Meet Stella she wants to be a credit analyst and is extremely jittery about the interview she is going to have at one of the leading credit rating firm. She is very well aware of the fact that if she has to get this job she has to give her best for the interview. There are few days to the interview and she is wondering what and how should she prepare and get through. She has a seen lot many sites for probable interview questions, understanding what could be asked and how to answer interview questions but ended up getting all confused.
Well Stella is not the only one who would be facing such a dilemma, any one of you who wants to get into credit analysis would be pondering upon the same question what could be the interview questions? Interview in this field could be terrifying for anyone who has been a veteran in this industry to the ones looking for an entry level credit analyst position. With good amount of research and preparation you will get the confidence to face the employer and get your dream job as a credit analyst.
Like any other job interview it would have an interview round which could either be face to face, a video call or a telephonic one, to judge you on your skills and personal traits.
Before we go on to see the credit analyst interview questions let’s first understand who is a credit analyst? And what do they do? This will help you understand what the employer would be expecting in terms of skills of a potential credit analyst candidate. Credit analysts are usually hired by credit rating agencies, commercial banks, investment banks, credit card issuing companies, investment corporations, financial consultancy firms etc.
According to the definition given by Investopedia a Credit Analyst is
A financial professional who has expertise in evaluating the creditworthiness of individuals and businesses. Credit analysts determine the likelihood that a borrower will be able to meet financial obligations and pay back a loan, often by reviewing the borrower’s financial history and determining whether market conditions will be conducive to repayment.
Being a credit analyst requires you to be accountable as you would be judging the credit worth of a borrower who could either be individuals or corporations. Employers who hire credit analyst are looking for candidates who have accounting and financial analysis skills, knowledge of the industry, computer proficiency, diligence and one who can multi task.
What does a Credit Analyst do?
Data gathering and analysis:
Credit analysts are made responsible for collecting all the relevant data in relation to their finances including their spending patterns, earnings etc. The next step involves analyzing the data from financial statements, management accounts to find out the risk of making financial loans.
Give recommendations:
After analyzing the data the credit analyst recommends the client a suitable course of action about the payment plans or about any procedural or policy changes that are required.
Developing models:
Apart from the analysis, they are supposed to prepare financial and statistical models in order to forecast credit risks in various situations. Different parameters such as the legislation changes, market actions are also taken into account.
Preparation for Credit Analyst Interview
- You need to research on the prospective employer so that you are very well aware about all facets relating their business processes and operations. This could help you in answering questions about the company and why you want to join them.
- Acquaint yourself with the job description before you come for the interview. Learn about the key requirements and activities that you are expected to do so that you could relate the skills and experience you possess.
- If you have certain work experience be prepared to exhibit its relevance with the job you are interviewing for.
- Also ponder on the reasons which made you choose this field as a career. You could be asked to discuss why you took the specific academic credentials and what attracted you to specialize in credit analysis.
The rationale behind credit analyst interview questions is to pick the most suitable and qualified candidate for credit analyst positions, because there decisions directly affect the company’s bottom line by anticipating the risks that are allied with certain transactions.
Type of Credit Analyst Interview Questions
Credit analysts are supposed to be analytical and individuals who pay attention to details. Because of these characteristics the credit analyst interview questions mainly involve the ways and means of how the potential candidate will get the job done and the way you would handle the clients. Let’s discuss the various types of credit analyst interview questions that could be asked;
Finance questions
Credit analysis requires core financial skills as they are supposed to work with financial records day in and day out. A credit analyst is required to analyze the financials of the company in order to judge their credit quality. They build financial models in order to estimate the company’s valuation using various ratios. They also monitor the capital markets to comprehend the positions of various bonds. Looking at these requirements the employers would look for candidates who are well versed with financial statements viz. income statement, balance sheet, cash flows and funds flow statement. Another important are which just cannot be ignored are the financial ratios particularly the liquidity and profitability ones. Expect a lot of questions on these topics. You could also be asked questions on the various tools and techniques required in financial modeling and valuation. Make sure you have put efforts in understanding techniques like Microsoft excel and SPSS.
Sample Finance Questions
- What is the concept of Free Cash Flow?
- What is terminal value?
- What according to you would be a safe Debt/Equity ratio?
- Tell me the various parameters to decide if you can lend $10million to a company
- Tell me an effective method you would have used to generate financial ratios and gauge customers’ financial status.
- What does a Credit Rating agency do?
- What are the current Treasury Rate, LIBOR and CRR?
- What methods do you use to compare the liquidity, profitability, and credit histories of corporations?
Work Experience questions
You have previous work experience you would be typically be applying for senior credit analyst position. You could surely expect questions on your previous job profile, the projects and assignments that you worked upon, key learning’s and the reason of you leaving that job. This shouldn’t be a difficult to answer as you would have a detail idea about it. But yes make sure you have practiced the answers well before so that you could structure them well.
Sample Work Experience Questions
- Have you applied any new technology or information in your previous job? If yes, what was it and how did it help your company?
- An experience where you faced a difficult situation or a complaint which you resolved?
- Tell me an effective method you have used to determine likely profitability of loans
- Tell me about a situation at your previous office where you identified a complex problem and identified the solution. How did it help your employer?
- Have you helped coach or mentor someone in your previous job? What did you do and what improvements you saw in that person in terms of know-how and skills?
Industry know-how questions
There could be a few industry specific questions as you are being recruited for that particular industry. You should be aware about the various industry verticals and the stakeholders. Credit analysts need to keep up with any new improvements regarding the industry they are analyzing. It shows that you are keen about this industry and its working.
Sample Industry know-how questions
- What is the process for considering credit to a customer?
- Tell me a few characteristics which are important for a credit analyst?
- Do you have proficiency in related financial software’s and technology?
- Which are the skill sets you possess that makes you suited for the position?
Common questions
There are various general questions that would be asked in order to test your knowledge in financial concepts. You need to know basic concepts in finance that you would have studied during your academics. You could also expect general awareness questions particularly relating to the finance world. The interviewers could also ask for opinions on the same. Hence you need to be well read and prepared to give your views on questions asked about the major happenings on business news. These questions are used to judge your inclination towards the field you are looking forward to work in. if these questions are answered well you would get a good edge over other counterparts in the selection process.
Sample Common questions
- What things are included in a cash flow statement?
- What is working capital?
- If I buy machinery for my business what would be the effect on the financial statements?
- How is the income statement linked to the balance sheet?
- What is the reason for increase in accounts receivable, a cash decline on the cash flow statement?
- Tell me two most recent business news
Personal questions
These questions in credit analyst interview questions would be usually to know your personality traits, work style, ethics and the way you would handle stress. There is no right or wrong unlike technical questions but to know you better as an individual and whether or not you would fit in the work culture and requirements of the company. When you are answering these questions be honest and support them with examples and cases from your life.
Sample Personal questions
- What are your strength and weaknesses? Share your experiences regarding the same.
- Walk me through your resume
- Tell me about yourself
- Where do you see yourself five years down the line?
- Why did you leave your previous job?
- How would you deal with criticism?
Negotiations
Usually most of the interviews have lot of discussion on your salary expectation and what the company can offer. Be prepared in terms of researching on the average salaries that are usually given in that particular industry with their respective positions. If your salary expectations are different to that being offered justify with reasons. Also there could be detailed discussions on your role for that particular position being offered.
I hope the above information on credit analyst interview questions would prove fruitful and give you confidence to face the interviewers well. All the best! 🙂
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