[Pete]

After having 20 plus interviews, I’ve concluded I must be doing something wrong during them, so I was writing to see how I can further improve?

Before each interview, I practice in front of a mirror for hours, heavily research the company, and perform a though-rough review of my stories (using the STAR method); then right before the actual interview, I perform “power-poses” for confidence. Additionally, I have reviewed the interview questions with friends and campus recruitment (even though I graduated in 2010- I have lifetime access).

After the last interview, I was told I performed extremely well and crushed yet another accounting test, but I lacked experience with a certain accounting software (I think it was Oracle or SAP). I was shocked an almost entry level accounting position (job paid near 45k/year) would actually require heavy oracle or SAP accounting software experience. I even tried to explain that all accounting software is fundamentally similar in nature to quick-books (what I have experience with for 6+ years) and that even people with experience in that software would need to learn new things (ie. company policy) and that understanding accounting fundamentals was much more important. Guess it didn’t work though :(.

I’m really starting to lose faith/become incredibly frustrated at this whole process; I mean, do i need to go on 100+ interviews to get a job or am I just doing things wrong (already been on near 25 interviews in a little over a year, since I lost my job)? Maybe my state is just in bad shape or something, but this is nuts.

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

[Anonymous]

If I could sit down with you and do a mock interview, I could give you better feedback. Based on what you've said here, though, I would be tempted to say that you're over-preparing to the point that you seem robotic. You don't need to spend hours in front of a mirror practicing answers; that will make it seem like you did that, and that in turn makes it seem like you can't talk/interact on a normal basis.

Here's a little secret from the hiring manager's perspective: you're not the only one giving the right answers. The vast majority of interviewees give the right answers cause, like you, they can look online and get information and advice about how to answer. So, the hiring manager has to try to interpret how the individual answered and form conclusions from that. If you've rehearsed for 5 hours in front of a mirror, then all the hiring manager can read is “rehearsed, stiff, reciting”, and that doesn't tell me anything positive to go on. Might or might not be negative, but it's not positive.

Also, and ERP system is quite a bit different from QuickBooks; I'd ditch that line about them being similar in the future. That just indicates how little you know about ERP systems. Yeah. they all generate credits and debits at the end of the day, but how to get there differs vastly. A better response would be that you recognize the challenge that will be presented by lack of experience with Oracle and SAP, but that you are confident in your ability to learn new software quickly, as it's never been a hindrance for you before (presuming this is true – don't say it if it's not!). I work with a very specialized ERP and we know when we start the hiring process that no one will have used it before, but what I look for when hiring is someone who has the ability to learn it effectively. Managers hoping for experience with the ERP will still be happy to find someone who they are convinced can learn it well. There's some people that you just can tell can't learn it. And…if you make inaccurate comparisons (like a full ERP to Quickbooks), it adds to people's impression that you don't know what you're getting yourself into.

Something else: you can't be everything perfect; don't try to act like you're something you're not. Let's say learning new software is a struggle for you; if you try to tell the interviewer how easily you'll pick up the new software, when inwardly you know that's not true, it will show. Like I said at the start, interviewees all usually answer with the right answers, but the hiring manager is trying to assess how it's answered be convinced of whether this person really is who they want or not. If you don't even believe what you're saying, you'll never make them believe it! I'd far rather have an interviewee who honestly says “Eh, that part will be a struggle for me” – maybe counterbalanced with “but since this other part will be so easy, I'm sure I can handle both” – than one who seems to rate themselves a 10 at everything.

Are we connected on LinkedIn? If not, my link is in my profile on here. If you want to add me, I'll see if I can find some method for doing a long-distance interview to be able to give you some more feedback. There's lots of things that I'd go “I'm inclined to think that he's xxxxx”, but reading your posts on a forum and interviewing you are two very different types of interactions.

[hasy]

Agree with reply. What I like to do during interviews is build on the information I'm receiving and ask them questions on what they just gave me.

AUD - 83
BEC - 80
FAR - 83
REG - 78

BEC - 80 (Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB)

FAR - 72; 83 (Roger + NINJA MCQ)

AUD - 83 (Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB)

REG - 52; 78 (Roger + NINJA MCQ)

Ethics - 68, 96 (how I dislike you)
-
This forum is more addictive than drugs. Still returning after licensure.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved - Helen Keller

-

BEC 80 (10/23/15)
FAR 72 (4/2/15); 83 (7/11/16)
REG 52 (4/28/15)
AUD (9/9/16)

Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB

[Missy]

Well if they want experience in their particular software used, there's not much of a way around that. In accounting principals quickbooks is “similar” to a more robust ERP system but whoa there are huge differences when it comes to navigating, menus, drillng down, etc. I know its not comforting to you but its like telling someone they should let you take their boat out because you've been driving a car forever and the principals of forward, reverse and stop are the same.

That said IF you're applying to jobs that say “SAP experience required” do yourself a HUGE favor and do a bit of research on SAP (particularly you tube videos.) If you can give specific examples of how a journal entry in quickbooks compares to a journal entry in SAP, use words that are straight out of SAP to demonstrate you've acquainted yourself with the similarities and differences between what you're used to and what you expect to see. YOU may well be aware of how robust Quickbooks is and how it is quickly becoming a powerful ERP system in its own right but you're highly unlikely to sell that angle to someone who isn't familiar with quickbooks so you have to be able to demonstrate the similarities.

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

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

[aaronmo]

I managed an HR department for a few years…

Best practices are generally not to run background checks/tests until you've determined you're going to make an offer. That said…

1. you don't know what you don't know. Maybe money fell through, maybe someone's kid needs a job. If you developed a rapport with someone there, I'd send an email stating how excited you are about the opportunity and asking if they have any follow up questions.
2. You're assuming most HR people are competent…IMO, most are completely incompetent, add no value and don't know what they don't know. I generally view HR people without a background in accounting or law much the same way I'd look at hospital billing staff, tow truck drivers, finance majors, and other dregs of humanity.
3. Best practices change somewhat depending on the size of the company and location; my city had specific rules around background checks. Some states do as well.
4. The person who ran the check probably barely noticed the age he was inputting.

AUD - 96
BEC - 84
FAR - 89
REG - 86

Aaron and always remember, YMMV

I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

[aaronmo]

Crud – sorry, posted to wrong thread.

AUD - 96
BEC - 84
FAR - 89
REG - 86

Aaron and always remember, YMMV

I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

[Matt Douglass]

Are you writing thank you notes after the interview to each person that interviewed you? If not that's a major problem.

When they ask the question, “what questions do you have for us?” what do you ask? These questions are huge

Are you letting on, in any way, that you have been to 20 interviews with no success?

How do you answer “why do you want to work here?” If answer is focused on anything other than doing whatever it takes to make the shareholders of this fine establishment money, then you might as well leave.

Licensed CPA in Missouri

FAR 4/16 - 83 Wiley CPAExcel/Ninja MCQ
AUD 5/16 - 87 Wiley CPAExcel/Ninja MCQ
REG 10/16 - 76 Wiley CPAExcel/Ninja MCQ
BEC 12/16 - 88 Wiley CPAExcel/Ninja MCQ

MS, Accounting - Done!

FAR - 83 (CPAexcel/Ninja MCQ)
AUD - 87 (CPAexcel/Ninja MCQ)
REG - 10/16
BEC - 11/16

[Pete]

Thank you guys so much for the help; you've all provided a huge amount of information. I'm going to do some research on SAP and Oracle. I was considering taking a class, but they typically run around $1,000 each; it's just too much with all the classes i'm currently taking for my 150 credit hours. They might even have free online classes as well?

To answer the last response…

Are you writing thank you notes after the interview to each person that interviewed you? If not that’s a major problem.
-I always write a thank you note within 24 hours of an interview. While I don't think doing this will usually change the outcome (hasn't for me yet), it certainly can't hurt to write one; there are definitely times where it might though. I write one to every single person I meet.

When they ask the question, “what questions do you have for us?” what do you ask? These questions are huge
-I do a ton of research on the company and have 5-10 questions for the person. I HATE those best “interview questions” found online because I feel they are overused, so I create questions based on the company. I've had interviewers tell me “good question” before; one even stated they were really impressed with my questions.

Are you letting on, in any way, that you have been to 20 interviews with no success?
-I'm sure I probably do, despite my best efforts not to show it; it's far easier to say “I won't be frustrated,” than to successfully not get frustrated at going on so many with nothing to show for it. I approach it as, “this one is it-the one I will finally get,” only to get another rejection. I've learned to not get my hopes up after the interview.

How do you answer “why do you want to work here?” If answer is focused on anything other than doing whatever it takes to make the shareholders of this fine establishment money, then you might as well leave.
-I might need to work on that; I usually state something that intrigues me about the company and what they do (Ie. I was really impressed by the company's business model for selling cogs; it was such a unique deviation from the norm). As Peter Olinto says though, “it's all about, MAKING MONEY.”

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

[ruggercpa2b]

Like you I went on multiple interviews for almost a year prior to finding another job and I was trying to leave Big 4.

I do not necessarily agree with the below response. Its another one of those robotic responses.
How do you answer “why do you want to work here?” If answer is focused on anything other than doing whatever it takes to make the shareholders of this fine establishment money, then you might as well leave.

I always look at the company and look to see what they are doing in the community. I interviewed at a company that was big on teaching people in third world countries about agriculture and grow their own produce. This is something I pointed out because I grew up in Africa. Another thing I always said was that I was looking for my forever home. I wanted to be part of a department and a company that seemed to value its employees and offer opportunities for advancement. I look up people I am interviewing with and if they have been with the company for years I always point that out. Having young people having been with a company for over 5 years speaks volumes to me because I am looking for the longevity with a company. I always ask what has helped them to be successful in the roles that they have held within the company.

I would not spend $1000 to take a class on SAP or Oracle. When I see a posting that mentions certain experience is required that I do not have. I always ask the hiring manager if there is anything about my experience that is of concern to them. This gives me the opportunity to sell myself. I point out that I may not have the experience that they are looking for but then list what I have to offer.

Interviewing can be hard. However, you also do not want to do too much by going way over board with the questions you have.

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

AUD - 1/6/18
FAR - TBD
REG - TBD
BEC - TBD

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[Author]

Replies