Financial analysts need to combine top level analysis skills with an ability to build business partnerships and communicate data.
Great financial analysts have a strong attention to detail, superior Excel skills and a proactive mindset. Here are 3 interview questions you need to ask if you’re hiring a financial analyst.
Can you tell us about a time you built a business partnership in order to accomplish a company objective? What challenges did you face?
For financial analysts to do their role well they must be able to develop relationships with different types of people. Look for an answer that demonstrates your prospective employee was able to position himself/herself in past interactions as a business partner whose involvement added value and helped other departments reach their objectives.
What kinds of reports did you develop and why?
A financial analyst must have an advanced knowledge of Excel. Look for an answer that reveals all-star Excel skills and an ability to draw insightful conclusions that can inform future decision-making. At the end of the day, you need someone who can translate raw data into a meaningful message.
Explain how you did an analysis on a declining or successful product and the course of action you subsequently recommended.
Much like the question above, you are specifically looking at your potential employee’s business acumen. Financial analysts must understand, among many things, the market they compete in, where the company is having successes or failures and why. You need to evaluate if your candidate has a forward thinking skill set that allows them to offer a big picture perspective.
To ensure that you hire a financial analyst that can build business partnerships, create reports that tell a meaningful story and add value ask the 3 questions above.
