Accounting Interview Prep

When does the interview start?

From the minute you meet the interviewer!
- body language
- handshake
- confidence
- insight (business/industry/company knowledge)
- energy

What are the basics?

Interview type - Behavioural
1. Arrival and Introduction (office admin & interviewer)
2. Setting the Stage
3. General Questions ("breaking the ice")
General
Outline 4. Behavioural Questions
5. Questions from the Interviewee
6. Closing (incl. next steps)
7. Departure (interviewer & office admin)

Our focus is the behavioural interview

STAR - who's heard of it? Situation, Task, Action and Result
Past behaviour predicts future success!!!
- quantify AND qualify
- think like an interviewerwhat are they testing?
- "tell me about a time."
- don't use the same example twice
- READ YOUR INTERVIEWER (body language is key!)

Prep 1. Review the job description and qualifications

2. Research the company and department
3. Identify your 3 main strengths and weaknesses
4. Sell all your greatest achievements using STAR
5. Know your interviewer name and background (if possible)
6. Check your network for inside information
7. Drop names of key people you have met at the company
8. Prepare 8 strong questions you would like to ask the interviewer
9. Focus on key reasons why you want to join the firm
and what makes you a good fit (both culture and technical)!
Teamwork:
Tell me about a time when you helped a team/co-worker achieve an important goal. What did
you do to help the team achieve the goal? What was the result?

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Time Management:

Tell me about a time you were faced with a challenging project and had a tight deadline to turn
around a solution. What were the obstacles you faced? How did you come to a solution? If
you could approach the project again, what would you do differently?
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Differently:

Communication:
Tell me about an experience in which you had to speak up in order to be sure that other
people knew what you thought or felt.
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Leadership:
Tell me about a time when you had to lead a team, where one of the team members didn't
carry their weight. How did you ensure the project was delivered on-time & to your
standards?

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Teamwork:
Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult team member on a project. What
was it about this individual that you found challenging and how did you resolve your issues
with them?

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Time Management:
Describe a time in school when you had many projects or assignments due at the same time.
What steps did you take to get them all done?
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Communication:
Tell me about an experience in which you had to speak in front of a group and how did you
prepare and execute to ensure you were communicating well to your target audience.
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Leadership:
What are the two most important values you demonstrate as a leader? Please tell me about a
time where you have demonstrated both of these leadership values in practice.
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