[stoleway]

Fellow Ninjas I need your help!

I am scheduled to interview for a financial reporting position with one of the biggest construction and engineering firm in the country. I m getting a little bit nervous as the days go by, this is because I have only been working in accounts payable and I got this interview because the job requires a CPA candidate.

I don’t have any prior experience in accounting department, accounts payable is what I do and I know its just a smaller component of the accounting cycle.

What kind of technical accounting questions do you think will be thrown at me ? I will also appreciate it if someone can give a brief description of daily activities of an accountant/financial reporting. I have the job description but I need more insight and perspectives.

Any tips, advice or suggestions will be deeply appreciated

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[JY]

I would probably start off at glassdoor.com to research the company and the interview questions that they may ask. I might also look up people on LinkedIn and try to connect with them to find out what they people in similar positions do.

REG: 86 8/3/13
BEC: 85 8/31/13
FAR: 87 10/27/13
AUD: 90 11/30/13

[JY]

I would probably start off at glassdoor.com to research the company and the interview questions that they may ask. I might also look up people on LinkedIn and try to connect with them to find out what they people in similar positions do.

REG: 86 8/3/13
BEC: 85 8/31/13
FAR: 87 10/27/13
AUD: 90 11/30/13

[Anonymous]

Relax and be yourself. They already know what your qualifications are. At this point how you handle yourself and do they like you is just as important. There have been some great articles on LinkedIn on this topic lately. Here's one:

https://www.linkedin.com/influencers/20130924100532-19030295-how-i-hire-the-interviewing-mistake-i-used-to-make?goback=%2Enmp_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1&trk=nmp_rec_act_article_detail

[Anonymous]

Relax and be yourself. They already know what your qualifications are. At this point how you handle yourself and do they like you is just as important. There have been some great articles on LinkedIn on this topic lately. Here's one:

https://www.linkedin.com/influencers/20130924100532-19030295-how-i-hire-the-interviewing-mistake-i-used-to-make?goback=%2Enmp_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1&trk=nmp_rec_act_article_detail

[Anonymous]

Construction accounting is a different animal so they'll probably want you to know something about a Schedule of Values, are you familiar with a CIP/WIP, do you know who to calculate a CIP/WIP, are you familiar with retainage payable/retainage receivable? Have you worked with union payroll? What do you know about Davis-Bacon wages and wage reporting? You may not need to know anything about these areas – but you may. As a construction company controller, I was asked all these questions and then some.

Construction accounting offers a lot of exciting possibilities – so go knock 'em dead!

[Anonymous]

Construction accounting is a different animal so they'll probably want you to know something about a Schedule of Values, are you familiar with a CIP/WIP, do you know who to calculate a CIP/WIP, are you familiar with retainage payable/retainage receivable? Have you worked with union payroll? What do you know about Davis-Bacon wages and wage reporting? You may not need to know anything about these areas – but you may. As a construction company controller, I was asked all these questions and then some.

Construction accounting offers a lot of exciting possibilities – so go knock 'em dead!

[stoleway]

Thank you Ninjas, you guys are extremely helpful!

@CPA_AnyDayNow……I don't know anything about schedule of values, CIP/WIP, if WIP is Work in process then I know what it is and how to arrive at those figure. I work in communications right and I always see retainage on invoices and even help requestors out with billing issues related to it but I don't know what's actually driving retainage costs.

As for union payroll, davis bacon wages and wages reporting , the least said about it , the better. I have no idea what it is.

But its really good that I know these keywords and I will do some research on them.

One thing I don't want to do is to impress that I know all of these things or don't know anything at all (is it ok to let them know that I know them but I haven't had the opportunity to put it in practice?), Im a fast learner and I wouldn't have any problem starting from scratch.

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[stoleway]

Thank you Ninjas, you guys are extremely helpful!

@CPA_AnyDayNow……I don't know anything about schedule of values, CIP/WIP, if WIP is Work in process then I know what it is and how to arrive at those figure. I work in communications right and I always see retainage on invoices and even help requestors out with billing issues related to it but I don't know what's actually driving retainage costs.

As for union payroll, davis bacon wages and wages reporting , the least said about it , the better. I have no idea what it is.

But its really good that I know these keywords and I will do some research on them.

One thing I don't want to do is to impress that I know all of these things or don't know anything at all (is it ok to let them know that I know them but I haven't had the opportunity to put it in practice?), Im a fast learner and I wouldn't have any problem starting from scratch.

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[mla1169]

stoleway, CPA_AnyDayNow gives good advice. The only thing I would add is you need to know about revenue recognition particularly percentage of completion contracts. If you're going to do a little research beforehand I'd definitely know that too.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

stoleway, CPA_AnyDayNow gives good advice. The only thing I would add is you need to know about revenue recognition particularly percentage of completion contracts. If you're going to do a little research beforehand I'd definitely know that too.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Texas CPA]

Here are three questions I ask all staff accountants I interview.

What is the effect of a debit transaction on an asset account? Liability account?

What is the effect of a credit transaction….

What financial statement do revenue accounts appear?

I interview degreed accountants and only about 20% get it right.

Reg - Passed 82 Nov 2012 - Becker
Aud - Passed 86 May 2013 - Becker
BEC - Passed 88 Aug 2013 - Becker
FAR - Passed 88 Nov 2013 - Becker

https://www.becker.com/cpa-review

Texas CPA

[Texas CPA]

Here are three questions I ask all staff accountants I interview.

What is the effect of a debit transaction on an asset account? Liability account?

What is the effect of a credit transaction….

What financial statement do revenue accounts appear?

I interview degreed accountants and only about 20% get it right.

Reg - Passed 82 Nov 2012 - Becker
Aud - Passed 86 May 2013 - Becker
BEC - Passed 88 Aug 2013 - Becker
FAR - Passed 88 Nov 2013 - Becker

https://www.becker.com/cpa-review

Texas CPA

[Tncincy]

Does these questions apply to accounting temp interviews? I am trying to find an auditor position for experience sign off, and I also need a job….tax season is running dry.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Tncincy]

Does these questions apply to accounting temp interviews? I am trying to find an auditor position for experience sign off, and I also need a job….tax season is running dry.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[stoleway]

Great tips…..my interview is on Tuesday so I have lot of research to do:) the resources on this forum is overwhelming!

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[Author]

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