Assessment Centre Advice | Bank of America

Here are some top tips to help you prepare for these types of questions:

• Prepare 3-5 strong examples, maybe from university, societies or a previous job, which you can tailor to any answer and showcase your transferable skills
• Show that you understand the Bank and you’ve done your research with facts and figures
• Keep up-to-date with global news affairs and recent trends on the markets to discuss
• Prepare thoughtful questions to ask your assessor at the end to showcase your interest and curiosity

People often worry about answering technical questions - the key thing to remember is that you're at the very start of your career journey and the questions will reflect that, so try not to worry! Here are some tips to help guide you in the right direction:

• Ask good technical questions and know your technical lingo - do your research into the line of business you’re applying to and review the core concepts
• Do your research - consider listening to relevant podcasts, articles in the Financial Times, all tailored to your business area
• You may not know the correct answer, but if you can show that you have the technical knowledge to work around it, then be honest and explain how to get to the point by showing your problem solving pattern.
• Try to understand technical aspects as much as you can and show structure in your answer

Below you'll find some key competencies that Bank of America are assessing for, as well as a few questions to help you think of scenarios to support your application.

• Collaborates - what skills are needed/important for teamwork? What role did you play in a team? How did you overcome barriers as a team?
• Achieves results - when have you shown great initiative? When have you succeeded despite a number of challenges?
• Acts with courage and conviction - when have you articulated your perspective well? Do you take accountability when things don't go well?
• Client/customer focus - when have you delivered excellent customer service? How do you build strong working relationships with clients? How do you deal with unsatisfied customers?
• Learns and adapts - when have you adjusted to a new environment? What do you do to improve your skills? When have you taken on feedback from others?
• Judgment and risk management - what do you do when you've identified an issue? What process do you follow to make informed decisions?
• Knows the business - what do you know about Bank of America? Are you up to date with current affairs?

This method is helpful as it stops us from waffling or getting lost when answering an interview question.

Situation – think about a specific situation you encountered, maybe at university or at a previous job. It might be a challenging project, a difficult customer/client interaction, or even a problem you had to solve in a pressured deadline.

Task – what was your role in that situation, what task or responsibilities were you given? You have already set the scene with “S”, but now with “T” you are on Act 1, describing the purpose behind what you did

Action – explain the actions you took to address the challenge or task. Think about the skills and expertise you brought to the table – was it an issue when analysing data, or maybe collaborating with teammates? Paint a clear picture, focusing on your activities, and most importantly be personable!

Result – what was the outcome of your actions? Did you achieve your goal, exceed expectations or learn something valuable from constructive criticism? This is where you wrap up your story with a bang and show the impact of your work.

By combining preparation, knowledge and confidence, you can excel in your assessment.

• Even if you encounter challenging questions, remain calm and confident - you're allowed to take your time and think through answers, so do ask the assessor to repeat the question if needed
• It’s okay to be nervous, as this is something we all experience when we're out of our comfort zone - take a breathe, be confident and show us how great you are!