Here’s why: Accountants have important roles in virtually any business, organization, or government agency that handles money. Companies that aren’t large enough to hire in-house accounting staff often hire accountants as outside contractors. Accountants also work for financial advisory firms and banks, or as tax advisers. Therefore, some questions you’ll get when you’re interviewing as an accountant are industry-specific. But others are common in any accounting interview, regardless of industry. See a list of typical accounting interview questions, along with sample answers and tips on preparing for your interview.
Typical Accounting Interview Questions
Give yourself a leg up on the competition by reviewing these questions that you will likely be asked during your interview, along with sample responses.
1. What do you consider to be the biggest challenge facing the accounting profession today?
What They Want to Know: There is no one right answer to this question, but you should be able to demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to your profession by having a well-thought-out and intelligent answer. The interviewer wants to see that you are familiar with the industry and its challenges, and that you care about your job enough to have an opinion.
2. Which accounting applications are you familiar with?
What They Want to Know: There are many applications out there, and no one person could know them all. Interviewers are looking to see that you’re aware of more than one application and have knowledge of the tools of the profession. As well as mentioning the ones you prefer (and why), you could also talk about recent developments in relevant software.
3. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of different accounting packages you have used in your most recent accountant jobs.
What They Want to Know: Be prepared to share specific examples of the pros and cons of the accounting software you’ve used. Your response will show interviewers your knowledge, as well as your critical thinking and assessment skills.
4. Describe any accounting process that you’ve developed or sought to improve.
What They Want to Know: If you’re still early in your career, you may not have developed any processes yet, but you should be ready to demonstrate that you can innovate. Think about something you’ve helped change or develop over the past few years.
5. Describe a time when you helped to reduce costs at a previous accounting job.
What They Want to Know: All accountants should be able to reduce costs. That’s a major part of why employers hire them. Describe a time when you reduced costs unexpectedly through your personal innovation or diligence. Have the financial details of your success available in case your interviewer asks you to elaborate.
6. Describe a time when you had to use numerical data or a graph to convince a manager.
What They Want to Know: Discuss how data or a chart or graph helped you make your case, and how the outcome worked in the organization’s favor.
7. Describe a time when you had to work exceptionally hard to provide great service to a customer or client. What did you do and what was the outcome?
What They Want to Know: Interviewers want to see that you’re a hard worker, and are willing to go the extra mile beyond the job description or the 5 p.m. end of the day. Share information on what you did to provide great service and how you accomplished it.
8. Describe a time when you faced a particularly demanding deadline to prepare a financial statement or report. How did you react? What was the result?
What They Want to Know: Time management is an essential skill for accountants, who deal with multiple deadlines throughout the year. Share an example that shows how you smoothly handled the situation. Avoid exaggerating, which could be seen as less than honest by your interviewer.
9. How do you ensure that you don’t forget details and ensure accuracy when you prepare monthly journal entries, record transactions, etc.?
What They Want to Know: Almost everybody forgets small details sometimes—except accountants, who can’t afford to. Share your strategy for making sure you do not forget or unintentionally alter records. You can say that you’re not prone to mistakes in your response, or that you’re good with details, but try to go a bit deeper than that.
10. Describe a time when you had to explain a complex accounting issue to someone without an accounting background. How did you help your audience understand the situation?
What They Want to Know: Your ability to communicate with non-accountants may be very important, especially if you will be in an advisory role with direct contact with clients or with team members from other departments. When responding, emphasize your communication skills and storytelling talent, as well as your ability to work as part of a team.
More Interview Questions and Answers
Review more of the common interview questions that employers ask, tips for giving the best response, and example answers.
How to Answer Accounting Interview Questions
As you can see, accounting interview questions are generally a mix of questions about accounting issues and your own accounting skills, plus behavioral questions regarding soft skills, character, and work habits. However, you can increase your chances of interviewing well and getting hired by practicing some typical job interview questions, as well as the common questions for accountants listed above. For the most success, use examples from your career in your responses and keep your answers well organized. You want to tell a story that’s compelling and fact-based, but don’t delve too deeply into nitty-gritty details.
Tips for Acing an Accounting Interview
How can you ace an accounting interview, and show you’re a strong candidate for the position? Follow these strategies: Be prepared for questions: That means practicing your responses in advance. Also, review the job description again before the interview so that you’ll know which of your qualifications and skills to emphasize. Come prepared with a few examples/stories that will demonstrate those skills and show your value as an employee. Research: The more you know about the company, the more you can personalize your responses. Besides looking for news stories about the company and browsing its website and social media, you can also look up your interviewer on LinkedIn. Show that you’re organized: This is a skill that’s important for many roles, but it’s especially important for accountants. So, bring multiple copies of your resume in a neat portfolio. Make sure your interview outfit is particularly neat as well.
Have Questions Ready to Ask the Interviewer
Make sure to prepare a list of questions to ask your interviewer — it shows you’re truly interested in the company and the new job. Here are some options:
Can you tell me about the person in the role before me? Why did they leave?What’s a typical day like in this role, and are there any particularly busy times of the year?What do you like most about working at this company?What are some of the big challenges your team faces currently?What’s the next step in this interview process?
How to Make the Best Impression
Follow these strategies to make a good impression during your job interview:
Show up on time, and professionally dressed—these two factors will help you make a good first impression. Give a good greeting—that means shaking hands (no sweaty palms, please!) and smiling when you meet your interviewer. During your conversation, make eye contact, have good posture, and keep up a professional, enthusiastic demeanor. Give strong, relevant answers to questions—that’s where all your practice of common interview questions comes in handy. Write a thank-you note after the interview—sending a thank-you message is polite, and serves as a way to remind the interviewer of your qualifications.
Find out more about how to make a good impression during your job interview.
