambeforethe standard two years and begin developing a clientele.Asan intern,I prepared ahead of timeby studying for the Series7 and Series 64 exams that constitute a majority of abeginning financial consultant's time. I'd like to make makethe company that hires me wonder what it ever did withoutme.21.Can you describe your long-range goals and objectives?Sample excellent response:My primary objectives are tolearn as much as possible about your company's productoffering,organizational structure, and professional salestechniques so that I may become the most productivememberofyoursalesteam.22. What do you expect to be doing in five years?Sample excellent response: Although it is hard to predict thefuture, I sincerely believe that I will become a very goodfinancial consultant.Ibelievethat myabilities will allowmetoexcel to the point that I can seek other opportunities as aportfolio manager (the next step)and possibly evenhigher.My ultimategoal continuesto beand will always betobe the best at whatever level I am working at within MerrillLynch'scorporatestructure
19. Describe what you’ve accomplished toward reaching a recent goal for yourself. Sample excellent response: My first few years in banking had me on the fast track to branch management. I realized at some point along the way that my true passion was in offering financial advice not limited to checking accounts and loans. It was at that point that I made the necessary arrangements to go back to school full-time to pursue my goal, which I am just about to achieve. 20. What short-term goals and objectives have you established for yourself? Sample excellent response: My short-term objectives are to graduate from the Professional Development Program before the standard two years and begin developing a clientele. As an intern, I prepared ahead of time by studying for the Series 7 and Series 64 exams that constitute a majority of a beginning financial consultant’s time. I’d like to make make the company that hires me wonder what it ever did without me. 21. Can you describe your long-range goals and objectives? Sample excellent response: My primary objectives are to learn as much as possible about your company’s product offering, organizational structure, and professional sales techniques so that I may become the most productive member of your sales team. 22. What do you expect to be doing in five years? Sample excellent response: Although it is hard to predict the future, I sincerely believe that I will become a very good financial consultant. I believe that my abilities will allow me to excel to the point that I can seek other opportunities as a portfolio manager (the next step) and possibly even higher. My ultimate goal continues to be — and will always be — to be the best at whatever level I am working at within Merrill Lynch’s corporate structure
23. What do you see yourselfdoing in ten years?Sample excellent response: Ten years from nowI see myselfasa successful consultantforaworld-classfirmlikeyours.Iwanttohavedevelopeda wonderful bond withmyemployerlwill have proven myself ahighlycompetent systems analystand will represent my company in helping others findsolutionstotheirinformation-systemsneeds ina professionalandtimelymanner.24.How would you evaluate yourability to deal with conflict?Sample excellent response:IbelieveIam quite good athandling conflict.Working in retail and in the residence hallsrequired that I make many unpopular decisions at timeswhether it was terminating an associate or taking judicialactiononaresident.Often thepersoninconflict withmewould be upset and sometimes physically outraged.I wouldalways make sure that I fully explained the situation, thepolicies behind my decision, and why those policies exist.Usuallybytheend of theconversation,thepersoncould seetheothersideofthesituation.25. Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor orinstructor?Howdidyouresolvetheconflict?Sample excellent response:Yes,Ihad an incident with mySpanish professor. I turned in an essay that she said was toogood to be mine. I was honest with her; I told her that I had anative speaker review the essay,but he made very fewcorrections. However, I had broken the Golden Rule ofSpanishCompositiontheessaymustnoteventouchthehands of a native speaker.To provetoher that I was capableof producing an essay that exceeded her expectations of anon-native speaker, Iofferedto re-write anotheressay inheroffice.learnedanA-minus.26. Tell me about a major problem you recently handled.Wereyousuccessful inresolving it?
23. What do you see yourself doing in ten years? Sample excellent response: Ten years from now I see myself as a successful consultant for a world-class firm like yours. I want to have developed a wonderful bond with my employer I will have proven myself a highly competent systems analyst and will represent my company in helping others find solutions to their information-systems needs in a professional and timely manner. 24. How would you evaluate your ability to deal with conflict? Sample excellent response: I believe I am quite good at handling conflict. Working in retail and in the residence halls required that I make many unpopular decisions at times, whether it was terminating an associate or taking judicial action on a resident. Often the person in conflict with me would be upset and sometimes physically outraged. I would always make sure that I fully explained the situation, the policies behind my decision, and why those policies exist. Usually by the end of the conversation, the person could see the other side of the situation. 25. Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor or instructor? How did you resolve the conflict? Sample excellent response: Yes, I had an incident with my Spanish professor. I turned in an essay that she said was too good to be mine. I was honest with her; I told her that I had a native speaker review the essay, but he made very few corrections. However, I had broken the Golden Rule of Spanish Composition — the essay must not even touch the hands of a native speaker. To prove to her that I was capable of producing an essay that exceeded her expectations of a non-native speaker, I offered to re-write another essay in her office. I earned an A-minus. 26. Tell me about a major problem you recently handled. Were you successful in resolving it?
Sample excellent response: While working at K-mart, I wasone of three people to work in the electronics department.One day upon arriving at work, I was told the district managerwas coming the next day to do a store inspection.The twootherpeople whoworkedinelectronicswerebothover55.Neither could lift heavy objects, and one refused to work at all.As a result, the electronics department was usually left to meto keep stocked with product and kept in order.I had aboutfive hours of work time to gettheentire department in orderThose five hours passed around, and there was still asubstantial amount of work to be done. I asked the storemanager if Icould stayand work after hourswhile theovernight stockers were there.He said that because of theemployment budget, he could not let me. I was faced withbringing the entire store's rating down, so I suggested acreative staffing solution, allowing me to work the extra hourswhile temporarily reducing the hours of the other twomembers of the department. Because of this solution, in amatterofhours,thedepartmentwasintip-top shapeandstill under budget. And the results? The electronicsdepartmentgotascoreof95outof100.27. Would you say that you can easily dealwithhigh-pressuresituations?Sample excellent response:Yes.Mypast experience as anAdministrativeCoordinatorrequiredmeto deal withmanyserious situations sinceIheld emergency on-call dutiesas asupervisor.Oneexample was whenIwas called by aResident Assistant to deal with an attempted suicide on herresidence hall floor. The situation required that I think clearlyand quickly in this life-and-death situation. I had to weigh themanytasksthatneededtobecompleted.IhadtoassignRAsto call 911,make sure thatEMScould get into the lockedbuilding, while at the same time applying first aid, andensuringthat the rest of the residents onthefloorwereOK.1also had to make sure theprivacy ofthe resident in need was
Sample excellent response: While working at K-mart, I was one of three people to work in the electronics department. One day upon arriving at work, I was told the district manager was coming the next day to do a store inspection. The two other people who worked in electronics were both over 55. Neither could lift heavy objects, and one refused to work at all. As a result, the electronics department was usually left to me to keep stocked with product and kept in order. I had about five hours of work time to get the entire department in order. Those five hours passed around, and there was still a substantial amount of work to be done. I asked the store manager if I could stay and work after hours while the overnight stockers were there. He said that because of the employment budget, he could not let me. I was faced with bringing the entire store’s rating down, so I suggested a creative staffing solution, allowing me to work the extra hours while temporarily reducing the hours of the other two members of the department. Because of this solution, in a matter of hours, the department was in tip-top shape — and still under budget. And the results? The electronics department got a score of 95 out of 100. 27. Would you say that you can easily deal with high-pressure situations? Sample excellent response: Yes. My past experience as an Administrative Coordinator required me to deal with many serious situations since I held emergency on-call duties as a supervisor. One example was when I was called by a Resident Assistant to deal with an attempted suicide on her residence hall floor. The situation required that I think clearly and quickly in this life-and-death situation. I had to weigh the many tasks that needed to be completed. I had to assign RAs to call 911, make sure thatEMScould get into the locked building, while at the same time applying first aid, and ensuring that the rest of the residents on the floor were OK. I also had to make sure the privacy of the resident in need was
respected.Ibasically prioritized and dealt with each task byits importance. I delegated responsibility to RAs for thingsthat they were capable of handling because I could notphysically be in many places at once.Once the resident wastaken to the hospital,I was responsible forpaperworkandfollowuptomakesurethestaffmembers,residents,andtheresident-in-need adjusted back to“normal"life.Iknow this isan extremeexample not found in the financial consulting field;however,it shows justhowwell I candeal withextremepressure.28. What quality or attribute do you feel will most contribute toyourcareersuccess?Sample excellent response: My greatest strength is myflexibility.I have learned that work conditions change fromday to day and throughout the day, as well, no matter where Ihave worked in the past. I also have realized that certainprojects require individual attention and others involve ateamwork approach.These are just a few examples of thechanges that happen in the financial consulting field, as youare well aware. My flexibility to adapt to the differentdemands of the job has allowed me to surpass mysupervisorsexpectations.29. What personal weakness has caused you the greatestdifficultyinschooloronthejob?Sample excellent response (shows how he recognized hisweakness and workedto improve):My greatest weaknesshad been delegation. I would take it upon myself to do manysmall projects throughout my shift as a manager that couldhave been done by others in an attempt to improve myworkers'efficiency.OnceI realized thatI was doing morework than the other assistant managers, and they wereachieving better results,I reevaluated what I was doing.IquicklyrealizedthatifIassigned eachperson justonesmall
respected. I basically prioritized and dealt with each task by its importance. I delegated responsibility to RAs for things that they were capable of handling because I could not physically be in many places at once. Once the resident was taken to the hospital, I was responsible for paperwork and follow up to make sure the staff members, residents, and the resident-in-need adjusted back to “normal” life. I know this is an extreme example not found in the financial consulting field; however, it shows just how well I can deal with extreme pressure. 28. What quality or attribute do you feel will most contribute to your career success? Sample excellent response: My greatest strength is my flexibility. I have learned that work conditions change from day to day and throughout the day, as well, no matter where I have worked in the past. I also have realized that certain projects require individual attention and others involve a teamwork approach. These are just a few examples of the changes that happen in the financial consulting field, as you are well aware. My flexibility to adapt to the different demands of the job has allowed me to surpass my supervisor’s expectations. 29. What personal weakness has caused you the greatest difficulty in school or on the job? Sample excellent response (shows how he recognized his weakness and worked to improve): My greatest weakness had been delegation. I would take it upon myself to do many small projects throughout my shift as a manager that could have been done by others in an attempt to improve my workers’ efficiency. Once I realized that I was doing more work than the other assistant managers, and they were achieving better results, I reevaluated what I was doing. I quickly realized that if I assigned each person just one small