Entry Level Accountant Mock Interview

Practice 25 Entry Level Accountant interview questions covering journal entries, reconciliations, and financial reporting fundamentals.

WRITTEN BY BRIAN SCHUCHART
QUESTION 1 OF 25

What qualities or skills do you believe make a good accountant?

This question is a good opportunity to show you have an understanding of what qualities make a good accountant. Some key areas to hit are ethics (honesty/integrity), ability to interact with colleagues and clients (communication skills, people person), ability to limit mistakes (focused/attention to detail) and ability to get to the correct answer (skeptical/inquisitive/problem solver).

"First and foremost, I believe an accountant should be honest and have great integrity. Without this, it will be impossible for the person to perform the role effectively. Next, the individual should have the education and technical skills to perform the job. They should have exceptional people skills as they will be required to communicate effectively with colleagues, clients and other parties. Finally, they should have an inquisitive mind and a keen attention to detail."

Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.

Anonymous Answer

Good time management, planning, and organizing are key. Accountants are known to have a heavy workload, therefore, being patient and able to prioritize work and manage tasks to meet deadlines are very important.

Stephanie's Feedback

It's clear that you understand the required duties of an accountant, and you do a great job of highlighting the skill sets that are most important for this type of role!
To make your response more impactful, I suggest including a specific example of a time when an accountant would need to use the qualities of time management and organizing. Being more specific will help take your response from good to great!

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25 Entry Level Accountant Interview Questions & Answers

Jump to any question in the set.

01 What qualities or skills do you believe make a good accountant? BEHAVIORAL 02 What steps do you take to ensure there aren’t any mistakes in your work? BEHAVIORAL 03 Why do you want to work for XYZ Corporation? BEHAVIORAL 04 How do you stay up to date on the latest accounting trends? BEHAVIORAL 05 Where do you see yourself in five years? BEHAVIORAL 06 Do you have any experience using accounting software? TECHNICAL 07 Describe an accounting project that you successfully completed in school? TECHNICAL 08 What does being a team player mean to you as it relates to accounting and finance? BEHAVIORAL 09 Are you willing to work additional hours as needed? BEHAVIORAL 10 What are the steps in a monthly accounting close? TECHNICAL 11 What is the difference between auditing and accounting? TECHNICAL 12 What are the three financial statements and what do they indicate about a company’s finances? TECHNICAL 13 What is an accrued expense? TECHNICAL 14 What is deferred revenue? TECHNICAL 15 What is a bank reconciliation? TECHNICAL 16 What are some steps you would take to ensure you are meeting your manager’s expectations? BEHAVIORAL 17 Why do companies have internal auditors? TECHNICAL 18 Why do you want to be an accountant? BEHAVIORAL 19 Give examples of common financial ratios. What do they tell about a company’s finances? TECHNICAL 20 Are you proficient in Excel? TECHNICAL 21 Do you have any experience working with data? TECHNICAL 22 Do you plan on obtaining your CPA license? TECHNICAL 23 How would you show professionalism in the workplace? BEHAVIORAL 24 How would you handle working in a remote or hybrid environment? BEHAVIORAL 25 What is an allowance for doubtful accounts and how is it reflected on the balance sheet? TECHNICAL
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Brian Schuchart
25 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS · ENTRY LEVEL ACCOUNTANT
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