First Niagara Financial Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 17 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
5 roles · 17 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at First Niagara Financial.
First Niagara Financial
Relationship Banker
Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Behavioral
So first there was a phone interview, it was super casual and felt really natural, not at all stressful. It was a great HR chat, not like a typical scripted interview at all. They really let me talk about myself, my experience, and my future goals. If you can connect with HR on the phone, the rest is easy. Then I had an in-person interview with the branch manager. This was also very conversational and unstructured, and they let me ask questions. It was more like they described the role, how I'd do it, and how we'd work as a team, which made me feel confident. The last step was a quick in-person chat with the area manager, about 10 minutes. They mostly covered the same things as the branch manager, it was mainly to see if I was a good fit personality-wise to get the branch manager's approval.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you describe a situation where you couldn't satisfy a customer, how you managed it, and what happened in the end?
First Niagara Financial
Financial Associate
Entry Average Neutral experience Accept offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Case
You submit your application online. A recruiter from Buffalo will give you a call for an initial phone screen. If the recruiter feels you are a good fit, they will set up a phone call with the regional sales rep to talk about the position. Then you'll interview with the local branch manager and the area financial advisor. If they agree, you'll have a formal interview with the regional sales manager. After that, the broker/dealer will do their due diligence before the company extends an offer. The whole process from applying to starting took about 5.5 weeks.
Confirmed questions1 question
- The interviews were straightforward, focusing on whether you have made sales and can continue to do so, as it's a sales-oriented role.
First Niagara Financial
Licensed Banker
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
I had a few phone interviews for the Licensed Banker role. Then there was an interview with the Brokerage Manager, followed by a 2:1 interview with the Banking Center Manager & FA. The first two interviews went well, but the interview with the Branch Manager/FA didn't go so great. It was kind of a turn-off when they mentioned the training is horrible.
Confirmed questions8 questions
- Can you introduce yourself?
- What are your main strengths and weaknesses?
- What makes you want to work here?
First Niagara Financial
Internal Audit Intern
Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
So the interview process was pretty interesting, they took the idea of speed dating and really ran with it for their interviews. It was like 5 minutes with each of 6 different interviewers. Each person had their own style and approach, so the questions were all over the place. One person might ask you to walk through your resume, and then the next could ask something totally out there like 'Which animal do you resume?'
Confirmed questions2 questions
- What animal do you identify with in terms of your resume and why?
- What is your motivation for pursuing a career in Internal Audit?
First Niagara Financial Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from First Niagara Financial interview reports.
“What's your opinion on the training quality?”
Read reports →“How would you increase referrals?”
Read reports →“What are your thoughts on salary?”
Read reports →“What is your motivation for pursuing a career in Internal Audit?”
Read reports →“Given these sales targets, do you feel confident in achieving them?”
Read report →“What draws you to a career in banking?”
Read report →“Why do you think you are a good fit for this salary level when you are not currently earning this amount?”
Read report →“What makes you want to look for a new opportunity away from your current employer?”
Read report →“What is your understanding of our company and what we offer?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 17 First Niagara Financial interview reports.