Why did you choose accounting, and what does professional integrity mean to you in this work?
I would give a genuine reason, such as enjoying problem solving with numbers and helping decision makers understand how a business is doing. Integrity to me means reporting accurately even when the result is uncomfortable, keeping information confidential and being honest about what I do not know. I would mention following my professional body's code of conduct and asking for guidance instead of guessing when a situation is unclear. I would add that I want to keep learning, since standards and tools change. Trust is the main asset of the profession.
Tell me about a time you helped a customer through a difficult financial situation.
Choose an example where you acted in the customer's interest within the rules. Describe the situation without personal details that could identify them: what they were facing and what they needed. Explain what you did: listening first, explaining their options clearly and honestly, involving the right internal team, and following policy on hardship or restructuring. Give the outcome for the customer and for the bank, and what it taught you about balancing empathy with responsibility.
Explain how a rise in the central bank's repo rate affects a bank's customers.
The repo rate is the rate at which the central bank lends short-term money to banks. When it rises, the banks' cost of funds goes up. Loans linked to an external benchmark such as the repo rate reprice fairly quickly, so borrowers see a higher EMI or a longer tenure. Deposit rates usually rise too, but often later and by less. Overall, borrowing becomes more expensive, which tends to slow credit demand and helps to control inflation.
How do you balance sales targets against customer suitability when selling investment products?
Suitability comes first, because mis-selling damages customers and eventually the bank. Make sure advisers document each customer's needs, risk profile and time horizon before recommending anything, and design targets and incentives so they reward quality and retention, not only volume. Coach the team on customer conversations, review a sample of sales, and make it safe to escalate pressure from above. Strong long-term trust produces better numbers than short-term pushing.