[Pete]

Hello,

Does anyone have any tips for interviewing well?

I’ve had 20-30 interviews, between last year and this year; however, non of them have resulted in an offer. I have another interview tomorrow, so I was just seeing what tips you guys had? I typically study the hell out of the company and my “success stories (ie situational stories).” I just can’t seem to land though.

B=84 This exam was such a b**** that I thought I failed-don't know how these things work
A=76 Slacker I am, I'll happily take it
R=81 I LOVE taxes
F=80 I don't wanna get banned for an expletive I'm thinking with "yea" proceeding it

[Missy]

Approach the interview like you are selling a product (you are the product). The attitude should be “you have a need, I can fill that need and THEN some”

The behavioral questions are key. The answers are almost always cliche, what is your biggest flaw? “oh I'm a perfectionist”. Wrong answer. Find a flaw AND a way you work around it……..like I tend to have difficulty prioritizing tasks so I start every morning by reviewing my to do list to be sure I'm on top of deadlines and I start each morning with the most intense task while I'm still fresh in my mind. Two for one answer, you chose a supposed flaw AND sold them on your ability to stay organized and on task.

When you are given the opportunity to ask questions, best question to ask is “what do you need me to hit the ground running with on day 1” This is another opportunity for you to “sell” a strength of yours. If they say reconciliations you say great! I've reconciled some pretty active accounts and my analytical skills will give you results right away.

Watch you tube videos of interviews, they're very helpful and will illustrate common interview mistakes.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[MaLoTu]

What level jobs are you applying for? The dos and do nots change an it given your background and the jobs you are applying for. In addition are you targeting public or industry?

I think Missy gave some great advice, especially for senior and above positions. You may have to take a slightly different approach if you are applying for a staff position as you probably do not have much in the way of experience to offer.

[Lauren]

I'm new to this field but have other professional work experience and was very successful during internship interviews (the one I took ended up landing me a FT position), and I have two things I always do:

One of my big things is to always have a lot of questions at the ready. Prepare more questions than you might think you should. I might not get to ask all of them, but asking questions shows your interest like few other things can.

As well, I'd recommend just being yourself. When I was interviewing for internships I made sure to present myself the way I really am because it was a priority to end up in a culture where my personality would fit in well and be valued. Not fun to be an outgoing person who ends up in a straight-laced environment, for example. Being myself allowed me to feel calm, and when I was calm I was able to answer their questions pretty easily.

[Author]

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