How to Shine in Risk Job Interviews
Want to impress in your Risk job interview? We have some tips to help give you the edge when it comes to what hiring managers are looking for in candidates for risk jobs.
One thing to prepare for is that you may get an interviewer who is very technical and knowledgeable on a particular product, such as lending, cards, treasury or ethics. Thus, their line of questioning will likely focus on that topic, looking to see that you understand the process and of course the risks of the product. You may not have experience in all products, but make sure you have a good understanding of the process for the product or products you have worked with. Your interviewer is looking to see that you have a clear understanding of the key risks of that product and the options available to you to mitigate them.
Risk is not always easily mitigated but can be managed. In your interview the company will be looking to see how you will help the business, so emphasise how you can utilise your skills to help them manage their risks. This is what helps them slot you in within the framework of their operation and see where and how you are going to add value.
Lots of risk incidents occur globally each year. Stay up to date with these so that when you get quizzed on the latest news headlines for risk you have a good answer and can show that you’re not only aware but passionate about working in risk. How do you shine though? Go beyond simply rattling off the important news stories, dig deeper into the particulars of those incidents. What were the penalties? Why did the incident occur? What’s the remediation? How would you handle a similar situation? What can other businesses learn from the incident?
This last point is one that is greatly important, as having the understanding of how businesses in the same industry or space as your potential employer cope with risk incidents and what you can learn from the impact demonstrates your business acumen and that you’re astute to the bigger picture for their business.
Aside from the topical and technical, you’ll also get the typical interview questions about you, your skills and attributes. Don’t leave those to the wayside, make sure you prepare well thought out answers to the questions that ask for your strengths and weaknesses. You can be creative in these answers, in as much as you’re still trying to sell yourself even when describing the things you could do better. Spin your shortcomings into areas you’re constantly improving on and perhaps even explain that you’re applying for this role at this company because you know it will give you the best opportunity to develop a particular skill or area of expertise.
Highlight any transferable skills you have. Flexibility is a huge bonus in the risk profession as is the ability to communicate well both in writing and in person. If you’ve worked internationally, highlight that too. Your experience of working with different types of people from different cultures, regions and backgrounds will absolutely endear you to your interviewer.
Use every opportunity to highlight any applicable skills you have in data risk, analytics, SQL (structured query language), Management Information Systems, risk reporting and so on. You want to leave the room knowing you’ve demonstrated without doubt that you are the right person for the job.
