Interviews can be a little daunting, nerves can start to kick in and you therefore may come out of an interview thinking you haven’t performed as well as you could. The key to overcoming this is preparation. In this blog, I discuss how to be success in your insolvency & restructuring interview prep, as well as, detailing the steps you should be taking as a job seeking insolvency professional prior to meeting your potential future employer.
Understanding the role:
You need to be aware of what the responsibilities are for the role. If a job description is provided than make sure you have read that and have examples for each of the responsibilities listed. For example, if ‘cradle-to-grave liquidation experience’ is listed, try and think of some specific case examples of a CVL and/or MVL where you handle the case from start to finish.
Research the Company:
You will need to thoroughly research the company you’re interviewing with, including their recent case appointments, the nature of the insolvency work that they conduct as well as the general values of the organisation.
It is really useful to know of some recent cases that the company has recently been appointed on. Their website might have an ‘insights’ page, or they might be active on LinkedIn, be sure to have a look. You could also look on the London Gazette which will show any recent appointments.
Review Your CV:
Review your CV to ensure it accurately reflects your experiences and that it aligns well with the insolvency casework conducted by the potential new employer. Your CV should already include any related qualifications, (CPI/CII,ACA,ACCA,JIEB) and list a couple of specific case examples. Therefore, be prepared to discuss these in detail by talking through your responsibilities on these appointments. Doing so will ensure you best demonstrate your knowledge and competency in operating at the grade you are interviewing for.
Prepare for Behavioural Questions:
In addition to technical knowledge, be prepared to answer behavioural questions that assess your problem-solving abilities, teamwork skills, and communication style. Practice responding to questions that require you to demonstrate your ability to handle insolvency matters, work under pressure/to statutory deadlines, and communicate effectively with distressed directors/creditors. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers effectively. Often, the ‘result’ part is forgotten, even if the result was not positive you can still talk about it, but most importantly talk about how you learnt from it.
Stay Updated with Insolvency Industry News:
The Insolvency and Restructuring industry is a dynamic field, and staying up-to-date with industry news and developments is crucial. Searching online for key words like ‘insolvency’, ‘liquidation’, ‘administration’ under the News section will show results of recent new articles that would be worth reading. The GOV UK website publishes the Insolvency Statistics every month which shows monthly insolvency trends. Demonstrating your awareness of current issues during the interview will highlight your dedication and adaptability.
Prepare Questions to Ask:
Interviews are a two-way street, so prepare questions to ask the interviewer. Try asking thoughtful questions not only to demonstrate your interest in the role but also show your commercial awareness. Try preparing questions from these three categories’:
- Company based questions – Inquire about the company’s culture, caseload, growth opportunities, and the typical career progression within the team. Will they be able to support your CPI, accountancy and future JIEB studies? Do they handle their cases ‘cradle-to-grave’? What % of their appointments are liquidations vs administrations etc?
- Interviewer questions – research who is interviewing you prior to meeting them, have a look at their LinkedIn profile. They may have been at the company their entire career or moved from a competitor. Are they an accountant? How did they find studying whilst working at the company? All this research will help you to frame questions that will create flow and engagement.
- Commercial questions – to really elevate the questions you ask, try adding in some market knowledge or ask what they think about a particular market trend/insolvency matter. Using some of your research into the company or wider economic news, will help you structure commercial questions that hit the mark.
Insolvency & restructuring interview prep requires technical knowledge, industry awareness, and effective communication skills. Research and practice will allow you to showcase your expertise and stand out as a knowledgeable and enthusiastic candidate.
At Gambit, we offer each and every one of our candidates detailed insolvency & restructuring interview prep, tailoring the preparation based on the firm that they are interviewing for.
If you are considering a change in your career and would like one to one coaching on how to secure your next insolvency job, reach out to the team and one of our consultants will be on hand to advise.
