Describe one of your favorite financial products and how it might be improved.
Question Explain
This question is designed to test both your understanding of financial products and your innovation capabilities. The interviewer is interested in knowing if you have a good command of a specific financial tool and whether you're able to think in a solution-oriented way to improve it. Most importantly, they want to gauge your level of interest and knowledge in the finance field. To effectively answer this question, consider the following points:
- Choose a financial product that you really like and are very familiar with.
- Clearly describe what the product is and how it functions.
- Merrily stating that it is your favorite is not enough. Be explicit about why you appreciate it and how it benefits you or other users.
- Use your understanding of the product to offer a well-thought-out and feasible improvement. The improvement should not be a trivial one, but something that adds real value to the product. It could be anything from boosting user-friendliness, adding a new feature, or enhancing security.
Answer Example 1
One of my favorite financial products is the digital wallet, particularly PayPal. PayPal has revolutionized the way we manage and transfer money online. It allows us to send money almost anywhere in the world in just a few seconds, make purchases in e-commerce shops, accept payments if you are a merchant, and so much more. The interface is user-friendly and it's a generally secure platform.
Despite these appreciable benefits, there is still a room for improvement. I think PayPal could greatly enhance its customer experience by including a savings feature. A savings feature could allow users to set aside money for specific goals, similar to traditional banks. This would encourage users to keep more money in their PayPal accounts and further engage with the brand, potentially increasing PayPal's overall profitability.
Answer Example 2
One of my favorite financial products is the Robo-advisor, specifically Betterment. Betterment streamlines the investing process by offering a hassle-free interface and automatic investment based on defined goals. It's an affordable, low-stakes way for newcomers to experience investing.
However, one area that Betterment could improve on is personalized financial education. It can incorporate more comprehensive educational content about investing, tailored to the users' specific investment portfolios. This could essentially help users to understand the rationale behind the automated decisions made on their portfolios. It would also increase user trust and engagement by arming users with the knowledge to understand the ups and downs in their investments, enabling them to stay the course during market fluctuations."