20 Bread Financial Interview Questions and Answers

When it comes to interviews, Bread Financial is looking for candidates who are a good fit for the company culture and who have the skills and experience necessary to excel in the role. To help you prepare for your interview, we’ve compiled a list of Bread Financial interview questions that you may be asked.

Bread Financial Interview Process

The interview process at Bread Financial is relatively quick and easy. The first part of the process is an on-demand interview, which is very quick and easy. They walk you through each step and give you time to think about your answers. The second part is a phone interview. After that, I got an offer letter. Within a month, I joined as I was already on notice. It has been more than a year now, and I am associated with this company.

1. What professional development courses have you taken?

Employers ask this question to learn about your commitment to professional development. They want to know that you are willing to invest in yourself and your career. When answering, list the courses you have taken and explain why you chose them. If you haven’t taken any professional development courses yet, you can talk about what you plan to take in the future.

Example: “I took a course on financial planning last year because I wanted to learn more about how to help my clients with their long-term financial goals. I also signed up for a budgeting class so I could better understand how to help my clients manage their money. I find these classes very helpful and would like to continue taking them as part of my continued education.”

2. Why do you want to work at Bread Financial?

This question can help the interviewer learn more about your interest in their company. They may ask this to see if you have done any research on the organization and what attracted you to it. When preparing for this interview, read through Bread Financial’s website or other online sources to find out more about the company. Consider mentioning a few things that interested you about the company and how they align with your own career goals.

Example: “I was drawn to Bread Financial because of its mission to provide financial services to underserved communities. I am passionate about helping others achieve their financial goals, so I would love to work at a company that shares my values. I also really like the idea of working for a smaller company where I could get to know my coworkers better.”

3. Do you have any experience using Salesforce?

Salesforce is a popular customer relationship management (CRM) software that many businesses use. If you have experience using Salesforce, explain how it helped your previous employer and what you learned while using the program.

Example: “I’ve used Salesforce for three years at my current job where I’m a marketing manager. My team uses Salesforce to track leads, manage our sales pipeline and collaborate with clients. We also use Salesforce’s built-in reporting tools to analyze data and make decisions about our marketing strategies. These insights help us create more effective campaigns.”

4. Have you ever worked in a call center? If so, what was your favorite part about it?

A call center is a place where you can interact with customers and help them solve their problems. If you have experience in this type of work, the interviewer may want to know more about your experiences. You can answer honestly about what you liked or disliked about working in a call center.

Example: “I worked in a call center for three years when I first started my career as a financial advisor. The best part was getting to talk to so many different people every day. It helped me learn how to communicate with all types of personalities. However, sometimes it got really stressful because there were times when clients would get upset with us. I learned that it’s important to remain calm and try to find solutions to their problems.”

5. How would you deal with an upset customer?

This question can help interviewers assess your customer service skills. They want to know how you would handle a situation that could potentially damage the company’s reputation. In your answer, demonstrate your ability to empathize with customers and resolve their issues in a timely manner.

Example: “I once had a customer who was upset because they didn’t receive their money on time. I listened to them explain what happened and apologized for any inconvenience. Then, I looked up their account information and saw that they were late making a payment. I explained this to them and assured them we would send out the funds as soon as possible. The customer appreciated my honesty and understood why it took longer than expected.”

6. Are you comfortable working on the phone?

This question is a great way to determine if you’re going to be able to work in the customer service department. The interviewer wants to know that you can handle working with customers on the phone and are willing to do so.

Example: “I am very comfortable working on the phone, especially when it comes to helping customers find solutions to their problems. I enjoy being able to help people solve issues they may have and feel like my communication skills make me an excellent candidate for this position.”

7. How would you prioritize multiple tasks?

This question can help the interviewer determine how you approach your work and prioritize tasks. Use examples from previous experience to show that you are organized, detail-oriented and able to meet deadlines.

Example: “I would first look at the due date for each task and then decide which one I could complete most efficiently. For example, if two tasks have the same deadline but require different information or steps, I would start with the task that requires less research or time to complete. This helps me stay on track and meet my deadlines.”

8. Did you take any business or finance classes in college?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your background and how you got interested in the financial services industry. If you have any relevant experience, be sure to mention it as well.

Example: “I took a few business classes in college, but I also worked part-time at a local bank during my junior year of school. I really enjoyed learning about finance and helping customers with their questions. The job helped me decide that I wanted to pursue a career in the financial services industry.”

9. Tell us about a time when you had to be very detailed oriented and focused.

This question is a great way to show your ability to work under pressure and stay organized. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention how you managed the situation and what skills you used to complete the task successfully.

Example: “When I was working as an accountant for my previous employer, we had a very tight deadline on one of our projects. We were all working hard to get everything done in time, but there were some mistakes that needed to be fixed. I took over the project and worked through each mistake until I found the source of the problem. It took me longer than expected, but I got everything finished before the deadline.”

10. Are you familiar with MS Office Suite?

The interviewer may ask this question to see if you have experience using the MS Office Suite. If you are not familiar with it, consider taking a course or practicing on your own before your interview.

Example: “I am very comfortable using MS Word and Excel. I used these programs in my previous position as an accountant at a small business where we didn’t use any other software. However, I would be happy to learn more about other programs that Bread Financial uses.”

11. What is your experience managing teams?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have experience working with a team and how well you collaborate. Use examples from your previous job to highlight your teamwork skills, communication abilities and leadership qualities.

Example: “In my last position as an accountant for a small business, I was responsible for managing two other accountants and one bookkeeper. We worked together to ensure all financial reports were completed on time and that our clients received accurate information about their accounts. In this role, I learned how to delegate tasks effectively so everyone could complete their work efficiently.”

12. Describe a time when you successfully persuaded someone of something that you thought was important.

This question can help the interviewer learn more about your communication skills and how you persuade others to see things from your perspective. Use examples of when you successfully persuaded someone or a group of people to change their minds, opinions or actions.

Example: “In my last position as a financial advisor, I had a client who was very set on investing in a particular stock that they felt would be profitable for them. However, after looking at all of the information, I determined that it wasn’t the best investment for them because of the risk involved. When I explained this to them, they were upset and didn’t want to listen to me. So, I took some time to explain why I thought it was important for them to invest elsewhere.”

13. We are looking for someone who has great communication skills, both written and verbal. Can you tell me about a time where you had to use those skills?

This question is a great way to see how well you can communicate with others. It also shows the interviewer that you have experience working in a team environment and collaborating with your colleagues.

Example: “I had to use my communication skills when I was working on a project for one of my classes. My group and I were tasked with creating an advertising campaign for a new product. We all met up once a week to discuss our progress, but we also used email and text messaging to stay in contact. This helped us keep track of what everyone else was doing so we could collaborate effectively.”

14. Give an example of a time you had to persuade management of something that you thought was important.

This question can help the interviewer learn more about your communication skills and how you might persuade others to see things from your perspective. Use examples of past experiences where you had to convince someone that your idea was better than theirs, or when you convinced a manager to change their mind on something important.

Example: “In my last position as an accountant, I noticed that our company wasn’t saving money by using one software program for multiple tasks. For example, we were using one program to track inventory, sales and expenses all at once. I brought this issue up with management, but they didn’t want to spend the extra money on three separate programs. Instead, I suggested we try out a free trial version of each program so we could compare them and decide which ones would work best for us.”

15. Tell me about a time you had to manage a project that required you to meet strict deadlines.

This question can help an interviewer learn more about your time management skills and how you handle pressure. Use examples from previous jobs to explain how you managed a project that had strict deadlines, what challenges you faced and how you overcame them.

Example: “At my last job, I was responsible for managing the company’s social media accounts. This included creating content for our Instagram account, which required me to post at least one photo per day. One week, I was out of town on vacation when I received an urgent email from my supervisor asking me to create five new posts by the end of the day. I immediately responded with a yes and began searching for photos to use. After finding some suitable images, I posted them to our Instagram page before the end of the day.”

16. Which excel functions are you most experienced with?

This question is a great way to see how experienced you are with excel functions. It’s important that you’re familiar with the most common ones, but it’s also good to mention any unique or advanced functions you’ve used in your past roles.

Example: “I’m very comfortable using all of the basic excel functions like sum, average and count. I have also used Pivot Tables quite often in my previous role as an accountant, which helped me analyze data more efficiently. One function I haven’t had much experience with is VLOOKUP, however, I am eager to learn.”

17. Explain how you would handle angry customers.

This question can help interviewers understand how you handle stressful situations and your ability to remain calm. Use examples from previous work experiences or explain what steps you would take if this situation occurred in the future.

Example: “I have had to deal with angry customers before, but I always try to remain calm when they are upset. In my last position as a customer service representative, an upset customer called me because their debit card was declined at a store. I listened to them calmly and asked questions to better understand why it happened. After finding out that they forgot to update their address, I helped them fix the issue so they could use their card again.”

18. When was the last time you were stressed out? How did you deal with it?

Employers ask this question to make sure you can handle stress and still perform your job well. They want to know that you have the ability to stay calm under pressure, so it’s important to answer honestly about a time when you were stressed out but managed to overcome it.

Example: “The last time I was stressed out was during my first week of work at my previous company. I had just started working in finance, and there was a lot of information I needed to learn quickly. It was overwhelming at times, but I took deep breaths and asked for help from coworkers whenever I needed it. Eventually, I learned how to do all of my tasks on my own.”

19. What area of Finance are you most interested in?

This question is a great way to show the interviewer your passion for finance. It also helps them understand what you would be most excited about in this role. When answering, think of an area that aligns with the job description and shows how passionate you are about it.

Example: “I am very interested in accounting and financial reporting. I find it fascinating to see how businesses use their finances to make decisions. In my last position, I helped create monthly reports for our company’s board of directors. This was a challenging but rewarding experience, as I got to learn more about the business and apply my knowledge of accounting.”

20. Describe a time when you were able to motivate others to improve their performance.

This question can help the interviewer determine your leadership skills and how you motivate others to achieve goals. Use examples from previous work experiences or personal life situations where you motivated others to improve their performance, learn new things or complete tasks.

Example: “At my last job, I was working with a team of five people who were all responsible for different aspects of a project. One day, one of the employees came to me because they felt overwhelmed by the amount of work they had to do. I asked them what they thought would be the best way to divide up the workload so that everyone could get more done in less time. We talked about some ideas and decided on a plan that worked well for everyone.”