Behaviorals Flashcards
Why do you want to work for ING?
- I’m drawn to ING because it’s a dutch bank operating in over 100 countries with 60,000+ employees.
- I am particularly drawn to the bank’s strong commitment to sustainability, which creates lasting value for customers and the environment.
- This approach aligns perfectly with my personal values, making it an ideal place to contribute my skills. I thought I might be a valuable asset to the bank since I am bilingual.
Why do you think you are a good fit for this position?
- Based on my experience as a valuation analyst, I’ve developed strong analytical skills and a high attention to detail. I’ve reviewed thousands of legal and loan documents, including credit agreements. Which gives me transferable skills for this role
- I’m also a strong communicator — I was president of my fraternity, leading meetings and coordinating with members, and in my Valuation analyst role, I regularly worked with institutional investors as the main point of contact.
How do you prioritize tasks when facing multiple deadlines?
- When I’m facing multiple deadlines, I prioritize by urgency and importance.
- I start by breaking down each task and setting internal deadlines to stay ahead. As a valuation analyst, I often had to manage several valuations at once, so I got used to juggling priorities
- I also make a point to communicate early if timelines need to shift, so there are no surprises.
-Staying organized and proactive is key especially when I always had tight deadlines.
Can you tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure?
Situation:
During my final year, I was completing a full-time Master’s in Finance with a specialization in real estate at the University of Amsterdam, while also working full-time as a valuations analyst.
Task:
I had to balance the demands of rigorous academic coursework—like financial modeling and advanced real estate valuation—with tight client deadlines and high expectations at work. Both roles required deep focus, accuracy, and time-sensitive deliverables.
Action:
To manage this, I created a strict schedule, blocking out early mornings and evenings for study, and dedicating work hours exclusively to client tasks. I prioritized based on urgency and complexity, and I communicated clearly with both my professors and team at work to manage expectations and avoid conflicts. There were moments where I had to submit a valuation report in the same week I had final exams, so I’d wake up at 5 a.m. to study and work late to deliver on time.
Result:
Despite the pressure, I graduated on time with strong grades and met every deadline at work—often even ahead of schedule. The experience really sharpened my ability to perform under pressure, manage time efficiently, and maintain high-quality output across multiple demanding responsibilities.
Where do you want to be / see yourself in 5 years?
- In five years, I see myself in a senior role within ING, ideally leading complex syndicated loan transactions or managing a small team within the Agency or Credit space.
- I want to continue building deep technical expertise while also growing my leadership skills. Long term, I’m driven to take on more responsibility and contribute to high-impact deals that support institutional clients
Rate your technical skills against your client skills?
- I’d rate both my technical and client skills highly, but if I had to choose, I’d say my technical skills edge out slightly. As a valuation analyst, I’ve built strong expertise in financial modeling, analyzing legal and loan documents, and understanding credit agreements.
- That said, I’ve also been the main point of contact for institutional investors and led meetings as president of my fraternity — so clear communication and client relationship management are definitely strengths of mine as well. I’m confident in both, but I see my technical skills as the foundation that supports my client interactions.
What do you expect from this role?
I expect this role to challenge me and help me grow both technically and professionally. I’m looking forward to deepening my understanding of syndicated loan structures, credit agreements, and agency operations, while also building strong relationships with borrowers and lenders. I also see this as a great opportunity to work within a high-performing team at a global institution like ING, where I can contribute meaningfully and continue developing my long-term career in finance.
How do you stay focused in stressful situations?
In stressful situations, I stay focused by staying organized and breaking things down into smaller, manageable steps. I prioritize what’s urgent, tune out distractions, and stick to a clear plan. During my Master’s and full-time job, I often had competing deadlines, so I learned to stay calm under pressure by keeping a structured schedule and reminding myself of the end goal. I also make sure to communicate early if anything becomes a bottleneck — that helps reduce stress and keeps things moving
Describe a situation at work or school where you had to overcome a challenge.
Situation:
When I started my role as a valuation analyst, I was hired alongside another new analyst. Since we were both new, we were assigned to the same projects and tasks to learn the ropes together.
Task:
The goal was for us to support each other while quickly ramping up and delivering high-quality valuation reports for institutional clients. But early on, it became clear that my colleague was struggling — he wasn’t picking things up quickly and lacked motivation. This meant that the workload started falling disproportionately on me.
Action:
Instead of letting the situation affect my performance, I stepped up. I learned the systems and processes quickly, took ownership of tasks, and consistently delivered accurate and timely reports. I also communicated proactively with my manager to ensure expectations were clear, and that the work was getting done, even if I was carrying more of the load.
Result:
My efforts were recognized — I was promoted shortly after, while my colleague unfortunately was let go. It was a tough situation, but it taught me a lot about accountability, staying focused under pressure, and leading by example, even without an official leadership title.
can you Build relationships over the phone?
Yes, I believe building phone relationships is possible and essential in many professional environments. In my previous role as a valuation analyst, I often communicated with institutional investors, clients, and colleagues over the phone to discuss reports, timelines, and any adjustments to valuations. I’ve learned that tone, clarity, and active listening are key. While you can’t rely on body language, being transparent, empathetic, and responsive can help you establish trust and rapport.
Strength Story
At Kroesepaternotte, I valued a retail property with stable income, but after reviewing the leases, I found several tenants paying 20–30% below market rent. I modeled a rent reversion scenario, showing the client the potential uplift once leases expired. They were impressed with the insight and asked us to create a full rent revision strategy — turning a single valuation into a larger engagement and strengthening our relationship.
Top three strengths
- Highly Analytical
- Attention to detail
- Good communicator
Could you walk me through your background/ resume?
First school then experiences.
Tell me about yourself
Moving to New York
Weakness Story
Not delegated
How would you handle a situation when a client presents a problem that you know you cannot solve?
I would immediately let the client know that I didn’t have the resources to answer the question, and that I would reach out to a senior on the team for clarity and get back to them. If they couldn’t give a solution either. I would opt to be honest with the client and try to work toward a favorable outcome that is available
Why operations?
I’m drawn to operations because it’s where execution meets precision. In my experience as a valuation analyst, I saw firsthand how critical the back-end processes are — from handling loan docs and legal agreements to ensuring everything flows smoothly between teams. I enjoy working in structured environments, solving problems, and making sure complex transactions are executed flawlessly. Operations gives me the chance to combine my analytical mindset with strong attention to detail and communication, especially in a high-stakes environment like syndicated loans.
Why middle office and not front office?
I see the middle office as the engine that keeps the front and back aligned. While the front office originates the deals, the middle office ensures those deals are executed accurately, risks are managed, and clients are serviced properly throughout the lifecycle. Coming from a valuation background, I enjoy being detail-oriented and process-driven — I like getting into the structure of deals, working with legal documents, and ensuring everything is running smoothly behind the scenes. It’s also a role where I can collaborate cross-functionally, solve real-time issues, and still have exposure to clients, which keeps the work dynamic.
What motivated you to pursue a career in Middle Office Associate?
What motivated me to pursue a career in middle office analysis is the blend of structure, complexity, and impact. In my previous role as a valuation analyst, I developed a strong attention to detail and got used to working with legal documents, cash flows, and deal terms. I realized I really enjoy the operational side — making sure everything behind the scenes runs smoothly and accurately. Middle office roles like this one allow me to be involved in the execution of high-value transactions, solve problems in real time, and support both internal teams and external clients. It’s where my strengths in analysis, communication, and precision come together
Can you describe your experience with handling administrative agent responsibilities in the finance sector, specifically in real estate finance?
While I haven’t held the exact title of administrative agent, I’ve handled many responsibilities that overlap with that role — especially in real estate finance. As a valuation analyst, I regularly reviewed complex loan documents, credit agreements, and lease structures for both institutional and private clients. I often acted as the main point of contact, coordinating between legal teams, clients, and senior management to ensure valuation deliverables aligned with underwriting and compliance requirements. I’ve also helped track key dates like lease rollovers and refinancing terms, ensuring smooth communication and accurate reporting — much like an administrative agent would in managing lender-borrower coordination
- How do you ensure effective coordination and communication between borrowers, lenders, and third-party consultants in your role as Administrative Agent?
While I haven’t held the formal title of Administrative Agent, I’ve acted as the main point of contact between multiple stakeholders, including institutional investors, legal teams, and clients during complex valuation assignments. I ensured clear communication by setting expectations early, creating centralized documentation, and providing regular progress updates. My approach is proactive — I anticipate issues, follow up diligently, and make sure everyone is aligned on key milestones and deliverables. This helps prevent miscommunication and builds trust across all parties.
Can you share an example of a complex transaction you’ve managed in the past and how you handled any challenges that arose during the process?
Situation: At Kroesepaternotte, I worked on the valuation of a shopping mall with multiple tenants and layered lease agreements.
Task: The client wanted a fast turnaround, but the legal structure was complex, and several tenants had outdated or inconsistent lease terms.
Action: I reviewed all the leases in detail, cross-referenced them with market comparables, and flagged inconsistencies. I also reached out directly to the client’s legal advisor to clarify key terms and timelines.
Result: Despite the challenges, I delivered a clear, accurate valuation within deadline — and the client asked us to support them further with a rent revision strategy, turning the one-off assignment into a longer engagement.
Given ING’s emphasis on innovation and risk-taking, how do you approach suggesting and implementing process improvements in the Administrative Agency function?
At Kroesepaternotte, I identified repetitive valuation tasks and built Excel tools using VBA to streamline cash flow modeling and lease comparison. This saved hours per report and reduced manual errors. I believe innovation doesn’t always mean big changes — it’s about small, repeatable improvements that create efficiency and minimize risk. At ING, I’d take the same mindset: understand the team’s workflow, identify bottlenecks, and propose practical automations or reporting tools that improve accuracy and turnaround time.
Can you elaborate on how your experience in developing advanced Excel models with VBA automation at Kroesepaternotte could be applied to improving efficiency in the middle office functions at ING?
Absolutely. I created custom Excel-VBA models to automate financial outputs, lease cash flows, and rent-roll analysis — saving hours of manual input and reducing room for human error. In a middle office setting, this translates well to automating interest payment schedules, covenant tracking, or standardized reporting for syndicated loans. I’d look at recurring processes and build tools to streamline them, freeing up time for higher-value analysis while maintaining data integrity.
Given your recent experience with financial modeling and valuation at Wall Street Oasis, how would you approach analyzing complex financial structures within an agency middle office context?
My WSO training sharpened my ability to break down complex capital structures, model debt service, and assess risk-adjusted returns. In a middle office role, I’d use those same skills to understand the full deal structure, spot potential inconsistencies in loan terms, and support accurate tracking of amortization schedules, interest payments, and compliance covenants. My valuation mindset helps me ask the right questions — not just “what are the numbers?” but “do these terms make economic sense, and are they being executed as agreed?”
