Wells Fargo Consumer Underwriter Interview Questions & Reviews

Interview Details – My first communication, after applying for about half dozen positions on-line, was with a recruiter. She asked me a lot of questions about my experience--basically reviewing my resume in detail. She asked me a series of situational questions as well--what they call STAR format, where there are no real right or wrong answers. They are most interested in what was done to resolve a conflict or satisfy a need. After the phone interview, I received an email request for an in-person interview the following Monday. I interviewed with a department manager as well as a lead, and they used the STAR format questioning as well after going over my resume. I felt that the interview went pretty well, and I received an offer that afternoon from the department manager. They extended an offer for an entry level underwriter position at my minimum salary requirement, but the hours were non-traditional so I turned the offer down, asking the manager to keep me in mind if she found a need elsewhere in the organization for my skillset with more traditional hours. Later in the week, I received 2 more in-person interview requests and both were scheduled for that Friday. Both interviews were the same format as my first interview (STAR) and went well, but I felt that I was a better fit for the second one, which was more in line with my experience. The following Monday, I received an offer from the recruiter I had spoken with initially on the first position. The offer was for an intermediate level underwriter position with a salary almost 10% higher than the first offer which I had turned down. The schedule was also for traditional banking hours--much better this time around. I readily accepted.

Negotiation Details – I turned the first offer/first position down and said that the compensation was not worth the toll the extended hours would take on my work/life balance. The manager asked what salary would work for me. I told the manager that it wasn't a question of money--I needed a more traditional work schedule. The second offer/second position was almost 10% higher and a much better schedule, so the only real negotiation was the start date.