Most Common Accounting Interview Questions and Answers

Even if you face fierce competition for an accounting position, a well written resume would help you get an interview call. However, it is the One-on-One Interview that’s more likely to be the deciding factor for hiring a qualified accountant. Some candidates are outright careless about preparing for accounting job interview. They keep assuming it is easy until they face a panel of experts from the accounting field across the interview table. The more you prepare for the accounting interview, the better your chances of getting the job. And being aware of the Common Accounting Interview Questions and Answers helps you to stay one step ahead of the competition. Listed here are the top accounting job interview questions and possible answers.

Tell me something about yourself

This is usually the first question to be asked in any interview. The question lets you sell yourself with a quick and brief promo. It is also a question that sets the course for other questions to be asked in the interview. It helps to be assertive at this stage and a give a quick intro on what you have been doing and then mention your Accounting degrees, certifications and relevant experience.  

Why accountancy?

This is another common question to expect in your Accounting Interview. You can answer by giving examples of experiences that shaped your interest in accounting. Were you given the responsibility of keeping accounts of cash as a kid? You can give the interviewer a briefing of your strengths, skills and the studies you had undertaken to improve your knowledge in the field. Express your motivations and how you were keen on numbers and record keeping, say, as a school kid. Overall, it is about demonstrating that you have adequate passion to pull off the role of an accountant.

How knowledgeable are you in Accounting Standards?

In order to answer this question comfortably, you should stay abreast of the latest developments in international accounting standards (IAS). This puts you in a better position when it comes to holding a discussion on the topic during your Accounting interview.

Have you solved any potential payment glitches?

Explain how you came in handy in analyzing such problems, assessing the situations and suggesting apposite course of action. Give an example to show your prowess in using pertinent information to identify issues. You can also present how you have been successful in analyzing and organizing data so as to study cause-effect relationships.

How have you helped in economizing?

It is not easy to answer this question, particularly if you are a fresher applying for an accounting job. Answering this question has to do with explaining how you had taken the initiative in making suggestions on ways to cut costs. You can still present such an example from your course assignments or an internship position. Overall, it is about showing the interviewer that you're ready to put in extra effort for the benefit of your team.

What do you want to be doing in five years?

This is more of a generic question that’s asked in almost every kind of interview these days. The idea is to observe how ambitious you are in scaling the heights of an exciting accounting career. Your answer to this question should be honest and realistic, stressing on the skills you are expecting to pick up from your accounting position while presenting a well laid out plan for your future in the industry.

So that’s it. Make sure you prepare for these popular questions and perk up the odds of cracking your upcoming accounting job interview.