Financial Specialist

Your next superstar Financial Advisor is waiting to join your team. These questions will help you find the best candidate for the job.

Financial Specialist qualifications to look for

Financial Specialists are big decision-makers when it comes to your company’s strategic investments. They prepare and review all cost analyses, prepare budget reports and evaluate current accounting trends.

Your top candidates will have a degree in Finance or Economics and relevant work experience in a senior-level role. An additional certification (e.g. CPA or CFA) and knowledge of statistical analysis software is a plus.

Keep an eye out for candidates who are:

• Excellent communicators
• Analytical thinkers
• Methodical with follow-up
• Logical decision-makers

Top tip: Hire candidates willing to grow by making sure their personal career goals align with your company’s mission.

Problem-solving interview questions

• How do you collect and present data when conducting a benchmark analysis?
• When preparing a presentation for investors, what metrics would you use to describe the company’s financial health?
• How would you advise the CEO when planning to make an investment, such as expanding our operations or opening a new location?
• Our company is thinking about taking on a new loan. What factors would you take into consideration before advising on whether or not we should do this?
• You found a mistake in a report you prepared but your manager hasn’t noticed it. What steps do you take to fix it?

Role-specific interview questions

• What is your budgeting process step-by-step?
• What financial and statistical analysis software have you used? What are your favorite features?
• Tell me about the reports you prepare and monitor on a regular basis. How do you use this information?
• What financial model have you used to help build an annual forecasting report?
• What formula do you use to calculate an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) on an investment? How do you assess whether it’s good or not?
• How does an increase in debt affect the Weighted Average Cost Of Capital (WACC)?

Behavioral interview questions

• Describe a time when you managed and monitored a challenging financial task, e.g. tax audits.
• Attention to detail is crucial in this position. When has your attention to detail saved you from making a mistake at work?
• What resources do you use to keep current with global economic issues?
• What are the biggest challenges that our industry will face in the next few years?
• What’s your leadership style? How do you support your team members?