6 tips for interviewing at a new firm

November 17, 2022 10:50 AM

Do you have an upcoming interview at your dream accounting firm? Or, are you just starting to do your research to see what accounting positions are currently being offered by firms in your area? Whatever the case may be, it is pertinent to be wholly prepared for the interview(s) you secure — you don't want to just show up to the interview all willy-nilly, having done minimal or zero preparation and then hope for the best. This can be a recipe for disaster.

The more you prepare, the greater your chances of impressing your interviewers and getting a job offer. I have discovered these tried-and-true tips for success when interviewing at a new accounting firm:

Get solid references from previous accounting colleagues

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Let me tell you one thing: an excellent reference can make or break your chance of being picked for an accounting position over other candidates. Since accounting roles deal heavily with the financial health of clients, the firm you interview at will want to know that you are honest, have a high attention to detail, and are excellent with numbers. Rather than only conveying this to your interviewer yourself, it can mean so much more if another person can vouch for you. So put together a list of multiple solid references to present to your interviewer.

Do you have an excellent relationship with your previous supervisor at an accounting firm where you interned? Put them on the list. Did you leave an accounting firm on a high note, and you still regularly correspond with one of your past team members? Add them to the list. Choose references you know would be happy to chat about your traits and qualifications. Also, make sure they know they are on your list of references so they can expect a call. The last thing you want is for them to be confused about the reference check and botch their answers about you.

Finally, present your reference list to the interviewer at the beginning of the interview, rather than waiting for them to ask for it. This will show the interviewer that you are confident about your references' perception of you, your work ethic, and your qualification for the position.

Have a list of five major work accomplishments

Your interviewer will want to know that you strive to excel, attain the goals you set, and take pride in your work. You can convey that you do all of this by having a solid mental list of five impressive accomplishments you achieved in your current or previous role. Ideally, the list will also apply to the new role you're interviewing for. Did you help a client find a lot of hidden costs to cut, which helped them reach a whole new monthly profit level? Add this to the list! Did you win an award in your current or previous firm? Discuss why the award means so much to you. Did you pass the CMA exam on your first try? Add this to the list.

Have an example of a task that didn't go as planned and how you fixed it

This is a common question in interviews for positions across all kinds of industries, and it is the one question that seems to stump so many candidates. This is because there are likely so many difficult situations they have encountered, that they think of all of them and then have trouble selecting just one. However, your answer to this question can really show your interviewer how much of a problem solver and asset you would be for their firm.

For example, in your current firm, did you rectify the situation when another team member accidentally forgot to record several major transactions when compiling a monthly profit report for a client? Discuss the steps you took to effectively address and correct the issue to ensure the client had an accurate depiction of their financial health.

Study the firm beforehand as much as possible

Before your interview, take time to list out all of the reasons why you want to work at the firm where you are interviewing. Does it promote an engaging work culture on its social media channels? Does its client portfolio contain corporations you have always wanted to work with? Does the firm have a mission statement that directly correlates with your own personal morals and values? These would all be excellent factors to bring up.

Remember that after you go over all of the reasons why you want to work there over other firms, it will be paramount to then discuss what you could bring to the table that other candidates can't. Do you possess a specialized certification or experience that would really help out the firm? It's a two-way street — just like you want to work at the firm, the interviewer will need to decide that they want to work with you and have you on their team.

Explain how you are highly accurate and dependable

Accuracy and dependability are extremely important in any accounting position. First off, you will be working with the financial reports of clients, so you will need to be highly accurate when entering data regarding sales figures, costs and profit margins — when updating journal entries for a client, one miswritten expense figure can create an entirely false financial report. This could lead to the client making the wrong business decisions, which can stunt overall success.

Also, working at an accounting firm can mean long hours and a hectic end of each month. Your interviewer will want to know that you will be dependable during these stressful times. You can show them that you are both accurate and dependable by sharing how you always double-check your work, stay on task until projects are complete, and welcome challenges.

Practice, practice, practice!

Just like in sports and learning a new instrument, practice makes perfect! Rehearse an interview with a close colleague, friend or family member, where they ask you all kinds of questions you would expect to be asked. The more you go over your potential answers, the more they will flow naturally when you are in the actual interview. Then you will be less likely to have to pause and think about what you will say, which will make you appear more confident and collected. Also, practicing your answers can help eliminate pre-interview jitters as well, as you will know you are well-equipped and prepared for any question you are asked.

To sum up, you can increase your chances of landing the position by getting solid references from previous accounting colleagues, having a list of five work accomplishments you can discuss, and sharing how you fixed a task that didn't go as planned. Also, prepare even more by studying the company beforehand, planning how you can demonstrate your accuracy and dependability, and doing practice interviews. These steps will help you boost your chances of a job offer.