Interview questions

"Interviewers use different types of questions to uncover the information they need, and recognising each type will help you structure stronger answers."

Below are some of the most common interview question types:

Open questions

These invite broad answers that cannot be satisfied with a simple “yes” or “no”. For example: “Tell me about yourself.”

✅Example answer:

“I have over ten years’ experience in asset finance, specialising in vendor programmes. In my last role, I led a team that increased lease penetration from 40% to 55% by introducing a more customer-focused credit process. I particularly enjoy working with clients to develop long-term financing solutions that add value.”

Closed questions

Typically used when the interviewer seeks specific information, often factual or technical. While these can be answered with a “yes” or “no”, you should always expand your response.

Question: “Do you have experience with financial modelling?”

✅ Example answer: “Yes. In my previous role I regularly built financial models to evaluate equipment leasing options. For instance, I created a model to compare the cash-flow impact of leasing versus buying, which helped the client reduce costs by £250,000.”

Hypothetical questions

Framed as “What would you do if…”, these assess your ability to think on your feet.

Question: “What would you do if a client requested financing terms outside our policy?”

✅ Example answer: “I would first acknowledge the client’s needs, then explain the boundaries of our policy. If appropriate, I’d explore alternative structures—such as a stepped payment plan—that meet both the client’s requirements and our risk parameters. I’d also escalate the matter internally if it warranted an exception.”

Leading questions

Although these invite a “yes” or “no” answer, you should always support your response with specific examples.

Question: “As a leasing expert, you will be required to deliver presentations to clients. Do you have strong communication and presentation skills?”

✅ Example answer: “Yes, presenting is a key strength of mine. For example, I recently delivered a presentation to a board of directors on asset lifecycle financing. The session resulted in securing a £3m contract. I find presentations are an excellent way to build trust and demonstrate value.”

Multi-barrelled or layered questions

An initial question is followed by one or more linked questions. When faced with such questions, do not hesitate to ask for the question to be repeated. Then, answer each part systematically, ensuring your response has clear structure and flow.

Question: “What do you think about our new lease product? Do you think we could improve our customer value proposition and, if so, how?”

✅ Example answer: “Your new lease product is a strong offering, particularly for SMEs seeking flexibility. However, I think the value proposition could be enhanced by adding bundled maintenance services. This would increase customer retention and differentiate the product. To implement this, I’d suggest partnering with service providers and piloting it with key clients first.”

Competency-based questions

These use past experiences to predict future behaviours. Prepare by demonstrating how your previous experiences helped you develop specific skills, and show how those skills could benefit your prospective employer. (For more detail, see our guide below).

Question: “Can you give an example of when you improved a process?”

✅ Example answer: “At my last company, I noticed our approval times were slowing deals. I proposed and implemented a digital credit scoring tool, which cut approval times by 30% while maintaining risk controls. As a result, client satisfaction scores improved, and we closed deals faster.”