Got this question recently in an interview (IB) and to be honest, found it difficult to answer. I know it probably means I'm a deadbeat that I struggled with this question but any of advice on how to strengthen this answer in an ib interview setting? (Other than developing a passion overnight?)
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I talked about perspective & diversity of community ties. (I'm a white male btw).
I hinted at the fact that my different experiences (high school, college, studying abroad x2, internships etc.) have led me to collaborate with people of different backgrounds. This type of connection is directly related to banking because no two clients or hires are the same. My ability to work with and relate to a variety of people's makes me perfect for a collaborative, international, client-focused environment.
I never got shit for my answer so I figured it was the right amount of BS
This is a great interview question because it really separates the best candidates from good candidates. If you answer with some hobby or a unique experience that you had, you're really wasting this opportunity. Whenever you're asked a question like this, use it as a way to (obviously) answer the question and make yourself stand out, but also as a way to tie in some past relevant experience. Maybe you had an internship where you worked on a transaction that involved cross-border M&A tax issues. Maybe you previously spent a summer at a non-profit in Guatemala and are interviewing for a LatAm coverage group position. Maybe you are interviewing at a boutique and can tie in your experience from having founded a lawn care company in college. Get the point? Weave in some past experience that is relevant to this position. You want to essentially tell the interviewer, "I am unique because unlike these other candidates, I have previous experience/can bring something to the table that will allow me to stand out and hit the ground running." No one cares that you know how to fly fish or slept inside an igloo in high school.
I always hit em' with the: I once traveled to Tibet to live with the monks atop a mountain and spent a year in complete silence - just to better understand the sound of a whisper (make sure to whisper this part).
Sil's response is great. If you have a buyside experience, talk about that (interesting synergies that came up, their rational behind a thesis, contrarian view of the industry). If you come from a different background, talk about how that unique perspective SPECIFICALLY will help you differentiate yourself during your SA stint. If you have skills that will help you hit the ground running, use that.
Realistically, you probably don't bring something truly unique to the table, but you really just need to differentiate yourself from the other candidates they're considering, ideally in the context of something that will make you a better intern (perspective, skill, etc).
"What is your key differentiating point?" Interview Question (Originally Posted: 11/25/2016)
This is an interview question that has always made me think. I think I've heard a variation of it around 3-4 times now, but the trap is that the interviewer can always rebut whatever you say by mentioning that it's not actually that unique (unless you go with something really weird, which can then be labeled "unimportant" for a job in IBD).
For me personally, I've been around and lived in a few countries for an extended period of time, so I usually say something related to that or how I've experienced diverse cultures/am adaptable/etc. in that regard, but then again, in my country (or in APAC in general), that might be quite common among applicants in finance/IBD.
Just curious what other people usually say? Obviously, it would depend on the person and his experiences, but curious nonetheless. My answer has always been just okay/satisfactory but never "great", I feel.
Make a list of traits that define a good banker, then figure out which one aligns best with your experiences, and spin some tale about that. Like if you want to talk about how how you're a hard worker, talk about the semester when you played a varsity sport, took a full courseload, ran a club, and worked a part time job. Discuss how you managed your time, general challenges, and what you did to solve for that.
I personally wouldn't use living in other countries as a differentiating factor. This is your opportunity to really sell yourself, and the fact that you've lived elsewhere, while potentially beneficial to a junior banker, isn't really a high priority in terms of traits that interviewers look for in candidates. Adaptability could hold some promise, but I'd rather hear about how you adapted to different group/team dynamics rather than adapting to life in another country.
Hmmm, the thing is, anything related to hard work/passion in finance/any commonly known banker trait is always rebutted with something along the lines of "but all the other candidates are like that", which is my dilemma really.
I think that generally, all strong candidates have a passion for finance (finance clubs and internships), leadership experience, grit, and etc., which is why it's difficult to really find a true "differentiating" point.
Not an answer to the question, but, "and old school metal and holiday cheer..."
This is your time to actually talk about something in your life that makes you unique. Obviously don't get too deep and talk about something depressing, but you should really focus on talking about something that has shaped you.
Stuff like this isn't going to cut it:
"I was the president of my investment club". Cool bro.
"I had a lot of responsibility in my previous internship". Sweet man, because the Harvard kid that I interviewed right before you totally didn't have a freshman internship at KKR or anything.
"I work hard and I get my stuff done". Thank god!
Stuff that you should talk about because it actually makes you unique and makes you stand out:
If you were a top college athlete. If you lived in a different country for an extended amount of time. If you did something crazy like backpacked the Pacific Crest Trail. If you achieved something that a lot of people can't, like if you were a junior Olympic skiier for example. If you joined a leadership program when you were young (like a NOLS or Outward Bound program). If you're a musician and played local gigs. If you created your own business.
Obviously I can continue the list but I'm sure you get the idea.
How does living in another country make you unique?
Are guys soon telling about their exchange experiences in Paris and because they managed to order coffee in French make them stand out?
You're thinking about it way too simplistically.
I used to think that as well (nothing special about having lived in different countries), but I've come to notice that having exposure to a broad range of cultures (especially here in Asia) can be very valuable because you learn to better respect and tolerate (might be a poor choice of wording?) different cultures, ranging from non-oral communication/tendecies to different religions and all that. It's not really something you learn through books but something you attain by interacting with different types of people.
Also, many countries have very different ways of doing things, different social structures, and etc. Having interest in and having experienced these sorts of things can lead to much deeper thought or broader horizons in the same way that diversity in a team setting is extremely useful for creativity.
I feel that type of hands-on experience can totally be a strength.
I used something along the lines of being a person with good principals and values. I cited my nonprofit / volunteer experiences. It worked well. Corporate responsibility is also just a general interest of mine and even in the workplace I find myself aligning to these types of projects when they are available.
I don't drink before 5pm on weekdays.
I have three successful (received offers after) answers to this question, based on who I'm speaking with.
"I thrive when I am out of my comfort zone" - example about backpacking around Asia solo right after high school / living alone at a mountain as a ski instructor at 18.
"I've lived abroad and traveled extensively, and have learned how small cultural differences between countries can have a significant impact on how business is done" - talk about differences between a few countries, like France/Germany/Spain, go into detail about the pace of work/level of detail people care about between countries.
"I think/do things differently than other people, and sometimes people think I'm crazy for it" - talk about times in school/in internships where I went above and beyond and achieved a positive result.
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