As a professional, accountants are meticulous planners who are known to be methodical in their approach. They are experts in playing with numbers and handling bookkeeping. Their skills, knowledge, and experience are most valuable to organizations since they contribute in keeping track of the financial health of the organization. If you have received an interview call, you need to prepare yourself for in order to impress the interviewers. The right kind of preparations will place you ahead of the other applicants.
Here are some tips to prepare for an accounting job interview.
Research
This is the first step for interview preparations. The research should focus on three factors; the company, the job and the interview.
First the company; you should be aware of some basic things about the company such as it's mission statement, major products and / or services, clients and competitors, market position, recent news, and the names of the individuals holding a key position in the organization. Whether you'll be asked any question or not, having some knowledge about the company will show the interviewers that you've come well prepared.
The next and perhaps even more important is the job. You should be aware of the job qualifications, duties and responsibilities. Read the job description carefully. You should know before going to the interview what the job requires and how would you show that you have it.
The last but not the least is the interview itself. You should know the identity of the interviewer, pattern of the interview, the steps in the selection process, etc. Knowing what to expect during the interview will boost your confidence and be prepared.
Mock Interview
Performing mock interviews with a friend or colleague taking the role of the interviewer can help you identify and amend weaknesses. Whether you're speaking too slow or fast or stammering during answering questions can be identified and rectified before the interview. The mock interview will also help you in knowing the tough questions to answers, and prepare for the same. In short, you can overcome any of your weaknesses, and plan to capitalize on your strong points.
Presentation
Candidates are assessed from the moment they step into the interview room. Thus, you have to make sure that you create a favorable initial impression. First, do not forget your business like attire. A neat formal shirt, tie and trouser ensemble is best suited for your interview. Similarly, wear a pleasant smile to underplay your nervousness, if any. A smart look coupled with a positive attitude exudes confidence.
Clarity
Be clear while framing your resume. Your resume should be an introduction to your personality and subject knowledge. Try to communicate as much as possible in a few words. During the interview, you can support your resume with to-the-point explanations. Underline those aspects of your resume where you can present your command over the subject. Precision will not only help the employer understand your overall knowledge, but also will create an impression that you believe in addressing the issues at hand.
Knowledge
It is expected that you know your field thoroughly. During an accounting interview, a lot will be discussed regarding the subject. Accounting is a technical subject, thus introduce those related accounting jargons during the interview. Your descriptions should be crisp, short, yet impressive. Confidently present your knowledge to the panelists to convince them that you are the candidate they are looking for.
Another important tip would be to know about the current financial scenario. You can surely impress the panel with your knowledge and this will certainly boost your chances of being selected.
The final test
Questions are to test your knowledge about accounting and finance. Hence, be prepared for a small talk regarding your previous employment. Discussions about your work structure, pay package, good or bad experiences, reasons why you quit your earlier job, etc. will be very much on their agenda. Any negative experiences that you might have had should be presented in a diplomatic way. You must refrain from bad-mouthing your previous employers even though they treated you badly. Rather, you can mention how those experiences helped you grow as a person.
Other than these, there are a few more tips that professional accountants should keep in mind to aid them during the interview.
Your thinking process, logical reasoning, and analytical skills will be put to test during the interview. At such times, a sharp mind and clear preparation will definitely help you to go through the accounting interview process without any difficulty.