Controller Mock Interview
Master 25 Controller interview questions covering financial reporting, compliance, and internal controls.
Question 20 of 25
What is your approach to budgeting, forecasting and other forward-looking projections?
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Brian Schuchart is a CPA and Senior Finance Business Partner. His professional experience includes senior management roles with NBC Sports, Virtual Health, and the Children's Hospital of Philadephia.
In addition to reporting on actual results, a controller will often also be responsible for budgeting, forecasting and other projections. Forward looking projections are part art and part science, so this question is being asked to learn about your thought process when there is some gray area.
Brian Schuchart is a CPA and Senior Finance Business Partner. His professional experience includes senior management roles with NBC Sports, Virtual Health, and the Children's Hospital of Philadephia.
"As accounting manager, I was responsible for the annual budget for our division, as well as reforecasting results throughout the year. Senior leadership, including the CEO, CFO and Controller, should drive the budget process, landing on acceptable revenue and profit growth rates in line with long term goals and investor expectations. Then, the Finance team builds a detailed budget that meets those growth targets. From a granular perspective, my approach is to always use last year as a benchmark. If a line on the P&L is projected to be different, I need to make sure I have a good reason why."
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