When you have to hire a new employee, you know that the interview process is often the most important part. It is where you get to meet your candidates, and get a feel of who they are. An unstructured interview process can throw off the whole hiring process and lead to the wrong hire being brought on. In order to avoid this, we advise coming up with a set interview structure. This involves coming up with your questions for candidates beforehand.
To help you prepare, below we’ve included our favorite accounting manager interview questions.
Accounting Manager Interview Questions to Ask Candidates
We’ve broken down our accounting manager interview questions into sections to make your hiring process just a little easier.
Background Questions
Describe your management and accounting experience.
A fairly basic question, but one you need an answer for. Your new accounting manager should have at least five years of experience in accounting as well as some managerial experience.
What has been the biggest mistake you have made, or that was made under your leadership? How did you handle it? Was it resolved?
Everyone makes mistakes, and in accounting, these are extremely easy to make if you’re not careful. A candidate who cannot answer honestly in this scenario is not one you want. You’ll also want to see how they problem-solve. Look for ownership of mistakes and effective steps taken to resolve those mistakes.
What role do you think accounting managers play in companies? What role would you like to play?
This question will allow you to see your candidate’s understanding of your company coming in. An accounting manager role at a large firm might be different than the accounting manager of a small business. Your ideal candidate should know the difference and want to work in your work environment.
Ethics Questions
Have you ever had a major ethical dilemma as an accountant? How did you handle it?
Dirty accounting is something that we all would like to think doesn’t exist, but sadly, it does. Accountants will often face ethical dilemmas in their jobs. You want an accountant with ethical reasoning who has made the right decision before.
Has your career ever suffered because you chose to do what was right? How did you handle that?
It’s better to have a reputation for doing what’s right than partaking in unethical situations. If your candidate is able to share a situation in which they made the right choice, you can trust that they will bring that ethical mindset into the role.
Behavioral Questions
Tell us about a major change that you have made within an accounting department.
Sometimes effective accounting means instituting chan, which is often a hard concept for accountants to come to grips with. Your new accounting manager should be familiar, and fine with, instituting change. The perfect candidate might also have ideas of how to best change your accounting department!
What is your proudest work accomplishment?
This will give you insight into your candidate’s work ethic and values. You’ll understand what they define as success and the steps they take to achieve that. An accounting manager should always strive for success, and a hiring manager can see where the candidate and company definitions align.
How do you handle high-pressure situations?
This behavioral question is essential for anyone hiring for a management position. As a manager, candidates will likely handle high-pressure situations regularly. They’re expected to make hard decisions on a whim and manage difficult customers. This accounting manager interview question can give you an idea of how each candidate will react in these situations.
Technical Questions
What accounting software do you prefer? Why?
Your new manager should have a solid understanding of accounting software and should have a preferred software. Expertise in accounting means you have a preferred way of doing this and are able to articulate why it should be done that way.
What methods have you used for estimating bad debt?
There are a handful of methods that accounting managers may use to estimate bad debt. While it can be beneficial to know any one of them, you’ll want an account manager with experience using the common method within your company.
How do you handle customer payment errors?
Many accounts identify and deal with customer payment errors using a suspense account. However, it’s also important that your accounting manager has experience handling difficult customers who may be reluctant to deal with this error.
The interview is one of the most important steps of the hiring process. Use these accounting manager interview questions in your next interview, and set yourself up for success!
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