Top 5 Accounts Interview Questions

The email notification blinks and you find a mail with Interview-offer from one of the leading finance companies, you've been trying so hard to get in touch with. You open the mail and can't control your excitement as you see the much-awaited interview call letter for the account's profile. A few minutes later, the excitement turns into nervousness, leading to worrying thoughts about interview. Now you must be thinking…

“How do you combat this nervousness?”
“What question they may ask?”
“Would I be able to convince them with answers?”
“And moreover, how do you excel this interview to bag the accountant job you've been waiting for so long?”

Well, the simple answer to these questions would be to know expected questions and being prepared to answer them smartly. This would not only boost your confidence but also help you avoid any tongue-tied moments. To guide you through this interview, we have jotted down some of the important accounting interview questions which are frequently asked by the Accounts Experts. This is not all; we have also thrown light on the smart ways to answer them. Read on to clear the interview with flying colors.

Why Accounting?
This is definitely one of the most common questions asked in an accounting job.

Smart Answer: The interviewer, in this question, is trying to relax the tense situation of the room. You can tell about your childhood experiences or any other incidents that led you to become an accountant. Don't forget to give a brief about your background in this answer.

Tell Me About The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems You Have Used
This is a common question asked to most of the experienced accounting persons.

Smart Answer: You should have an answer for this question according to the systems you have used. You can include Oracle Enterprise Manager, Hyperion or Microsoft Dynamics GP in your answer too. Don't forget to talk about your excellent knowledge of Excel in this question to gain brownie points.

Which Terms Are Used In A Balance Sheet?
This is another technical question that the interviewer may ask to check your knowledge of accounting and its basics.

Smart Answer: This question is to check your knowledge about accounting. You should look confident while answering this question. Tell him/her about assets (fixed, current, tangible and intangible), equity and liability (current, long-term, contingent and fixed) etc.

Where Do You See Yourself Five Years From Now?
This question is asked in almost every interview, whether it is an accounting industry or any other.

Smart Answer: In this question, every interviewer wants to know about your career goals and how his/her job would affect or fit in your future plans. Your career goal should reflect your motivation and ambition. Be honest and yet draft a clever answer that also includes this job position.

What Are Your Biggest Weaknesses
Most of the people try to ditch this question by negating about any weakness. However, you should know how to answer it cleverly.

Smart Answer: Never dodge this question by telling that you don't have a weakness; because honestly, everyone does. It's always good to know about your weaknesses. Tell him/her about them and also the ways you wish to overcome them. You can also tell them about some accounting concept that you are still unclear about and how you plan to learn it.


Master these questions for your accounting interview but don't leave behind other questions related to cost reduction, error checking, accounting standards, auditing etc. Once you are clear with all these questions, there will be nothing to stop you from getting this accountant job.