Finance Manager Mock Interview

Question 4 of 25 for our Finance Manager Mock Interview

Finance Manager was written by Brian Schuchart on January 1st, 2021. Learn more here.

Question 4 of 25

Identify a time when you made a mistake and the actions you took to correct it.

How to Answer
Answer Example
Community Answers

Everyone makes mistakes, so don't be tempted to say you don't! This is a good opportunity to show that you don't let a bad situation become worse. It is an opportunity to speak to your honor and integrity.

"One time in my Financial Analyst role I noticed I had made an error in a calculation that impacted the monthly financial reporting package. The financial package had already been distributed to the leadership team. I was embarrassed, but I knew the situation would be made worse if I waited or failed to say anything. I told the Finance Director what had happened, and we agreed that it was best if I made the correction and then redistribute the package. It ended up not being a huge deal, but it drove me to review my work even more thoroughly before distributing to others."

Anonymous Answer

"I have overspent on one activity without getting prior written approval from the donor, and that resulted in the expenditure being disallowed by the donor. My current employer had to refund that amount to the donor. After that, I developed a budget monitoring tool that logs all the requisition forms and gives the purchasing department the amount available per activity."

Chad's Feedback

Your example demonstrates the ability to own your errors, learn from your mistakes, and take action to avoid repeating the same error. Excellent job!

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How to Answer: Identify a time when you made a mistake and the actions you took to correct it.

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Finance Manager job interview.

4. Identify a time when you made a mistake and the actions you took to correct it.

How to Answer

Everyone makes mistakes, so don't be tempted to say you don't! This is a good opportunity to show that you don't let a bad situation become worse. It is an opportunity to speak to your honor and integrity.

Written by Brian Schuchart on January 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"One time in my Financial Analyst role I noticed I had made an error in a calculation that impacted the monthly financial reporting package. The financial package had already been distributed to the leadership team. I was embarrassed, but I knew the situation would be made worse if I waited or failed to say anything. I told the Finance Director what had happened, and we agreed that it was best if I made the correction and then redistribute the package. It ended up not being a huge deal, but it drove me to review my work even more thoroughly before distributing to others."

Written by Brian Schuchart on January 1st, 2021

Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

Anonymous Answer

"I have overspent on one activity without getting prior written approval from the donor, and that resulted in the expenditure being disallowed by the donor. My current employer had to refund that amount to the donor. After that, I developed a budget monitoring tool that logs all the requisition forms and gives the purchasing department the amount available per activity."

Chad's Feedback

Your example demonstrates the ability to own your errors, learn from your mistakes, and take action to avoid repeating the same error. Excellent job!

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