[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

[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

[gennatay]

A financial reporting position could could be just gathering information from a system and putting it in a readable format. If the job required any specific accountin skills, the company should have placed it in the job description.

I don think the only reason you got the interview is because your a CPA candidate, they saw some experience your resume that made you qualified. Just be yourself. Research the company as much as possible and know your resume.

Good Luck!

[gennatay]

A financial reporting position could could be just gathering information from a system and putting it in a readable format. If the job required any specific accountin skills, the company should have placed it in the job description.

I don think the only reason you got the interview is because your a CPA candidate, they saw some experience your resume that made you qualified. Just be yourself. Research the company as much as possible and know your resume.

Good Luck!

[Texas CPA]

Another thing I look for in a candidate is what did you do in your current/last position that improved processes?

Do you reconcile your accounts? If so, what steps do you take to resolve out of balance situations.

When people ask you for information, how do you help them?

I want some demonstration of critical thinking. Moreso for a senior accountant, less for a staff accountant.

And of course we are going to ask the typical HR questions like….Tell me what you do not like about your current boss.

How do you resolve disputes with co-workers.

In those instances, keep things positive. Never bad mouth your boss in an interview.

And yes, those three questions would apply to accounting temps. That is accounting 101, 1st week.

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]

Another thing I look for in a candidate is what did you do in your current/last position that improved processes?

Do you reconcile your accounts? If so, what steps do you take to resolve out of balance situations.

When people ask you for information, how do you help them?

I want some demonstration of critical thinking. Moreso for a senior accountant, less for a staff accountant.

And of course we are going to ask the typical HR questions like….Tell me what you do not like about your current boss.

How do you resolve disputes with co-workers.

In those instances, keep things positive. Never bad mouth your boss in an interview.

And yes, those three questions would apply to accounting temps. That is accounting 101, 1st week.

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]

One last thing, believe it or not, interviewing people is almost as hard as being interviewed.

And I agree with learning something about the company. I always ask what do you know about our company as kind of an ice breaker.

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]

One last thing, believe it or not, interviewing people is almost as hard as being interviewed.

And I agree with learning something about the company. I always ask what do you know about our company as kind of an ice breaker.

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

[tough_kitty]

@jgh1204 – Great tips! I liked the first 3 questions – wish I had those in the interview! Super easy 🙂 But I might be saying this mainly because I recently studied for FAR 🙂

I'm curious to know – how do you reverse the out of balance situation? Just make an adjustment to debit/credit, depending where the error is? I know that companies I audit have a sub-account for adjustments….is this enough?

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

@jgh1204 – Great tips! I liked the first 3 questions – wish I had those in the interview! Super easy 🙂 But I might be saying this mainly because I recently studied for FAR 🙂

I'm curious to know – how do you reverse the out of balance situation? Just make an adjustment to debit/credit, depending where the error is? I know that companies I audit have a sub-account for adjustments….is this enough?

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Jade CPA-to-be]

@jgh1204, great tips, thanks !!!

could you share some tips about resumes? as a recruiter, how you pick candidates from thousands of resumes ? what is the most important thing you look at? i applied as many job as i can recently, but only a few responded, so i wonder maybe i dont have a good resume.

thanks,

jade

CPA Licensed in California- Class of 2013

[Jade CPA-to-be]

@jgh1204, great tips, thanks !!!

could you share some tips about resumes? as a recruiter, how you pick candidates from thousands of resumes ? what is the most important thing you look at? i applied as many job as i can recently, but only a few responded, so i wonder maybe i dont have a good resume.

thanks,

jade

CPA Licensed in California- Class of 2013

[StephAV]

It has been a while since I last interviewed, but I think what set me apart was that I read the job description posted online, I printed that sucker out and I thought about how my experience could be applied to each responsibility listed. For any skills that they wanted that I wasn't familiar with, I got familiar with them… They pref'd someone with experience on their ERP, I did some research on that ERP and I was able to tell them that while I've never used that system, this what I am familiar with and I did some research on that system and this is why I think I'd be able to learn it quickly.

Google Davis Bacon… I did gov't auditing in my first job, this is prevailing wages required for government contracts.

I would try to show your excitement for a new challenge along with the fact that you have the skills necessary to do the job. Best of luck!

FAR - 7/13 - 72, 11/13- 74, 2/14- 82!!! Best score ever (for me)!!!
BEC - 1/14 - 75!!! Perfect score! First Pass! YAY!!!
AUD - 8/14 - 80!!!
REG - 5/14 - 72, 10/14 - 66, 1/15 - 78 - DONE FOREVER!!!
I did 5 of the UNA and CPAExcel classes to earn units.

[StephAV]

It has been a while since I last interviewed, but I think what set me apart was that I read the job description posted online, I printed that sucker out and I thought about how my experience could be applied to each responsibility listed. For any skills that they wanted that I wasn't familiar with, I got familiar with them… They pref'd someone with experience on their ERP, I did some research on that ERP and I was able to tell them that while I've never used that system, this what I am familiar with and I did some research on that system and this is why I think I'd be able to learn it quickly.

Google Davis Bacon… I did gov't auditing in my first job, this is prevailing wages required for government contracts.

I would try to show your excitement for a new challenge along with the fact that you have the skills necessary to do the job. Best of luck!

FAR - 7/13 - 72, 11/13- 74, 2/14- 82!!! Best score ever (for me)!!!
BEC - 1/14 - 75!!! Perfect score! First Pass! YAY!!!
AUD - 8/14 - 80!!!
REG - 5/14 - 72, 10/14 - 66, 1/15 - 78 - DONE FOREVER!!!
I did 5 of the UNA and CPAExcel classes to earn units.

[Texas CPA]

In most accounting systems these days, posting to AP accounts is automated and the account should rarely be out of balance. If so, review the account for manual entries. Most systems do to not allow manual JEs to the main AP account.

There is no one right answer, I just want to know if you know how to research problems. It could be a department was not set up and the entry is in a suspense account.

As far as resumes, I try to look at job history as much as anything to make sure it matches what I am loooking for. Gaps in job histories are not a good thing and should be explained if there are large gaps. If you are not currently employed, I want to know why you left your last job. Getting fired is not always a deal killer but it better be a good reason/explanation/story. I also tend to stay away from job hoppers. If you have had 6 jobs in 3 years, I probably will not select your resume. Of course, that does not count while you are in college.

I work for a much larger company now and have not had to hire someone for this company. I feel I will only see what gets through the HR screeners.

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]

In most accounting systems these days, posting to AP accounts is automated and the account should rarely be out of balance. If so, review the account for manual entries. Most systems do to not allow manual JEs to the main AP account.

There is no one right answer, I just want to know if you know how to research problems. It could be a department was not set up and the entry is in a suspense account.

As far as resumes, I try to look at job history as much as anything to make sure it matches what I am loooking for. Gaps in job histories are not a good thing and should be explained if there are large gaps. If you are not currently employed, I want to know why you left your last job. Getting fired is not always a deal killer but it better be a good reason/explanation/story. I also tend to stay away from job hoppers. If you have had 6 jobs in 3 years, I probably will not select your resume. Of course, that does not count while you are in college.

I work for a much larger company now and have not had to hire someone for this company. I feel I will only see what gets through the HR screeners.

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

[Author]

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