Why This Question Matters
In investment banking interviews, technical skills will get tested, but behavioral questions often determine the final decision. One question you’re likely to hear is: “Could you describe your role in [specific position]? What feedback did you receive there?”
This is not just small talk. It’s designed to assess your self-awareness, communication skills, and ability to learn from experience. By asking about your role and the feedback you received, interviewers are evaluating:
- How clearly you can explain your responsibilities.
- How you interact with teams and supervisors.
- Whether you can accept constructive criticism and grow.
- How your past experiences prepare you for the demands of investment banking.
Understanding the Question and Its Variations
This question often comes in different forms:
- “Tell me about your responsibilities in your last internship.”
- “What did your team rely on you for?”
- “What feedback did you receive during performance reviews?”
- “What were your biggest strengths and weaknesses in that role?”
Regardless of the phrasing, the interviewer is probing both what you did and how you improved.
How to Present Your Role Effectively
Highlight Key Qualities
When describing your previous role, focus on qualities that align with banking:
- Ambition and drive: Talk about times you went beyond expectations.
- Attention to detail: Example—catching an error in a financial report or client deliverable.
- Teamwork: Supporting colleagues on tight deadlines or taking initiative to step in when needed.
Provide Role Specifics and Team Dynamics
Avoid vague answers like, “I was an intern and helped with projects.” Instead:
- Describe responsibilities clearly (“I built financial models to support a fundraising process”).
- Explain team interaction (“I worked closely with analysts and associates to refine pitch materials”).
- Mention outcomes (“Our team’s work helped secure additional funding from investors”).
If you had leadership responsibilities, highlight delegation or mentoring. If you were in a support role, emphasize diligence, reliability, and meaningful contributions.
Use Results-Oriented Language
Interviewers respond well to quantifiable impact:
- “Increased brand awareness by 20% through marketing initiatives.”
- “Automated a weekly report, saving the team 5 hours per week.”
- “Helped refine a model that supported a $200 million financing.”
Even in non-finance roles, frame your impact in terms of measurable outcomes.
How to Discuss Feedback Constructively
Balance Strengths and Weaknesses
The feedback portion is about showing openness to growth. You want to acknowledge strengths but also admit to weaknesses in a constructive way.
- Strength: “My manager noted my ability to handle high-volume tasks under pressure.”
- Weakness: “I initially struggled with prioritization but, after feedback, I began using daily task lists to improve efficiency.”
Use Real Examples
Generic answers like “They said I worked hard” sound shallow. Instead:
- Share feedback you received in an actual review or informal discussion.
- Explain the action you took to address it.
- Show measurable improvement.
Example: “I was told my presentations were too detailed. I worked on tailoring slides to senior audiences, and my revised materials were later used in client meetings.”
Show Growth
Feedback isn’t just about acknowledging flaws—it’s about demonstrating adaptability. A strong response explains how the feedback made you better and more prepared for banking.
Adapting Based on Career Stage
If You’re an Intern or Student
Focus on:
- Learning experiences.
- Demonstrating eagerness to grow.
- Showing that you can accept coaching and improve quickly.
Example: “During my finance club internship, I initially included too much irrelevant data in stock pitches. After feedback, I refined my analysis and my work was selected for presentation at our final event.”
If You’re Applying for an Analyst Role
Emphasize:
- Team contributions.
- Attention to detail.
- Responsiveness to feedback from supervisors.
Example: “In my corporate finance internship, I was responsible for updating models under tight deadlines. My manager appreciated my reliability but suggested I improve efficiency. I taught myself Excel shortcuts and reduced turnaround time by 30%.”
If You’re an Associate or Lateral Hire
Focus on:
- Leadership and project management.
- Mentoring juniors.
- Driving tangible results for clients or projects.
Example: “As a senior analyst, I received feedback to delegate more effectively. I began coaching interns on modeling, which freed me to focus on higher-level analysis and improved overall team output.”
Linking Back to Investment Banking
No matter your past role, always connect your experiences to skills required in banking:
- Attention to detail: “Catching mistakes in compliance reports taught me precision—critical for financial modeling.”
- Client readiness: “Presenting to senior management prepared me for high-stakes client interactions.”
- Work ethic: “Balancing full-time studies with my internship taught me discipline for long hours.”
This reinforces that your prior experiences, even if outside finance, translate directly to investment banking success.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Being too vague: “I helped with projects” is not enough. Be specific.
2. Only highlighting strengths: Skipping weaknesses makes you sound unrealistic.
3. Overly negative feedback: Avoid saying something that suggests you were bad at your job.
4. Exaggerating: Don’t invent feedback or achievements. Banking is a small world—interviewers may verify.
5. Not linking back to IB: Failing to tie lessons learned to banking skills leaves the answer incomplete.
Sample Framework for Answering
Here’s a structure you can use:
1. Role: Start with your responsibilities.
2. Key contributions: Mention specific qualities and outcomes.
3. Feedback received: Share strengths and one constructive criticism.
4. Improvement: Explain what you did to address feedback.
5. Link to IB: Conclude by connecting skills to banking.
Example Answer: “In my corporate finance internship, I was responsible for building models to evaluate investment opportunities. I worked closely with analysts and presented findings to management. My supervisor noted that I was thorough and detail-oriented but suggested I improve efficiency. I took this feedback seriously, practiced Excel shortcuts, and by the end of the internship, I reduced the time required for updates by nearly 30%. This experience taught me the importance of precision and efficiency—both critical in investment banking.”
Key Takeaways
- The question tests self-awareness, communication, and growth potential.
- Describe your role clearly, with emphasis on qualities relevant to banking.
- Share feedback openly—balance strengths with a real weakness and show improvement.
- Tailor your response to your career stage.
- Always link back to investment banking skills and demands.
Conclusion
“Could you describe your role and what feedback you received?” is a powerful behavioral question. It gives you the chance to demonstrate professional maturity, self-reflection, and alignment with the demands of investment banking.
By describing your responsibilities, sharing specific feedback, and explaining how you improved, you show interviewers that you can take direction, grow quickly, and contribute effectively in a demanding environment.
Be honest, be structured, and always tie your story back to the qualities valued in banking—precision, resilience, teamwork, and growth mindset. This approach will help you stand out as a strong candidate ready to succeed in investment banking.
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