27 UHY LLP Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our UHY LLP interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. In the organizational design work that you have done in the past, how have you involved senior leadership with the organization's that you've worked with?
How to Answer
As a consultant with UHY LLP, walking a client through an organizational design change must involve buy-in and involvement from the highest level of the organization. Talk about your previous experiences in working with and including senior leaders in the planning and decision making processes surrounding the redesign of an organization. Be able to speak confidently and knowledgeably as to why it is so important to include them as well. Speak to their importance during the design process, transition planning, transition implementation and follow up after implementation.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"On a recent organizational redesign for a retail outfit, I worked closely with the CEO, CFO and other senior leaders right from the start of the project. During the planning stages, I teed up several staff communications that came out from the CEO as it was very important that staff were made aware of the pending changes from the highest level of the organization. The leadership team gave valuable input during the planning stage that really helped me to guide the course for them for the entirety of the project. I am comfortable and familiar with working with all levels of an organization and I feel that the clients here at UHY LLP will greatly benefit from that if I'm hired for this position."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Major change processes like an organizational design change often involve many emotions for the employees of an organization. To help manage emotions, I've always considered the best remedy to be up front, honest communication from the leaders of the organization. Throughout my entire body of work in the consulting role with a company, I ensure that leaders give regular updates to staff. If needed, I help draft communications and write speeches for town hall meetings and don't hesitate to assist leaders with these items."
2. A key component to success here at UHY LLP is building solid relationships with new clients. How do you effectively get to know new people and lay the groundwork for a long lasting relationship?
How to Answer
The fast paced world of business consulting requires the ability to build relationship after relationship with all of the clients that you will potentially be working with. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to gain insight into how you build relationships with new people from the first time you interact with them. In your answer, talk about how you gain and build trust with new people and explain how the little things in your initial interactions go a long way toward building long lasting working relationships.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
Answer Example
"I am a firm believer that success in any role I've played in my career was due in part to the relationships that I've built in those roles. Whenever I have the chance to work with a new colleague or a new customer, my approach is to create an initial connection with them to build trust. After that point, my interpersonal skills take over through active listening. I use my listening skills to learn about the motivating factors and needs of the person that I will be working with and this helps mold that respect and trust between us even more. I think this approach would be very critical in working with new clients on a regular basis here at UHY LLP and I'd love the opportunity to bring these skills to the table for you."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
3. Being successful in consulting and working here at UHY LLP requires the ability to work effectively with Type A personalities. What are your experiences in working with this personality and how did you make the relationships a success?
How to Answer
To first understand this question, it is important that you know that Type A personalities are exemplified by being competitive, motivated, organized and goal driven, among many other traits. These traits often lead to success in high level roles within organizations and your chances of working with this personality type are high. Think of a time you worked with a typical Type A personality and explain the methods you used to ensure that you had a sound and successful working relationship. Make sure that your interview walks away knowing that you can work effectively with difficultly driven individuals with high expectations.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"For the last six years, I have worked under your prototypical type A personality as my director. Being a self admitted type B, being under my new director was difficult at first. For me to be successful under her and for our relationship to flourish, I learned quickly that she liked me to regularly communicate timelines for projects and give updates when necessary as she was very time driven. As well, small talk and getting to know me personally wasn't a priority so our communications to this day are pretty succinct and to the point. In this role, I would feel very comfortable with working with high level type A's because of my firsthand experience."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"If you haven't been able to tell during my interview so far, I am a type A personality myself. My personality has helped me become very successful as a Financial Analyst. Having had formal training in the different personality types, I know that I need to take a meticulous approach when working with other type A personalities. My current team is loaded with type A's and regular communication is key in ensuring that expectations are clear and timelines are being met. If hired for this position, I would know my place in working with leaders from clients and I can easily be both cognizant of my approach and have the ability to put my desire to be in the lead aside with them when needed."
4. Talk about a time you had to work with a very difficult person. What was the situation and how did you handle it?
How to Answer
At some point in any person's career, they have to work with a colleague or customer who is extremely difficult. Rather than looking to hear the fine details as to why this person was difficult, your interviewer will be looking to gain insight into how you personally handled the situation and others like it to ensure that a sound relationship was fostered even when you faced difficult circumstances. In your answer, some key things to focus on are your ability to be tolerant, understanding and a great communicator in these situations.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"In my current role, I have a customer that flies off the handle very easily if things don't happen just right and I learned this from my first interactions with him. In seeing this happen from the start, I have always maintained a calm demeanor when he was upset and showed empathy by asking questions about his expectations and how to fix situations for him. To this day, I expect difficulty from him when we work together and the years we've had a working relationship together have better prepared me for more clients like him in the future."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"A couple of years ago, a close colleague of mine had a very abrupt turnaround in her attitude and performance on the job. She was very curt and abrasive in conversations when she was normally very talkative and friendly on the job. After noticing some concerns in her work, I approached her with an open mind and asked her what was going on to cause these things to change. I showed concern and approached her as a friend and this approach prompted her to tell me about some issues happening in her personal life. By taking this approach, rather than getting upset or even made with her, I showed her that I cared and valued her as a person and my approach helped her open up and turn her life at work back around to the positive side."
5. With this potential move to consulting in the construction industry, what unique things do you think you can bring to the clients here at UHY LLP?
How to Answer
The ability to move to a consultant role in the construction industry takes a special type of individual that has many key skills and qualities. Prior to your interview, be sure to reflect on the reasons that you are looking at moving to a consultant role and why you think you'll be successful in the role. In your answer, be sure to keep a customer/client focus in mind to stress to your interviewer that you will be able to succeed in a consultant role.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As I've worked my way through my career starting with swinging hammers on small job sites all the way to leading large scale buildings as a project manager, I have no doubt that the major reason for my successes were my interpersonal skills. Whether I am working on coaching an employee or handling an upset contractor, my approach with people is to be friendly, knowledgeable and humorous, no matter what the situation is. I believe in holding people accountable for their action, leading by example and second chances for people. As I've talked with other consultants, I realize that my people skills would be a huge asset in this role."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Throughout my career, I've always had a passion for teaching others in the construction industry. I love learning and educating my colleagues and employees on new technology and processes to help us become more efficient and building better products. My ability to teach would be a big benefit for the clients here at UHY LLP."
6. Being successful in the consulting industry requires adaptability and the ability to learn a business fast. What would be your approach to help you learn the ins and outs of a new client?
How to Answer
UHY LLP contracts with businesses in different industries for their services and it is likely that your job would require you to learn the fine details of each business that you would work with. Demonstrate your ability to be flexible by giving examples of times you've had to do this during your career. As well, describe the approach that you would take to get the know the businesses you would be working with so you can apply your knowledge and expertise toward helping them.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I've been in corporate training and education for over ten years. In my current role, I have to use similar techniques working with different departments to try and tailor programs that meet their specific needs. I feel that my current approach of hosting an intake meeting with leaders would be effective in a consulting role with external customers. The current intake meetings that I lead are an opportunity for me to ask questions and learn as much as I can about my customers. In turn, it is an opportunity for me to lay the groundwork for the project and set expectations. Do you see this as an effective approach for this role?"
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Having worked in quality roles for most of my career in both the private and public sectors, I think my career experiences have shaped me well for this role. Transitioning to a consultative role would definitely be a transition for me and the biggest transition will be this need to work in many different industries. For me, researching clients, their business and their industry will be the first step to my approach in learning about them. I want to make a great first impression when I am face to face with a new client and that first impression starts with my knowledge. Then, my openness and ability to communicate would take over when I am working directly with clients. I know the right questions to ask for laying out quality initiative projects and I know the right things to educate clients on."
7. As a consultant here at UHY LLP, you will have the opportunity to work with many accounting departments on tax filing for their business. When called upon, how would you go about verifying the accuracy of an accounting department?
How to Answer
No matter the size of the business and their accounting department, human error can lead to costly mistakes down the road if accuracy is not verified on the financial statements and books of a company that you would be consulting in this role. In your answer, talk specifically about your methods for verifying data entry and make it clear to your interviewer that this a step that you do not take lightly or overlook.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"In any tax consulting project, data verification and sampling is of utmost importance to me and a step I would ensure happens with every client here at UHY LLP. Depending on the accounting and finance department's books and how they are kept, my data verification could be as simple as printing documents and verifying samples against filed information or running the data verification through a program. I have extensive experience running both methods of data verification and wouldn't hesitate to use either with the clients here."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"I fully realize that my work in advising businesses on their tax filings comes down to verifying their income statements, balance sheet and cash flow statements. To verify, I would have to work with leaders in reconciling their financial statements with bank records, credit card statement, invoices, receipts and any other documents that show physical proof on financial statements. Realizing that this can sometimes be a difficult task with businesses that don't keep accurate records, have segregated finance departments or multiple physical locations, I would leave no stone unturned in this initial verification process with your clients."
8. Talk about a time that you successfully educated another individual or group in your area of expertise. What made your educational experience effective?
How to Answer
The role that you are interviewing for with UHY LLP will likely involve providing education to clients in your area of expertise. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are comfortable and effective in providing education by having you talk about a time that you have done so. In the example that you provide, try to point out some key items to making business education successful like developing a plan/goals, respecting differing viewpoints/opinions, making it hands on and making it fun.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Probably the aspect that I love the most about my current job is being the lead for training new hires into our department. Because of my years of experience and my innate ability to effectively orientate new employees, my director asked me to take this duty about four years ago. My approach with any new hire is to customize their training based on their knowledge and experience so the training is effective for them. What works for one person may not work for another and I always need to be fluid with this. I also prioritize the need to make orientation and training a hands on experience for the new hire because classroom learning can only take a person so far in the learning process."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I've spent the last seven years working in the corporate tax field. While in this job, I worked very independently for a private organization, so I've been out of the training and education side for a while now. During my first job out of college as a CPA though, I was very adept at providing education to the clients that I worked with on a daily basis. What I learned in that experience was the importance of putting material out there in a manner that the person being trained understood. As well, talking to clients and understanding my client's wants and needs were very important for me to be able to best educate them. I really believe that these skills would enable me to hit the ground running with UHY LLP and your clients would benefit greatly."
9. With some of our clients here at UHY LLP being hesitant to run an internal audit, what points would you use to sell them on the importance of conducting an internal audit?
How to Answer
At some point in your career, you've likely faced resistance to creating and running an internal audit process regarding accounting practices within an organization. It can be a very touchy subject for a variety of reasons. To help curb resistance, you will be relied upon to point out the importance of internal audits. From your own perspective, reiterate the key points that you would use to sell the development of an internal auditing process to the clients at UHY LLP.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"From my experience, increasing industry regulation and compliance with such regulation is a huge selling point to leaders for conducting internal audits. Oftentimes, leaders are well aware of impacts that regulations have on many aspects of their business, but financial records and book keeping often gets overlooked. With my experience and knowledge across many industries, I can speak knowledgeably to high level leaders about how industry regulations can impact accounting practices and audits are the best way to implement positive change."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Over the past 10 years, the impact of the digitalization of businesses has greatly increased the need for internal audits of accounting and finance departments. Many factors surrounding the digital impact on organizations have made life tough for accountants and educating leaders on these impacts is essential in today's day and age. Recently, I worked with an organization on an audit that revealed significant gaps in their web invoicing systems. Without the audit, the organization was risking losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax money."
10. At UHY LLP we seek to hire those who think outside the box. When was the last time you made a suggestion for workplace improvement? What was the outcome?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know if you are an engaged employee; offering suggestions and providing more profound thought when it comes to processing improvement in the workplace. Give an example of a time when you suggested an improvement in the workplace. It can be big or small! Did anything significant come out of your suggestion?
1st Answer Example
"Last year I made a recommendation for our office to incorporate a recycling program. We were going through a lot of single-use coffee pods. It bothered me how wasteful it all seemed. I presented a spreadsheet to my supervisor comparing the single-use pods vs. investing in a built-in coffee machine. The savings over two years were significant, and my boss has now presented my idea to our head office. It feels nice to be heard in the workplace, so I continue to keep my eyes out for opportunities for process improvements."
2nd Answer Example
"I made some recommendations for change in our CRM system. The suggestions were surrounding how items received documentation and how outstanding tasks became highlighted. Our head office made the changes and a lot of people in our office commented on how much they liked the changes."
11. If you are hired for this position here at UHY LLP, what do you think the biggest hurdle for you would be from the start?
How to Answer
For this question, you can showcase your research that you've done on both UHY LLP and the role you are interviewing for by being upfront and honest about what you feel would be the biggest learning curve for you if hired for the position and giving your plan for how you would approach this hurdle. In your answer, make sure that you highlight your skills and abilities in making a molehill out of a mountain on your way to success in this role.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, most of my career experience is in the food industry. If fortunate enough to be hired for this position, the biggest area for learning for me would be the finance side of other industries like technology, telecommunications and healthcare. From day one, I would begin by thoroughly research the clients here at UHY LLP and speaking with as many industry experts that I know through business networking. While learning the ins and outs of other industries is the biggest learning curve for me, I see it as a great opportunity for me to become more proficient and effective in the work that I'd be doing for you."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"While this may sound funny to you at first, I think the biggest challenge for me from the start will be adapting to the great corporate lifestyle and culture here at UHY LLP. When I saw this position being open for applicants and I did my research, I was extremely excited to hear about the flexibility and openness to the ideas of your staff members. I've been working for six years in an environment that is very opposite of an open culture for new ideas and for me personally, it will feel foreign for me to bring new ideas to the team here and have them be accepted."
12. At UHY LLP, our clients look to us to help find new and creative ways to save tax dollars. Have you ever had a unique situation where you helped an organization save tax dollars through your work and insight?
How to Answer
UHY LLP is a trusted advisor to their clients on their corporate and small business taxes and your potential work in this position will put you in a position to be creative with your clients. Prior to your interview, think of a time in your work history where you can demonstrate the situation for the organization and came up with a creative tax savings solution for them. Upon answering this question, make sure that your interviewer walks away from your time together knowing that you have the ability to create solutions for clients that make a real difference.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Last year, I was working with an upstart small business in New York that employed around 20 people. Hearing that a big burden for him was providing health care coverage, which he chose to do to hire and retain great staff, I educated him on the savings he could see in starting an HSA associated with a high deductible plan. In the end, this plan was a win for the owner to see a ton of tax savings and the employees benefited with a great plan where the business was contributing towards their HSA on a yearly basis."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"When working with corporation on tax advising issues, I always walk through business expenditures with a fine toothed comb because how large expenditures are claimed can really make or break taxes for years to come. When working with a client a few years ago, I noticed that they were deducting full costs up front when the depreciation method would have worked out much better for them in their financial situation. The only thing it took to convince them was a simple educational meeting."
13. Working with our clients here at UHY LLP often involves some initial conflict with our clients. How would you rate your ability to handle conflict or disagreements in the workplace?
How to Answer
When a consultant comes into an organization to help better an aspect of their business, there are many factors that can lead to initial conflicts with the consultant and their firm. Big egos not wanting a fresh new face and the fear of change are inevitable in this business and your interviewer wants to hear that you have the experience and ability to handle inevitable conflict that will come your way if hired for the position. While obviously rating yourself highly in this area, try to talk about a time where you handled difficult conflict on the job with ease.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"In my role as a Project Manager with a large private organization, one of my first steps on any new project is setting a budget. Last year, I was leading the effort on a project focused on waste reduction in our manufacturing facilities. In the initial meetings for new projects, our CFO is always involved so she has a high-level overview of what the project will entail. In the meeting, she immediately berated me for the initial budget that I was proposing and vehemently insisted that the amount just wasn't correct or feasible. Rather than taking offense to her thoughts, I wanted to make sure that she, and the rest of the group, had a solid understanding of all that was taken into consideration for setting the budget. After I explained and showed line by line what the proposed budget broke down to, she was very thankful and didn't realize that team member labor was part of that equation. I think that my ability to understand why she was conflicted and my ability to keep a calm, cool head in that situation was vital and a perfect reason for me rating myself high on my conflict resolution skills."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"From my call center days, I think I developed great conflict resolution skills where I would rate myself an 8 out of 10. Handling customers who were upset about a product or service they received required a calm tone, an educational approach and the ability to not take things too personally. If hired for this position, I would be able to bring this same approach to the client of UHY LLP."
14. Talk about a time you had to use conflict resolution skills in a business setting. What was the situation and the outcome and how did you positively influence that outcome?
How to Answer
In this role with UHY LLP, chances are great that you would be working with employees at clients who don't see eye to eye on things and you will quickly become the mediator between them with your expertise. Prior to interview, think about the conflict resolution skills that you possess and highlight those with an example of a time that you used them. At the end of the day, ensure that your interviewer walks away from your conversation knowing that you can be trusted with their clients in this respect.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"In my current role, I was asked to work with two sales managers that were not seeing eye to eye in future planning processes and I was asked to step in and intervene on the situation. My approach to this situation was to first meet individually with each manager to get their perspective on the situation and, lo and behold, both managers felt disrespected by the other. With that in mind, my approach to coaching their relationship focused on empathy and the ability to see things from each other's chair. I held an open forum where each could talk about times they felt disrespected by the other and I think it was really eye opening for each. At the end of that single conversation, both realized that they were in competition with each other and both agreed to work hand in hand for the betterment of the organization in the future."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"To me, conflict in the workplace is best settled when both parties understand and acknowledge the perspective of others and come to a mutual agreement to plan for differences. It is foolish to think that every relationsihp within a business setting is going to be 100% perfect, so these agreements are necessary. I did this recently with two nurses that were working side by side in an Emergency Department setting. From the start of them working on the same shift together, conflic began immediately and hard feeling only festered from there. As a facilitator between them, I promoted open dand respectful ialogue abetween them about what bothered each person in their relationship. It became clear that each had their own unique upbringing in the healthcare world and differing perspectives on ideal care for patients, even when each of their philosophies fell under the expectations of the department. By promotiing this, I was amazed to hear the two nurses work out a plan for handling each others differences without being prompted by me."
15. How do you stay organized and on track when working on a long-term project?
How to Answer
Working for UHY LLP in the role you are interviewing for will require an innate ability to manage projects from conception to final implementation. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you have the ability to maintain organization to meet deadlines and customer expectations. Talk about your personal methods for organizing project work and give any examples that you have of your methods being successful. In the consulting and advisory industry, customer satisfaction and word of mouth are integral to success and growth of a business and effective project management is key in satisfaction.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"I really pride myself on my ability to multitask and my ability to stay organized in key in multitasking. For me personally, organization starts with using technology to my advantage and I do this through the use of my Outlook calendar and tasks functions. I take time each day to update my tasks and project work and use my ability to prioritize tasks to ensure that the right things are being worked on. In looking to bring these skills to long-term project work with your clients, staying organized and on task will be extremely important for the success of both UHY LLP and your clients."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"In my work, the ability to stay organized and on track comes down to having a plan of attack for each project and keeping track of the plan as milestones are hit. If you are familiar with the program Trello, it really helps me organize all of the components of the projects that I work on and give me the ability to track who is doing what, what deadlines are coming and what milestones have been hit. But even with a great program like this, I always have the ability to re-prioritize due dates and new tasks as needed with any project."
16. Part of our responsibility in consulting in the construction industry is overseeing a budget. What experience do you have in managing a construction budget?
How to Answer
Working with clients at UHY LLP, you'll have the opportunity to work with them on many aspects of their project budget. Some clients will set their own total budget and you'll have to work around that budget to make it work. Others will look to you as the consultant to set the most cost-effective, yet realistic, budget possible. Talk about the experiences you have in working with a budget and make sure that you pinpoint your step by step approach to budgeting projects.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As a current project manager, I am tasked with both planning a budget for upcoming projects as well as managing budgets throughout the length of a project. During my time as a general contractor, I learned to do's and dont's of managing a strict budget all the way through. I learned that keeping detailed records of every cost of a project versus what was budgeted was very important. I also learned that communicating with my team on progress towards budget goal was very important as well. In this consultant role, I would feel very comfortable in helping clients set and achieve their budgets."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"If hired for this role with UHY LLP, you can rest assured that my comfort and ability in managing large scale budgets will greatly impact clients here. I am thorough in my budget planning skills by taking the time to research costs and getting bids for services that will be subcontracted. During the build, I pride myself on my organization to track all costs and reconcile all costs against the budget."
17. UHY LLP values philanthropy and community giving. How do you choose to give back to others?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know that you are socially responsible and a team player - even outside of the workplace. Your answer can be as simple as babysitting your grand-kids every Sunday, to a standing-volunteer gig, to charitable contributions.
1st Answer Example
"I work a lot but, when I do have free time, I spend that with my grand-kids. It helps to give my son a bit of a break as he is a full-time single dad. In addition to this, I volunteer at the local drop-in center every Christmas to help feed the homeless. Giving back is very important to me."
2nd Answer Example
"Volunteering and charitable acts are important to me. I spend time volunteering at the local drop-in center every Sunday."
18. How do you feel that your education and career to this point has prepared you to work in the international tax realm here at UHY LLP?
How to Answer
With the rise of corporations taking their businesses to a global level, firms like UHY LLP are often brought in to be the experts on international tax. Prior to your interview, your interviewer can tell a lot about your education and career and whether you have direct experience in working with international tax laws. Not having experience doesn't exclude you from candidacy for this experience, but if that is the case, your interviewer will be hearing how you'll apply what you've already experienced in your career to international practice. Put some thought to this question ahead of your interviewer to be able to paint the picture of yourself being well-versed in how to get educated in the field if you don't have direct experience.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I've spent the last 10 years working in private business for a large manufacturer that sees profits from a few countries from around the world. While this has somewhat exposed me to international tax laws, I know that I would be working much more in depth in this realm here at UHY LLP. If hired for this position, I know that I would face a learning curve with each new client I worked with that had to file and deal with tax laws from other countries. Because of that, I would take it upon myself to read and network with other professionals to become as knowledgeable as possible in the laws in different countries."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"My experience in advising on high level tax law changes to corporate boards and c-level suites in the United States would be a great benefit to your international clients here at UHY LLP. As I have always had to stay on top of and educate myself in the laws here at home, I would continue to do the same at a much higher international level if hired for this position."
19. At UHY LLP, you will have the opportunity to work with high level executives and leaders from the companies we contract with. What experience do you have in working with people at these levels?
How to Answer
As a business advisory and consulting firm, UHY LLP works with Managers, Directors, CEO's, CFO's, CAO's and leaders with other titles on all of our projects. Your role will likely involve working closely with these leaders. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are comfortable in working with the leadership team of the organization's clients by having you talk about your experience. Make sure that the examples you provide include some details on how you worked effectively to get the job done with the leaders you worked with.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"In my current role, I work directly under our Chief Financial Officer and sit on a couple of different committees that our Chief Executive Officer is on. Under the direction of my CFO, we have a great working relationship. I am comfortable approaching him at any moment with questions or to bring forward new ideas. He is aware of my strengths and respects my opinions on matters in my wheelhouse, so he never hesitates to come to me with important things. I think the keys to our strong relationship are the respect we show for each other and our open lines of communication."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Throughout my career, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with employees at all levels of the organizations that I've worked with. To me, working effectively with anyone requires a personal touch and a respectful approach. Whether I work with front line sales staff or members of the C-Suite, I take the time to get to know the person, their job and how I can best be of help to them in my role. This approach really helped me build a relationship with a Sales Executive that a few of my colleagues had struck out with in recent interactions."
20. Sometimes with our clients here at UHY LLP, we have to think outside the box when helping them develop a strategic plan. Do you have an example of a time where you thought outside of the box in developing a strategic plan?
How to Answer
In today's day and age, conventional thinking can only get organizations so far as they develop strategic plans for the future. With competition, demand and needs for success keeping people focused on day to day routine in their work, it is oftentimes necessary to think outside of the box when looking to develop a strategic plan. Talk about a time that you used a unique and unconventional tactic in the development of a strategic plan. Why do you consider that method thinking outside of the box?
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As the leader of the strategic growth committee of my employer right out of college, I felt that it was important to solicit feedback from employees as we looked to create and implement our first ever strategic plan. I created an idea box where employees were prompted to write down any ideas anonymously for what they though would be helpful in creating an outward looking success strategy. I communicated to employees through email, team meetings and a company newsletter. After three months, our committee went through every suggestion in the box and brainstormed which ideas could be implemented into our strategy. In the end, we felt that we received many great thoughts and ideas that we likely wouldn't have come up with on our own."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"I personally believe that way too many organizations only look internally when developing a strategic plan when they should also be soliciting feedback from customers, stakeholders and/or the general public as well. Last year when working with a regional grocery retailer, I utilized public focus groups to really delve into the minds of consumers to aid in creating a strategic plan. While wanting to get as much relevant information as possible from the focus groups, a great deal of thought was put into the questions that were asked of the focus group."
21. What interests you in joining the business consulting world here at UHY LLP?
How to Answer
Anytime the question regarding why you want to join the company is asked, it is very important to do your research on the organization and the position you are interviewing for so you can match your skills and desires to the job. In your answer here, be sure that you also speak to the potential move to a consultative type role if this will be the first time for you with a consulting organization. Be sure to highlight your qualities that make you an ideal fit for the job.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"At this point in my career, I feel like I have really maxed out my capabilities in my current role as the IT Director with my current organization. Over the past two or three years, I've found so much fulfillment in my work when I've been helping others and providing education to them that I've narrowed my job search down to the IT consulting field. The prospect of helping other IT departments grow and become more efficient under my consultation is an adventure that I would love to embark on here at UHY LLP!"
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"As I've grown in my role in the Training & Education department with my current employer, I've gravitated toward leadership development and succession planning with my organization and I'd like to bring these skills to work here at UHY LLP as this position fits right in that mold. Using my experience and knowledge, you'll quickly find that I have a great ability to work alongside and train the top level executives with your clients in a manner that is professional and effective at the same time. My experiences in both healthcare and manufacturing sound like they'd fit well with your client base as well."
22. At UHY LLP, our clients are looking for us to come in and provide sound leadership in their strategic planning and growth planning processes. What leadership style would you bring to our clients?
How to Answer
As a consultant at UHY LLP, an expectation from clients is for you to bring a sound leadership style to their team and a working knowledge of effective growth and strategic planning processes. While trying to avoid formal labels, talk about your leadership style as a consultant and explain why your style would most benefit clients. Try to focus on keywords that your leadership style brings, like collaboration and support.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Having worked with and led large teams in the development of formal growth plans for organization, I see my role as a consultant and my leadership with clients as being team-based and collaborative. My job is to lead transformational change within the organization because we will ultimately be trying something new with them and implementing change into the future. From my style of leadership comes improvement through a team based effort and I really think the clients here at UHY LLP would benefit greatly from my style."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"As a consultant, I'd definitely employ a very democratic approach with your clients. They will be looking for me to provide the blueprint and the road map for success for them and then I would look to delegate and leave responsibility for implementing on them. My approach would be educational, resourceful and would preach teamwork among the entire project team. When I've utilized this approach in the past, it was very well received and helped lead to the success of several large projects."
23. Would you say that you are a goal oriented person on the job? Why would you say that?
How to Answer
Success in business consulting is most often measured in the achievement of goals for clients and for this question, your interviewer will ideally be looking to hear that you are driven by goals and that you have the ability to set them as well. In your answer, give your interviewer the sense that you are goal oriented by giving an example or two of a time where you set and worked towards a goal as part of a team effort. Explain your part in the achievement of the goals and your ability to stay focused on the end result.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"If hired for this position, one of the first things that you'll learn about me is that I am very driven to succeed in all that I do on the job. For me, personal drive definitely centers around goals and my desire to achieve them. I have the focus to set goals myself and to work towards goals that are set by my organization, my leaders or my customers and I would bring this ability with each client that I work with here at UHY LLP."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"I would definitely say that I am goal oriented in the work that I do on a daily basis. In project management, I work off of both time related goals and production related goals and these really drive my daily tasks and my delegation of responsibilities to other team members. If given the opportunity to come work for UHY LLP, my clients would greatly benefit from my ability to both set and achieve goals with them."
24. Talk about a success story that you have in implementing an organization design change with an organization. How will your skills used here benefit the clients of UHY LLP?
How to Answer
Organizational design is a very broad field that looks at workflow, procedures, systems and structures that impact the overall business goals of an organization. Over time, changes in products and ways of doing business should require changes in the overall design of the organization, but companies are often slow to react to needed changes. Talk about an organization design project that you were a part of and describe the details of the project that you handled. Then, talk about your organizational design skills that you would bring to the table at UHY LLP.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"With a background in HR, my org design work has most often centered around labor efficiencies with organizations. I have a lot of experience in evaluating work processes and gauging the appropriate labor needs that are necessary. Last year, I worked with a small plastics manufacturer that wasn't using their automation capabilities to their highest level. They were essentially paying many people to do what some of their machinery could actually do. While it did involve some difficult conversations and some difficult employment decisions, the organization was able to save a lot of labor costs on simple modifications to their processes."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I have a vast amount of experience in the transportation and warehousing industries. In my work here, org redesign has always been a focus to increase efficiencies and profitability. Last year, I helped a large trucking firm implement the UPS logistics philosophy in their routing that saved a lot money on fuel, maintenance costs and labor. If hired here, I think my corporate design experience in these areas would translate well to industries like manufacturing and healthcare."
25. What logical steps would you take following an internal audit process with our clients here at UHY LLP?
How to Answer
If hired for this position, your work as an auditor with UHY LLP doesn't end when the audit is done. Clients expect follow-up in the form of written reporting. Talk about your ability to write a follow-up report clearly and concisely and do so in a timely manner. To really have an impact on your interviewer, talk about how these steps in your work would hopefully make a repeat client out of those that you work with.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
Answer Example
"Through my time working with different financial auditors, the follow-up to an audit is often overlooked as most people look to move onto the next project. In reality, clients look for the follow up report to learn and grow from their audit experience and this is a part of the process that I take great pride in. My writing skills are tailored to be to the point and clear in my findings. Without having my head get too bogged down in other work, I write and submit reports to leadership in a very timely manner following the completion of an audit."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
26. What steps would you take in creating a new audit process for a client here at UHY LLP?
How to Answer
When UHY LLP is asked consult with an organization on their audit processes, you will be looked upon to be the expert in creating a solid auditing process for them. To get an idea of your knowledge and experience, your interviewer is asking you how you would go about creating a new process from scratch for an organization that you are consulting. While your discussion will certainly be high level without knowing much detail about the specific organization you are hypothetically working with, make sure that you hit the important aspects of creating an audit process.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"If asked to consult with a new client on their audit process, my first goal would be to determine the overall purpose of the audit. I would have to ask questions about any regulating bodies for the industry and internal quality perspectives that would guide my work. Only when those questions are answered can I move forward with assembling an audit team, giving the team purpose and setting expectations for the new process. With this great start, my leadership skills in the audit process would take over and greatly benefit your clients here at UHY LLP."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Any solid auditing process starts with great planning. Planning includes outlining the scope of the audit, clearly defining what data and information is required to successfully perform the audit and selecting a team of individuals to be a part of the audit process. If hired for this position, you can rest assured knowing that I have great experience in planning for and creating auditing processes across many businesses and industries."
27. What would you say is the key factor for an organization to consider when building an action plan for growth?
How to Answer
Creating an action plan for growth can entail many steps and processes. As the clients at UHY LLP will look to you to be an expert on the entire process, your interviewer is simply looking to take a dive into your mind to hear what you feel is the most important factor. No matter how you answer this question, be sure to speak passionately about why this factor is important and how you will help their clients understand this and put it to use.
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
1st Answer Example
"In my experience in going back and measuring the successes of past organizations that I have been a part of a growth plan for, the top determining factor in success was having and following a five year plan for growth. The development of a solid five year plan entails setting goals, establishing the resources needed to meet the goals and pinpoints any potential hurdles on the way to the goals. An integral part of the plan also includes timelines for adding resources along the way to ensure that milestones are met on time."
Written by Ryan Brunner on October 1st, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"To me, companies that seize opportunities in their market are best suited for growth into the future. For a lot of companies, seeing opportunity is a huge area for improvement and its a passionate area of mine where I could bring expertise the clients of UHY LLP. As a consultant, the process of seeking out opportunity would involve detailed SWOT analyses, market research and surveying of staff. These processes will help clients see their best opportunities for growth, then further plans can be made to turn plans into reality."