What steps do you take to ensure there aren’t any mistakes in your work?
The interviewer is trying to evaluate your ability to check your own work and, as a result, save your manager precious time by catching mistakes before they reach his or her desk. Give specific examples of procedures you have implemented in previous roles to catch mistakes.
"Being able to self-review my work and catch mistakes is something I take very seriously. An accountant spends a lot of time in the details, so it is sometimes difficult to catch errors. Given this, I would implement checklists that require me to tie out balances, subtotal transactions and complete other checks before I move forward in the close process. In a way, I would audit my work to catch any mistakes or errors. This not only saves me time in the long run, but also saves my manager time as there is less back and forth resolving issues. I understand that the work I produce is not only a reflection of me, but of my department as well. Given that, catching mistakes would be a priority for me."
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
Make a checklist before starting the task because having a plan allows me to make sure I do not forget any step and allows me to catch errors. One of my habits is that I spend a lot of time on details, as I always aim to deliver the best of what I am capable of. I make sure to self-review my work regularly as I am aware of how important it is and what impact it has on the department.
Stephanie's Feedback
Your attention to detail really shines through here! If you have any other internal systems that you use to stay organized and reduce error (example: spreadsheet, color coding, etc) I suggest including those here as well.
