How to Answer: Give me an example of time you caught an accounts receivable error and how you fixed it.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Accounting Clerk job interview.
25. Give me an example of time you caught an accounts receivable error and how you fixed it.
How to Answer
This is a straightforward question. If you've worked in accounts receivable before, you've likely found an error, whether it was yours or someone else's, and you followed a process to correct it. Explain that process here.
If you don't have experience with this, be honest. Entry level candidates are just that, entry level. Provide a story when you found an error at work or school and how you corrected it. This isn't to boast, but to demonstrate your attention to detail, which is important.
Written by Samantha Hamilton on February 4th, 2019
Entry Level
"I've never found an error working in accounts receivable, but when I was in college, I started handling the inventory for the restaurant where I worked and found we were being shorted a case of fries every order. I followed up with my manager, who contact the supplier and we were credited the money for the missing case. Apparently, it had been happening for a while and the delivery driver was retrained in how to verify deliveries."
Written by Samantha Hamilton on February 4th, 2019
Answer Example
"I found that a client had been paying ten dollars over their monthly bill at the internet company I worked for. There was no reason for that because they didn't have a balance to pay off beyond their monthly fee. After reviewing the account, I found they'd been paying too much for over a year. I spoke with my manager and we both called the client to let them know that due to the overcharge on their auto-pay, they'd receive free service for the next five months. We adjusted the auto-pay for the correct amount to be withdrawn on the sixth month. The customer was so excited that they weren't even upset about the overpayments."
Written by Samantha Hamilton on February 4th, 2019
Experienced
"I've worked in accounts receivable for over ten years and in that time you'll see a lot of errors. From customers trying to short their payments regularly, then arguing with you about the actual amount of their payment, to companies overcharging the clients and not reporting it. I've been on both sides and I found the best way to handle any situation is with an honesty-first policy. If the client is underpaying their bill, maybe you should offer a payment plan or different package. If the company is at fault, simply explain it to the manager and correct it for the client before the client finds out so that the company looks better for it."
Written by Samantha Hamilton on February 4th, 2019