American Express Business Analyst Interview Questions + Guide in 2024
Overview
American Express, a globally recognized financial institution, is highly esteemed for its premium products and exceptional customer service. Known for its innovative solutions and strong corporate culture, American Express provides numerous opportunities for career growth and personal development.
As a business analyst at American Express, you will be responsible for analyzing business data to generate actionable insights, with a strong emphasis on key performance indicators (KPIs). This role involves executing deadline-driven monthly reports for stakeholders, including senior leadership, and leading various projects such as industry benchmarking, growth analyses, and business results and sales effectiveness evaluations.
In this guide, we will walk you through the interview process, commonly asked American Express business analyst interview questions, and provide tips to help you ace your interview. Let’s get started!
Cultural and Behavioral Questions
This feature is currently experimental, and we’re committed to improving it with your valuable feedback.Can you walk us through a time when you faced a difficult situation at work? What steps did you take to resolve it, and what was the outcome?
When answering questions about difficult situations, it’s essential to showcase your problem-solving skills and resilience. Begin by clearly defining the challenge you faced, detailing the context and why it was significant. Next, outline the specific actions you took to address the issue, emphasizing your analytical and strategic thinking. Finally, conclude with the results of your actions, including any positive outcomes and lessons learned. For example, I once faced a situation where a project's requirements changed unexpectedly midway. I organized a meeting with stakeholders to clarify the new expectations, adjusted the project timeline, and delegated tasks accordingly. This proactive approach not only kept the project on track but also strengthened team collaboration.
How do you handle pressure, especially when facing tight deadlines or complex projects?
When discussing your ability to handle pressure, it’s helpful to provide specific examples that illustrate your coping mechanisms and time management skills. Start by describing a particular instance where you experienced significant pressure. Explain the circumstances that contributed to the stress, and then detail the strategies you employed to manage it, such as prioritizing tasks, seeking support, or employing stress-relief techniques. Finally, share the outcome of the situation, highlighting any successes or improvements that resulted from your approach. For instance, during a critical project, I faced a tight deadline due to unforeseen delays. I prioritized tasks based on urgency, communicated effectively with my team, and ensured we remained focused, leading to successful project completion ahead of schedule.
Can you describe an innovative thing you have done in a previous role? How did you identify the need for innovation, and what impact did it have?
When discussing innovation, focus on your creative thought process and ability to identify gaps. Start by explaining the context that led to the need for innovation, highlighting any specific challenges or inefficiencies. Describe the innovative solution you proposed or implemented, including how you developed it and any collaboration involved. Lastly, discuss the results of your innovation, such as improvements in efficiency, cost savings, or enhanced customer satisfaction. For example, I identified that our reporting process was time-consuming and prone to errors. I proposed implementing a centralized dashboard using Power BI that automated data collection and visualization. This innovation reduced reporting time by 50% and improved accuracy, ultimately allowing the team to focus on strategic analysis.
What is the Interview Process Like for a Business Analyst Role at American Express?
The interview process usually depends on the role and seniority. However, you can expect the following on an American Express business analyst interview:
Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening
Once your application is shortlisted, a recruiter from American Express will contact you to verify your experiences, skill level, and interest in the role. This initial conversation, typically around 30 minutes, may also include behavioral questions such as discussing past challenges at work or your reasons for applying to American Express.
First Round Interview
You’ll proceed to the first round of interviews if you pass the recruiter screening. This will often involve a video call with a hiring manager focusing on general interview and behavioral questions. Topics can include your past work experience, how you’ve handled difficult situations, and why you’re interested in American Express and this specific role.
Technical Virtual Interview
The technical interview stage usually involves more in-depth questions about your technical expertise. This can include case studies, puzzles, and guesstimates related to business analytics and problem-solving scenarios. You might also be required to complete a take-home assignment or a technical presentation, which will be reviewed in a follow-up interview.
Onsite Interview Rounds
You’ll be invited for onsite interview rounds if all previous stages go well. This stage consists of multiple interviews, including discussions with potential team members, managers, and possibly even senior leadership. These interviews will assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. The onsite interviews also allow you to present any take-home assignments and showcase your analytical thinking and solution-providing capabilities.
What Questions Are Asked in an American Express Business Analyst Interview?
Typically, interviews at American Express vary by role and team, but commonly Business Analyst interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.
1. How would you determine what our next partner card should be?
You have access to all customer spending data. How would you analyze this data to decide on the best partner for a new credit card?
2. What are the Z and t-tests, and when should you use each?
Explain the Z and t-tests, their uses, differences, and scenarios where one is preferred over the other.
3. How would you build a strategy to find the best businesses to reach out to?
As a credit card company with limited manpower, you need to select 1,000 out of 100K small businesses to partner with. How would you develop a strategy to identify the best candidates?
4. Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department.
Note: If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.
Example:
Input:
employees table
| Column | Type |
|---|---|
id |
INTEGER |
first_name |
VARCHAR |
last_name |
VARCHAR |
salary |
INTEGER |
department_id |
INTEGER |
departments table
| Column | Type |
|---|---|
id |
INTEGER |
name |
VARCHAR |
Output:
| Column | Type |
|---|---|
salary |
INTEGER |
5. What’s the difference between Lasso and Ridge Regression?
Explain the key differences between Lasso and Ridge Regression, focusing on their regularization techniques and how they handle coefficients.
6. When would you use a bagging algorithm versus a boosting algorithm?
Compare two machine learning algorithms and discuss scenarios where you would prefer bagging over boosting, including tradeoffs between the two.
7. Is a logistic model valid if a key variable has data quality issues?
Assume a logistic model heavily relies on one variable, which has data quality issues (e.g., decimal points removed). Discuss if the model remains valid and how you would fix it.
8. What is the difference between XGBoost and random forest algorithms?
Explain the differences between XGBoost and random forest algorithms, and provide an example of when you would use one over the other.
9. Does increasing the number of trees in a random forest always improve accuracy?
Discuss whether the accuracy of a random forest model continues to increase as the number of trees is sequentially increased.
How to Prepare for a Business Analyst Interview at American Express
You should plan to brush up on any technical skills and try as many practice interview questions and mock interviews as possible. A few tips for acing your American Express business analyst interview include:
- Understand the Company’s Core Values: American Express emphasizes its culture of integrity, customer focus, and employee support. Highlight experiences where you have embodied these values.
- Prepare for Behavioral Questions: Expect to narrate past experiences, especially challenges and how you overcame them. Practice framing your answers in the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format.
- Brush Up on Technical Skills: There’s a likelihood of deep-diving into technical concepts during interviews, including SQL, data analysis, and problem-solving scenarios. Leverage platforms like Interview Query to practice potential interview questions and case studies.
FAQs
What is the average salary for a Business Analyst at American Express?
Average Base Salary
Average Total Compensation
How long does the interview process usually take?
The process can vary but generally takes between 3 weeks to a month. Following the application, you might hear back within a few days, and the process usually includes multiple rounds of interviews and evaluations. Be prepared as some users have noted longer waiting periods for feedback after interviews.
What skills are necessary to succeed in a Business Analyst role at American Express?
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are crucial. Proficiency in SQL, Python, and Excel is often required. Previous experience in similar roles, particularly in a financial or database environment, and the ability to present data-driven solutions are also important. Good communication skills and teamwork are valued attributes.
The Bottom Line
Cracking an interview at American Express for a Business Analyst position can indeed be challenging, and being well-prepared is key. From technical and behavioral questions to case studies and guesstimates, the extensive and diverse interview process is designed to assess various competencies required for the role.
If you want more insights about the company, check out our main American Express Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about American Express’s interview process for different positions.
Good luck with your interview!