Preparing for Your Fidelity Investments Interview: 7 Common Questions and How to Answer Them

Interviewing at Fidelity Investments can be an exciting yet nerve-wracking experience As one of the largest asset management and financial services companies in the world, Fidelity offers a myriad of career opportunities However, the interview process aims to only hire the best and brightest candidates.

Thorough preparation is key to acing your Fidelity Investments interview. By anticipating common questions and practicing thoughtful responses, you can show the hiring manager why you are the ideal candidate for the job.

Here are seven questions to expect during your Fidelity Investments interview and tips on how to craft winning answers

1. “Tell Us About Yourself”

This ubiquitous icebreaker question serves as a starting point to highlight your qualifications and experiences most relevant to the role. Structure your answer by introducing yourself, sharing your current position, and providing an overview of your background.

Focus on skills and accomplishments that align with Fidelity’s needs. For example, those interviewing for investment positions may emphasize investment management expertise or analytics skills. Share why you are passionate about the financial services industry and how this role fits into your career goals.

Keep your answer to under two minutes to avoid rambling. This opening question sets the tone for the rest of the interview, so make it count.

2. “What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?”

Hiring managers want to understand how you’ve added value to past employers. Reflect on your proudest career achievement and why it mattered. Quantify your accomplishment with numbers when possible.

For example, an account manager interviewing at Fidelity may share: “My greatest accomplishment was growing my book of business from $5 million to over $30 million in three years. I onboarding 12 new institutional clients and expanded services with 6 existing clients through targeted networking and persistent relationship-building.”

Focus on results over duties to stand out. Share the obstacle you overcame and skills leveraged to drive success.

3. “Why Do You Want to Work for Us in This Position?”

With this question, interviewers want to assess your motivation for joining Fidelity. Be specific on why you are excited by this particular job and department. Research the team’s projects and initiatives beforehand to reference in your answer.

You can say: “I am motivated to join Fidelity’s retirement services team because of your focus on using technology like automated advice tools to increase retirement savings rates. Financial literacy and helping everyday Americans properly plan for retirement are passions of mine. I’d welcome the chance to collaborate with your talented team on initiatives like the myFinancial Toolkit roll-out.”

Show you’ve done your homework and explain why this opportunity is the next logical step in your career progression. Share how you’ll apply your skills to advance the team’s goals.

4. “What Is a Challenge You’ve Overcome?”

This question provides insight into your critical thinking, persistence and problem-solving abilities. Describe a complex work challenge you faced, the actions you took, and the positive results achieved. Pick an example that highlights strengths needed for the position.

An investment analyst candidate may share: “When COVID-19 hit, I was working on a highly complex asset valuation model for a private equity portfolio. The pandemic radically changed cash flow projections. I overcame this challenge by quickly gathering updated data, researching revised macroeconomic factors and running new scenarios to re-assesses valuations. My hard work enabled the investment team to make informed decisions amidst uncertainty.”

Focus on challenges you actively influenced rather than issues outside your control. Demonstrate how you creatively solved problems and drove solutions.

5. “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”

When answering, focus on the positive reasons that pulled you toward seeking this new opportunity, rather than negative factors that pushed you out of your last job. Provide reassurance you weren’t let go.

You can say: “I achieved many of my goals at my last company and was seeking new challenges and growth opportunities. When I heard about the open Fidelity role, I was excited by the chance to manage large investment portfolios and develop new client relationships. I’m inspired by Fidelity’s commitment to excellence and customer service which aligns with my work values.”

Keep your answer concise and forward-focused. Convey that you left your previous job on good terms and are ready for new challenges at Fidelity.

6. “How Would You Describe Yourself?”

Recruiters want insights into your self-awareness and how colleagues would describe working with you. Share three stand-out qualities using clear examples. Balance highlighting your strengths while presenting an honest self-assessment.

For example: “I would describe myself as results-driven, collaborative, and innovative. In my last role, I set ambitious quarterly sales targets that I consistently achieved through perseverance and creativity. I enjoy brainstorming with colleagues to find new solutions and approaches. My team describes me as someone who motivates others to bring their best to work each day.”

Focus on positive attributes relevant to the Fidelity role over generic personality traits to make your answer more compelling.

7. “Why Should We Hire You?”

This is your opportunity to summarize why you are the top candidate. Speak to how your skills, values and experiences perfectly suit the Fidelity job. You can say:

“You should hire me because my eight years of portfolio management experience and CFA certification make me ideally qualified to excel in this Senior Investment Analyst role. I have a proven track record of building strong client relationships and my diligent, detail-oriented work style ensures I consistently exceed expectations. I am deeply committed to upholding Fidelity’s standards of ethics and excellence. Your team priorities of leveraging technology and providing top-tier customer service strongly appeal to me. I am excited by the opportunity to contribute my talents to support Fidelity’s success.”

Be confident and reiterate your most compelling qualifications. Express genuine enthusiasm and alignment with the company mission. Close by reiterating your interest and fit for the role.

Thoughtful preparation is the best strategy when interviewing with Fidelity Investments. Practice articulating concise, compelling responses to common questions based on your background. With self-reflection on your abilities and motivations, you will feel ready to make a winning impression. Show the hiring manager you have the skills, experience and work ethic to excel in the role and advance Fidelity’s leadership in financial services.