30 Accounting Professor Interview Questions & Answers
Behavioral
1. What is your philosophy towards work?
How to Answer
To answer this question, discuss your values and beliefs and how they shape the way you look at your work and teaching. Mention values like communication, efficiency, or problem-solving, or any values that can also be strengths. Discuss any mantras or approaches to your work as well, such as meeting students where they are, being creative, or anything that shapes your teaching style.
Answer Example
"My work philosophy is greatly influenced by problem-solving and relationship building. I truly believe that teaching is about communicating effectively with students, building relationships with them, and helping them to solve problems and work through barriers to succeed in school and professionally. This guides me every day in my work as a professor."
Behavioral
2. What are your weaknesses? How do you make sure they don't affect your work?
How to Answer
When asked about your weaknesses, you should be direct but focus on how you have worked to improve on your weaknesses. Your interviewer wants to see that you are working to improve any areas you consider a weakness. Things like time management or prioritization can be good weaknesses to discuss because there are very specific ways to work through this like calendars or weekly goal setting. You want to discuss weaknesses that you have been working on improving.
Answer Example
"One thing I have always had difficulty with is time management. I have often overestimated how much extra time I have and take on more responsibility than I'm able to. This leads to me feeling overwhelmed. Over the last several years, I've begun using more organizational tools. I use Google Calendar to schedule my time and make daily checklists to ensure I'm prioritizing my tasks well. I also have students use a scheduling tool to schedule office hours with me. I know this is something I have to be extra aware of, and using these tools has helped. I think by knowing this is an area I struggle with and using tools to help with time management, I'm able to avoid problems caused by this difficulty."
Discovery
3. As an accounting professor, what do you believe is your best asset?
How to Answer
Think of a skill that not only allows you to perform your job well but that may be unique to you and make you stand out. Talk about a skill that not many other professors in accounting may have like an ability to teach a structured subject creatively or a unique method of teaching such as projects or shadowing opportunities for students. This is a chance to stand out from other applicants, and it may be helpful to actually ask others why they see you as a good professor to carry their responses into this question when asked.
Answer Example
"My best asset is my ability to communicate in really unique ways. I am a visual learner, and I love art. I often use these pieces of my personality in my teaching. You'll rarely find me just lecturing. I'm often using visuals, weaving in creative art and music, and assigning unique projects to help students learn in a fun and engaging way, even at the college level."
Discovery
4. Why do you want a career as an accounting professor?
How to Answer
This question is a chance to discuss why you like teaching. To answer this question, describe your passion, your skills, and why you think you'd be a good fit. This is also a chance to discuss not only your strengths but your interest in teaching. Discuss why you became a professor such as having a passion for learning, an ability to reach multiple people through communication, or an interest in spreading knowledge about accounting.
Answer Example
"I want to work as an accounting professor because, while I have an interest in accounting, I also have a passion and interest in teaching. While teaching a few seminars over the last few years, I started thinking about how much my education has benefited me. I want to be able to teach others in a traditional classroom environment. I also know that my communication skills would be useful in this role."
Discovery
5. What are the qualities you most admire professionally in others?
How to Answer
Your interviewer will likely ask this question to see what your professional values are and how you see those qualities in others. Talk about why you admire these qualities and how you implement them in your work. Discuss qualities like communication, creativity, or organization, and why you think these are important professional qualities to have.
Answer Example
"I admire professionals who are always trying to learn. As educators, I think it is important to always be learning. This allows us to be the most effective when teaching our students. I also really admire individuals who do whatever they can to work through their barriers and challenges. I think problem-solving is such an important quality, and watching people find creative solutions is admirable. I also really admire individuals who can work well with others. In teaching, it's important to be able to collaborate, and I admire this talent. I try to take all these qualities and use them in my work and my classroom."
Discovery
6. Why do you want to be an educator?
How to Answer
Be upfront and discuss a specific story or reason you went into teaching and discuss why you enjoy it. Talk about your interest in accounting and what pieces you like such as communicating, relationship building, and spreading knowledge to many different people.
Answer Example
"I have been a professor for several years and hope to continue teaching for many more years. I love being able to communicate and share my knowledge with others and was greatly affected by several of my college professors. One of my professors inspired me because he truly loved teaching, and it shone through in his lectures and classes so much. I want to be able to provide that for others."
Discovery
7. What three words would your students use to describe you?
How to Answer
You can use actual words or quotes from performance reviews from students or think about the things you are most proud of as a professor and discuss those. You can also talk to friends and family and ask how they may describe you as a professional. This will help you to have a list compiled of skills that others see in you to discuss if asked this question.
Answer Example
"I've frequently heard from students that I am creative, organized, and willing to learn. My students can feel confident that they will have lessons and information presented in a fun and creative way, that I will be prepared and respect their time and efforts in my course, and that I'm always open to feedback if there are ways I can improve."
Discovery
8. What would you say are three of your professional values?
How to Answer
Think of the values that directly correlate with teaching and discuss how they are useful in being a successful professor. It may also be helpful to look at the job posting and review any values that may be listed there. Researching the job posting is a great way to get more information about what skills or values they're looking for, and weave those into your answers.
Answer Example
"I value efficiency, learning, and communication. I use these values to guide my work as a professor by trying to help students learn as much as they can quickly and in a way that works for them, by having a genuine interest in learning myself, and by communicating frequently to help the learning process."
Discovery
9. What unique qualities do you bring to teaching that make you stand out as a candidate for this role?
How to Answer
Talk about what makes you different. This is your opportunity to talk about why you are a unique candidate and what you bring to the role that other professors may not. You want to try to focus on soft skill skills here like adaptability, creativity, or teamwork. Discuss skills that aren't necessarily listed on the job posting, but that are needed skills for professors.
Answer Example
"I've always said that I've been successful as a professor because I don't view learning simplistically. Many professors will lecture and give tests, and while these are both elements of my teaching style, I believe it is more important for students to truly understand information. For me, this means teaching in a variety of ways. I lecture, use videos, provide real-life examples, and even implement games and art into my work. I believe that everyone can learn, and I think the best way to teach is to create a unique classroom that allows everyone the chance to understand the information."
Discovery
10. Describe a professor you had that made a difference for you. What qualities did you most admire in them?
How to Answer
Discuss why this professor made an impact on you. Mention any qualities they had that you also have now or try to use as a professor. Tell a story about how this professor made a difference for you also.
Answer Example
"In college, my Spanish professor was one of my favorite professors. I had difficulty in the class initially because I was not good at memorization and could never quite remember the vocabulary and verb tenses. I couldn't read or speak Spanish for a while. One day, this professor asked me to stay after class and very directly asked me why I was struggling. When I told them I didn't know, they offered to meet with me once a week for lunch and speak Spanish, listen to Spanish music, and read books in Spanish the entire time. They knew I loved music and art, and it was their way of helping me relate more to the information being learned. The way this professor went out of their way to help me learn is what inspires me to be a great professor. They taught me the importance of being creative and unique when helping students learn."
Discovery
11. What do you like about the subject of accounting?
How to Answer
Discuss what initially appealed to you about accounting, and explain how this relates to your skills and strengths. You may want to discuss things like enjoying problem-solving, organization, and analyzing information.
Answer Example
"I've always been drawn to accounting because I like the methods, formulas, and math associated with accounting. I have always been skilled in strategy and problem-solving, which is a big part of accounting. I find that accounting not only taps into my interests, but my own skills as well, and I get to do something I enjoy and excel at."
Discovery
12. Besides accounting, what subjects are you interested in learning and teaching about? Why?
How to Answer
Discuss any other topics you have taught, would teach, or are interested in overall. In asking this question, your interviewer wants to see a more well-rounded picture of who you are. It isn't something that has to be related to accounting and could be anything from art, music, sports, or hobbies. They likely want to see more of who you are overall.
Answer Example
"I'm very interested in language studies. I currently can speak four languages - English, Spanish, German, and Japanese. As an educator, I'm interested in communicating with as many individuals as possible, and by learning various languages, I'm able to communicate more. I'd eventually like to teach in another country for a bit and use my language skills."
Discovery
13. Do you have any research interests?
How to Answer
Discuss any research you're involved in. If you aren't involved in research, discuss any topics you're interested in or would like to stay current in. Things like technology in accounting, taxes, or reporting are all areas you can discuss. about research.
Answer Example
"I have helped with several research projects on new accounting software and its effects on accounting. I try to stay current on this topic even when not involved in a research project. I am currently working with a few other educators on research in this area, though."
Discovery
14. What motivates you most? What discourages you?
How to Answer
Talk about how you make sure you're staying motivated and how your motivations help you succeed professionally. When discussing what discourages you, talk about how you work to overcome it. Discussing motivators like enjoying watching others learn will show your passion for teaching. When talking about what discourages you, discuss things that help you move through it like communication with other professors or setting goals for yourself to move forward.
Answer Example
"I'm continually motivated by watching students succeed. That doesn't always mean getting good grades, but sometimes it's learning a concept they have been struggling with, asking for help even when it's difficult, or making friends in my class if they're shy. I'm motivated by watching their growth in all areas within my classes. I am often discouraged by the limitations of what I can and can't do for students. I know that, while I can provide all the help and guidance students need, they still have to put in the effort. If they don't, there isn't much I can do. I frequently have to remind myself of what I am in control of and can help with, and what is the students' responsibility. This helps me get less overwhelmed when I feel discouraged."
Education
15. How do you ensure you're continually learning and improving as a professor?
How to Answer
Discuss any courses you take and what you do to research different topics related to teaching and accounting. Talk about workshops you attend, certifications you've gotten, or networking you do as well as courses you take.
Answer Example
"I take at least one course a semester through Coursera related to teaching or accounting. I am also involved in several professional associations to stay updated in the profession. I also have monthly meetings with professors in accounting, as well as other departments, to share any issues and get feedback for how to solve them."
Experience
16. How have your life experiences prepared you for teaching?
How to Answer
Share a personal story or a barrier you've overcome that gave you the skills needed to teach. Some examples could be your own difficulty learning in school, a goal you met that was difficult to reach in school, hobbies, or professionally, or what you consider your biggest roadblock as an adult. All of these will show your ability to work through difficult times and show how that's built strength and knowledge for your career.
Answer Example
"I was not a good student when I was younger. I barely graduated high school. When I began college on a music scholarship, I quickly realized that what I had needed for so long were teachers and ways to learn that fit my personality. Understanding how difficult it can be to learn information has allowed me to understand the importance of teaching in a way that reaches multiple students and that gives them a chance to learn in a way that works for them. I think my experience having difficulty learning has prepared me to be a more strategic and thoughtful professor."
General
17. Why should we hire you for this role?
How to Answer
This is when you should talk about all your skills, strengths, and unique qualities. Discuss everything that qualifies you for this role. Talk about what makes you stand out. You'll want to combine discuss your education, professional background, research topics you've worked on, professional successes, or anything that makes you a good applicant for this role.
Answer Example
"I have over eight years of experience in teaching accounting, have worked with others to develop courses, and have been involved in research. My background and my ability to communicate, problem-solve, and be creative in my teaching style all make me a great candidate. I'm also motivated by helping others succeed, and I think this quality makes me a great professor and has made me successful in the past. I want to help everyone learn, and this carries into my work. I am always strategizing and thinking about how I can best teach others. My background and skills make me a great fit for this role."
General
18. What skill are you proudest of?
How to Answer
This is a chance for you to sell a certain skill or strength. Discuss why you're proud of this skill and how you've used it as a professor. Things like communication, relationship-building, problem-solving, and organization are all great skills you can discuss because they're all very needed skills within the profession.
Answer Example
"I am proud of my ability to solve problems. I think this is a skill all of us have, but I think I succeed particularly at creative problem-solving. Knowing how to help students overcome barriers to learning, working with other educators to find ways to make materials more accessible, and providing creative solutions when needed is something I pride myself in. I think that is what makes me a successful educator."
General
19. What do you consider to be your biggest success as a professor?
How to Answer
Use the STAR format to answer this question. Discuss an example of your professional success in the classroom. Discuss not only what the success was, but it was meaningful for you. Discuss what values were met when this goal was met, and how it has affected your teaching moving forward. You want to try to relate this to your skills and strengths also.
Answer Example
"One year, I agreed to teach an accounting class specifically created by the university for students that had failed previously. I worked for months to create an outline of the course and material that I thought was engaging and would make learning the material easier. At the end of the course, every student took the final and got an 80 or above. I was so happy to see that my efforts to create a unique learning environment had allowed students to learn the material."
Operational
20. How do you ensure your teaching style reaches all types of learners?
How to Answer
Discuss specific methods or resources you use to teach all students. Talk about things like implementing pictures or visual examples during lectures, using videos or specific examples, or providing extra help to students when they need it. You want to exemplify here that you make all effort you can to provide a good environment in classes.
Answer Example
"I try to use a mix of verbal, visual, and interactive instruction so that every student has a chance to learn the information. I often lecture but sometimes will weave in pictures, visuals, and graphs to teach information. I also frequently use movies and real-life examples to provide a more concrete example of the information being learned. I also give projects and group work because I find that sometimes students learn better from their peers. I also frequently check in with students to ensure they are getting the information and, if not, try to meet them where they are."
Operational
21. How do you get through to students that aren't understanding the material? What tools or methods do you use to help them understand the information better?
How to Answer
Be specific and discuss what steps you take or tools you use to help struggling students. Explain how these have led to success in the past. Talk about things like offering extra help after class, setting up projects that provide unique ways to learn, or setting up tutoring programs to help students better understand.
Answer Example
"One of the first things I do if a student isn't understanding the material is schedule time to talk with them one-on-one if they choose. I give them a chance to tell me what areas they feel most confused about and then work collaboratively with them. Together, we talk about ways they think might help them better understand the information, whether it is through different teaching methods, after-class study time, more visuals, or different ways of having information explained. I also schedule frequent check-ins with struggling students to give them the chance to ask questions and share areas they still need help in."
Operational
22. We greatly value the input of professors to improve our department, the courses we offer, and student experience. How have you helped in the past to implement new ideas or projects in a job?
How to Answer
Talk about a specific time you were directly involved in the planning or implementation process of a new idea or project for a job. Talk specifically about your role. You may discuss if you helped strategize or implement the new idea or project. Discuss the success of it. Talk about how it has helped you professionally and what skills you used.
Answer Example
"I helped develop a new accounting course when I worked at another university. We had eight people working to develop the course, and I and one other person were responsible for outlining the key areas of learning and competencies for the course. We developed these first, and then the rest of the team used them to create the content, syllabus, and outline of the course. We were able to get student responses after the course was offered and made changes based on their thoughts. It was a unique experience and helped me learn how to better work with others to improve our students' experience."
Operational
23. How do you stay involved in professional development? What ways have you learned or grown professionally recently?
How to Answer
Talk about any organizations you're involved with, courses you take, or ways you continue to learn outside of the classroom. Things like workshops, certifications, courses, or networking are all great examples of staying involved professionally.
Answer Example
"I attend several accounting and teaching conferences a year, network frequently with other professionals, and pursue personal courses through Coursera and Udemy to ensure I'm always learning. I recently attended a conference for educators that discussed how to use technology in the classroom and ways to implement it in everyday work."
Operational
24. Other than tests, how do you assess student learning?
How to Answer
Discuss other ways you know students are engaged. This might include students asking questions or them pursuing hobbies that may be related to accounting outside of class. If you give midyear student surveys, you may also mention that now. Discuss projects you may give, internships you have connected students with, or students asking for extra help.
Answer Example
"After years of experience being a professor, one way I've learned to assess student learning is by the questions they ask. If they're asking thoughtful questions that showcase an understanding of the material but want to know more, this is an indication they are likely learning the material well. I also give surveys twice a semester to gauge how the students feel that they are understanding the material and ask for suggestions they may have."
Organizational
25. What tools do you use to stay organized and meet deadlines?
How to Answer
Your interviewer likely wants to see that you already have the tools and resources to stay organized. Be specific here about what tools you use and why they are helpful. Things like Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and Asana are great resources to discuss for keeping organized.
Answer Example
"I use Google Calendar to schedule my days, as this ensures that I'm not only managing my time during classes but am also scheduling time outside of classes for grading papers, responding to emails, and scheduling personal appointments as well. I also utilize Asana for prioritizing and organizing tasks."
Situational
26. Discuss a time in which you failed professionally.
How to Answer
Your interviewer is likely looking for two things here: how your weaknesses have affected your work and how you handle failure. You should use the STAR method to discuss a time you didn't meet a goal or deadline or didn't achieve excellence, and then discuss what you learned from it. You also want to discuss what skills you used to work through this issue and how you use them to try to avoid similar issues in your work moving forward.
Answer Example
"One year, I took on extra classes because, at the time, I thought I would be able to balance the classes with my schedule. I quickly learned that I wasn't going to have as much time as I thought, and instead of saying this early on, I tried to balance all of the classes. Ultimately, many of my students struggled because I wasn't able to put as much thought into my lessons and didn't have the time to provide extra help. I had many students barely get through their course, and looking back, I wish I had have spoken up about not being able to balance my time earlier on and asked for help. Since then, I've consistently been very aware of my limit for classes to ensure all students are getting the time and attention needed from me."
Situational
27. Discuss a time in which you had to creatively problem-solve to meet a goal.
How to Answer
Answer this question using the STAR format. Your interviewer likely wants to know that you can not only creatively problem-solve but also enjoy having complex problems to work on. You want to discuss using other skills also like communication or teamwork to creatively problem-solve to show how you combine all of them professionally.
Answer Example
"When I began giving mid-semester surveys to students, there was a semester when most of the responses showed that students were not interested or learning the information being taught. While I was used to adapting for a few students, this was different. Almost every student needed a new way to be taught. All of the students said they felt like they couldn't understand the information through lectures and needed more tangible examples. I decided to have different accountants come in and share different stories of problems they'd encountered and discuss how they solved them. Then, we had a class discussion about how what we were learning related to the solutions that the accountants brought up. It was a way for students to learn more concretely."
Situational
28. Describe a time you helped teach an idea outside of a classroom.
How to Answer
Use the STAR format to discuss a time you used your skills as an educator to help someone learn. Your interviewer is likely interested in how your skills carry into other areas and if you've been successful at teaching others. Talk about things like helping someone learn a new hobby or meet a goal. This will show your skills being used to teach in many different ways.
Answer Example
"Not long ago, I was able to teach a friend how to sew. She had wanted to learn for years, and I've been able to sew since I was a child. I wanted to help her. Sewing can be a tedious and difficult process to learn, but we had several sewing nights where we would get together, and I would help her learn the basics. She quickly learned how to sew by hand, and then we began using a sewing machine. It was a great experience because I got to take some of my teaching skills from the classroom and use them in this instance. It was a great experience, and she still sews today."
Situational
29. Describe the biggest professional problem you've ever dealt with. How did you solve it?
How to Answer
Use the STAR format to answer this question. Be specific, and discuss what skills you used to solve the problem and what you learned from it. You may talk about using things like communication or your problem-solving abilities overall because this will allow you to give a specific example of how these skills have helped you previously. You want to try and focus more on what you learned and how you've improved since then.
Answer Example
"Soon after I became a professor, I discovered that about half of one of my classes had cheated on the final and shared answers. While I knew cheating was not okay, I also wondered if these students cheated because I had not prepared them properly for the test. I also knew that several of these students would be suspended if they were caught cheating and could lose scholarships. I decided to discuss the issue with my department head, and we decided to speak with each student individually to assess why they had chosen to cheat. Ultimately, after speaking with the students, we realized that most of them cheated for fear of being put on academic probation if they didn't do well on the final. We decided not to report them but did make each student separately retake the exam. We also held a separate one-hour study course to help them prepare. From this situation, I learned the importance of assessing student understanding throughout the semester to make sure that students who needed additional help could get it. I also learned the importance of communicating directly. I have carried this into many professional situations since."
Technical
30. Give me an example of a performance assessment.
How to Answer
Discuss the performance assessments you use with students. Discuss how these have been helpful for you as a professor. You can talk about things like projects, surveys, or internships and how you use these in your courses.
Answer Example
"Often in my courses, I will give students a mid-semester project to assess how they can take the information learned and apply it to real issues. I will usually have students complete individual projects and give them until the end of the semester to complete them. Many students enjoy this because it is different than tests but still helps them to apply the information."