Interviews


We receive so many E-mails from users asking for tips for cracking Bank Interviews. So we decided to create a whole new section by describing best practices for behavioural aspects and answering some of the most common questions asked in Interviews and impress the Interviewers.
After Evolution of the Common Bank exam, the candidates have to give a centralized written exam for all the Main public sector banks. After scoring good in it they will get direct entry into Interview/GD phases of various Jobs announced by banks participating in the common bank exam scheme. Thus, Interviews should be prepared very well in order to impress the Interviewersand get the job.
Most people use to get nervous in the Interviews and it goes way off the track. Its is a common reason behind not being able to crack through the Interview. However, if prepared well, Interviews are easy and simple to go through. Candidate needs to keep a few points in Mind in order to Impress Interviewers inside the Interview hall. These points are as described Below :-
  • First of all, Be Confident and true, It's the most important requirement in any Interview. They will hire you only when you would prove your suitability and usefulness for them. To do this, you should be confident and true, being too diplomatic won't impress them.
  •  You should keep in mind that the Purpose of Interview is to select you and not to reject you. They know that you are capable of this job as You have already cleared the written test by beating many other competitors. So, the purpose of Interview is to let them have a good look at your real personality. You should formulate your answers in such a way so that they would find you to be useful for them.
These were the basic points to start with, follow below links to explore best practices for various aspects of cracking bank Interviews :-

 How to Write effective Resume?

Good Resume is a very Important factor in all Interviews. Employers often focus upon it to determine candidates' eligibility for the job. So, there has to be a symmetry in the way you are presenting yourself and what you have written in the Resume. If there are some Mismatches found, The candidate is not hired. Remember that the Interviewers are experts in assessing One's personality and to find if the person is a fit for the job or not.

Do's and Dont's for writing effective resume:-

A good resume has following components,
  • A clearly stated JOB OBJECTIVE.
  • The HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS.
  • A presentation of directly RELEVANT SKILLS and EXPERIENCE.
  • A chronological WORK HISTORY.
  • A listing of relevant EDUCATION and TRAINING.

Do's


  • Have the resume professionally typed and Print the resume on standard letter size(Usually A4 Size).
  • Use short paragraphs not longer than five lines.
  • Rewriting a resume for a specific company is Advised.
  • Do not go too deep about your previous jobs but Include your significant contributions at each one of your Previous jobs(If any).If you are a fresher than mention about your main academic projects and your contribution in them.
  • Give the most space to the jobs that are most relevant to the job you're applying for.

Dont's

  • Never Show hate about your previous company (Or your Institute if you are a fresher).
  • Never give reasons for your termination or leaving a job.
  • Never describe your hobbies, sports and social activities in more than two lines. Leave them when you are in doubt.
  • Avoid your personal philosophies.
  • Never use exact dates. Months and years are sufficient. Do not include the date your resume was prepared.
  • Never include remarks about your physical appearance or health.
  • Never lie about your achievements, academic record etc.
  • Never try to gain sympathy by describing about your familiar, personal challenges, they will never give you a job. You have to show them you are fit for that job and that's it!
  • Avoiding using too much Bold characters in the Resume.

 Commonly asked Interview questions and their suitable answers






There are some Standard questions that should be prepared well by the candidate as they play a crucial role in letting the interviewers know that the candidate is suitable for the job or not. Here we have compiled some of these commonly asked Questions with suggestions on how to answer them.

Question :- Tell us Something about Yourself.
How to Answer :- This is usually the first question asked in Interviews. You should not read all the data in your resume and also do not go too deep about telling about your parents, village and grand parents etc. For example, avoid answers like- "My village name is XYZ which come under XYZ District. My school name was XYZ school which was the biggest in district with 10000 students......"
Be natural and calm. Speak Slowly and Tell them about your strengths, achievements and passions etc. This question should not take more than 3 Minutes to be answered. Keep in mind that they know that you are capable as you have already cleared the written test, now you have to show them your suitability and genuine desire for this job. So mention your strengths and interests that are related to that job. Doing a brief research about that Bank/Company before the interview is advised. Remember that at the end of the day you have to make the interviewer feel that you are the right person for this job.

Question :- Why should we Hire you in our Organization?
How to Answer :- The Interviewer wants to know your suitability for the job so in this question you should tell about your Strengths and achievements so far. You should mention your strengths so that they would come to know your fitness for the job. Do not say something which is not true about you. Remember that the Interviewers are very Experienced and they will realize if you are saying truth or just trying to Outsmart them. Avoid using phrases like "This is the Best Company" or "I want to work in this field."
Instead, try to mention good things about you that are related to that job and this will surely prove your usefulness.

Question :- What are your Strengths and Weaknesses ?
How to Answer :- This is again a very commonly asked question. The Interviewer here wants to analyze how much you know of yourself.
Strengths:- You should mention your strengths that are beneficial for them. For example, It should not be like "I am a very good cricket Player", Rather you should focus on strengths that are related to that job. For example, "I have good communication skills" Or "I Like Interacting with peopleOr "I am good at a analyzing Problems and working in a team to find out appropriate solutions".
Weaknesses :- You should not say that you do not have any Weakness. It shows that either you are Overconfident or have not assessed yourself and don't want to talk about it.
Similarly do not say phrases like "I am short tempered" Or "I get angry very soon and can do anything in anger". Rather you should genuinely mention the areas that are related to your professional life and you are trying to get better at them.

Question :- Where do you see yourself after five years from now?
How to Answer :- Here The interviewer wants to know your knowledge about career path in the job and what is your level of commitment to the job they are offering.
It should be answered realistically. Example of a horrible answer is "I will be in your seat after five years". Rather you should answer in such a way that ensures them that you are interested in making a long-term commitment towards the job and will have a long term and mutually beneficial association with them. For example "I am definitely interested in making a long-term commitment to my next position. This is exactly what I’m looking for and what I am very well qualified to do. I will do my job to the best of my ability and i am prepared to learn new things and contribute to the overall success of the organization in a number of ways. I am confident that here i will have opportunities to advance my skills and provide best of my services to the organization. "


Question :- Why did you choose to work in a bank?
Or
Why you want job in a government bank when you can get better salary in private jobs?
Or
Why you want a Clerk Job in Bank after doing B.tech.(Engineering)?
How to Answer :- These are very common questions and are asked to almost 90% of the candidates. Here The interviewer wants to know your level of willingness of working a in a bank.
Never straight away say that "I did not get a job in Private sector" or "There is lot of stress in Private jobs and government jobs are less intense and more flexible."
Rather you should answer realistically to show your genuine desire of working in a bank. If B.tech graduates are asked about opting for a bank job after engineering, they can say " Uncertainity of future and growth in IT Companies due to recent turbulence and high recent growth in banking sector." You should manipulate your answer to prove that your engineering degree would be beneficial for you in interacting with people and creating more business relationships for them.


Question :- Answering the Puzzles type Questions!
How to Answer :- Although these are not so common, but may be asked to anyone in an Interview. Herethe interviewer doesn't really want to hear exact answer from you rather they want to see if you are able to analyze the correct problem or are you just trying to hurry up without taking the time to analyze and putting some effort. They just want to see your practical approach that will be useful during you job period.
So If asked any puzzle type question, you should not Hurry up in telling the answer even if you know it. Even if you do not know the answer (and even can not find the answer), do not hurry up in saying NO. Rather you should draw the picture of problem on a paper(even if you know the answer) and take some time to analyze it (ask them if you do not understand it correctly). It will make them feel that you believe in analyzing the client requirement before reaching to any conclusion, which is a must.
So you should answer these questions by taking time, drawing it and asking them for clarifications. This will surely fill the interviewer's purpose.


Question :- Answering the Technical questions and questions related to some current scenario?
How to Answer :- Although asked rarely, but one should also prepare some topics related to banking terminologies such as Repo Rate, Reverse Repo Rate, Cash Reserve Ratio, SLR (Statutorily Liquidity Ratio), Bank Rate, OverDraft, Prime Lending Rate, 3G Spectrum, RBI, ATM(Automated teller machine), Capital Adequacy Ratio - CAR, Questions on IPL Winners, and Many More..(Click here to download Word Document containing common banking terms). Also, chairman of some main banks in India such as RBI, SEBI etc. should also be known.

Remember that although you know these terms and current affairs related to banking and common issues, yet these questions do not play a big role in determining your selection or rejection. Even if you do not know an answer, genuinely say "NO Idea Sir!" rather than wasting time and trying to fool them with random answers, It's just not worth it!

Although you should not memorize any of above sample texts and should say it in your words to convey the idea which is to prove your usefulness!!.This will surely make them believe that you are a fit for this job!!

Although we've presented comprehensive list of commonly asked questions but still the list is endless and you may be asked anything other than these. To succeed, you should keep in mind that you have to sell you professional side, show them that you are useful and you will surely be Hired!!

How to behave in an Interview - Simple Rules to follow







Interviews are meant to asses one's personality to determine weather or not the candidate is a fit for the job. It's okay if you are not able to answer a few technical questions as they just want to see your approach which will be of utmost importance during the job period. Here we present a few points about dressing, behaving and other tips helpful for success in Interviews.

Before the Interview :-
  • Research :- It is advised to do some research about the company/organisation before the Interview. It reflects during your interview and creates a positive impact on the Interviewer.
  •  Get There Before Time :- You should try to reach the venue well in advance as getting late for the Interview is a sign of Irresponsible nature.

Getting In The Hall:-
  •  Walking In :- Gently walk in and Greet the panel. Sit down straight when asked to sit.

Answering the Questions:-
  • Wait : - Don't hurry in answering the questions to reflect your nervousness. wait until interviewer asks you something.
  •  Be comfortable :- The baseline is to be comfortable. Only then you will be able to present your real self which will let them asses you correctly. It's okay if you don't know an answer, just say it to them gently.
Finishing it Up:-
  • Do not start talking about salary details until they do it And Always say thank you to finish it up. It should not look like you are trying to get rid of it and finish the Interview as soon as possible. Give them enough time to look into you and asses you correctly.

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