Interview tips

Society Business and Career
1

I have an interview with a Big 4 Accounting firm next week for a New Grad Accountant position and any kind of interview tips would certainly help. What should I say, any examples of things I should say that would leave them impressed. I’m not looking for anything generic, more of a personal way you approached a major interview and your personal do’s and don’ts.

Thanks!

2

Re: Interview tips

go to their website, they have a alot of the questions they ask during interviews. Also the interviewer will look straight at u. You have to look straight at him or her too.
I m an accountant too, Im also looking for a job. Do you have really high grades or do you know someone in the company? Because I heard that thats the only way to get into the big 4

3

Re: Interview tips

Few basic items;

1) Dress appropriately in business atire. this does not mean that you need to buy a Burberry suit and Alfani tie. Be neat, clean and professional.
2) When interviewer is speaking look straight into his/her eye and pay attention.
2.1) When you speak look straight at them.
2.2) Quite often the questions asked are in the gray zone and do not have a precise answer. After you answer every question, be sure to ask "Did I answer your question"
2.3) If question asked is not clear, ask for clarification rather than assume something and answer incorrectly
3) Keep a notepad open to write down anything / scrible that you think you need to refer back to for your answer and follow up thank you email.
4) We all have weaknesses. When they ask you about your weekness, do tell them one. But be sure to turn that weakness intro a strength. "I am extremely detail oriented and I sometimes loose track of time which hinders my multitasking skills. In this business it is important for me to give the right amount of time to all the tasks that I am assigned, so I prioritize all work that I do and I check back every few hours to ensure that I am on track and I am managing my time wisely.
5) Always prepare few questions to ask. If you are good, you will ask the questions to the interviewer that will reveal what the next interviwer is going to ask/seek. Most people don't have that skill so be sure to have a few questions ready.
6) New Governance laws have changed accounting and lots of other business forever. Be sure to read up a little bit. Specially how they will effect the job you are applying for and you will do pro-acively to ensure comliance.
7) Be sure to get business card or email address from each interviewer.
8) After the interviews promptly send them thank you emails. Instead of sending one pre-canned email to everyone, try changing the start a bit and personalize it for each interviewer. example "On my drive back home I thougt a lot about what you said about SOX and it is impacting the business. I do hope to get a chance to learn more about this topic from you"

I gotta get back to work :)

Good luck!

4

Re: Interview tips

Agar os ny hepnoyez/mesmeriz kr diya tu:confused:

5

Re: Interview tips

Thanks Boston for these really helpful tips.I'll be sure to keep them in mind.

Just needed some clarification on some of them.

"Always prepare few questions to ask. If you are good, you will ask the questions to the interviewer that will reveal what the next interviwer is going to ask/seek. Most people don't have that skill so be sure to have a few questions ready."

I don't understand the part about what the NEXT interviewer is going to ask.As far as I know, it will only be two interviewers at the same time.But none the less I should have some intelligent questions ready.Any advice on what these may be?

6

Re: Interview tips

Based on my my experience which is all US based only. typically the interview is day long; maybe 4 to 5 interviwers. Some companies have a initial interview which is typically conducted by HR and followed up by the full interview if you are short listed.

  • Is this a new position or did someone moved? Follow-on Q: Glad to hear that the last person was promoted/transfered to diff dept. How long did they work in this position?
  • What were some of the things that the last person in this role had to improve upon to be successful in this role?
  • What is the career progression for this role?
  • I plan to become a CPA. What are the education resources that can help me grow?

Off course after every answer that you recieve from the interviewer, you need to respond back, sort of "Glad to hear that, .... blah blah"

7

Re: Interview tips

Boston I agree with all except the part of trying to turn a weakness into strength, it reeks of insincerity when ppl do it. I have had better experience when I simply state what i think my weakness is and what I ahve been doing to overcome it.

8

Re: Interview tips

I agree with your thought to some extent but do not believe that there is any insincerity involved. We all have weaknesses and we all take some action to over come them specially when it comes to work. To me this is natural part of becoming a better person, worker, etc. In my humble opinion, there is nothing wrong in saying how you are trying to overcome a weakness. Just the fact that you acknowledge your weakness and are trying to overcome, is actually a strength.

If you do not mentioned how you are overcoming your weakness, you are essentially saying that either;

  • You don’t care about being weak
    OR
  • You do not have good self management skills
    OR
  • Your new employer will need to help you overcome and now it becomes a burden for them
    OR
  • You lack motivation
    OR

I can just keep on going with lots of reasons a employer may think of during the interview, if you do not mention what are you doing to overcome your weakness.

Just my 2 cents :slight_smile:

9

Re: Interview tips

Boston... ysorry dude, that "not" in the last sentence is incorrect, i had edited it from converting it into a strength and did not edit properly. I meant to say that I dont try t turn it into a strength I state what I think my weakness is, why and what I am doing to try and overcome it. gone back and edited it now :)

You probably have had to interview ppl also. I have been interviewing ppl either as a future team mate, or as the hiring manager. I canttell you the number of times I can see ppl who read some intrview skills book and just try to put an act rather than be themselves and answer some simple questions.

examples of major weakness-

I am really dedicated so I really work hard and at times finish my work before hand and then I want to

I work so hard that I sometimes have problems balancing personal life with work.

I am very detail oriented

I mean some on guys... there are better weaknesses out there, surely a handful of weaknesses are not the ones that every candidate has.

I much prefer when a person is upfront, yeah u have a weakness, yes you are adressing it, but lets not force it to somehow be a strength, let it be at a weakness which you are working on and have overcome or have a plan to overcome.

overcoming is a very different thing than turning a weakness into a strength. I want honest answers, I want the person to tell me what he thnks his weakness is and how he is planning to address because if it impacts some key requirement the person is not going to be hired, if it is needed but not critical and the person has a good idea and has a good approach to tackle it, the person has a shot, but someone who tries to twsit a strength out of a weakness almost always get a black mark from me.

10

Re: Interview tips

Hmm Frauds, I do agree that it does sound insincere.But isn't that what the Interviewer wants to hear VS giving him the truth?.
If everybody was brutally honest in Interviews, I doubt many people would get hired.

Now I'm really confused... 2 days to the interview. gulp

11

Re: Interview tips

When they say "anything else you would like us to know bout you" that would be the perfect time to tell them why would be a perfect candidate for the position. Make sure you ask intellegent questions. RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH.
Sit infront of a cam and answer some common interview question, or ask a buddy to ask you questions and see how you answer htem. you will realize what you like while answering. Like for example, I realized that I look up wen i am thinking, kinda like roll my eyes upwards which I amsure looks really weird to interviewers. Some career services people will help you with this, atleast our school does.

12

Re: Interview tips

U can give good answers, interview is not some confession that you give them your real weakness etc. you want to give a good answer, one that will not seem rehearsed and one that does not put off the interviewer.

13

Re: Interview tips

Agreed :slight_smile: May be I should re-word my original advice: Tell them about your weakness and show strength by telling them what you are doing to overcome that weakness.

14

Re: Interview tips

WOOOHOOOO... I GOT THE JOB.. I GOT THE JOB!... :D

15

Re: Interview tips

u must send nazrana e aqeedat to Boston and muself now. mabrook

16

Re: Interview tips

Congrat's COOLDUDE ... its great to hear that your hard work has paid off.

Now tell us bit about the interview

17

Re: Interview tips

Well I got to the offices of the company at around 2:15 pm (my interview was at 3pm).They made me sit in a room with a bunch of Staff Accountants hired from the year.I guess it was just to see how I would be in a team situation talking to people I've never met before.I had a great time there, got to know some of those people really well and the 45 minutes flew by.

And then my interviewer came in asking if I was ready for the interview.I said,"Yeah, let's get this started".From the word go, I made sure I was confident and smiling the whole time and just enjoying myself even though I was NERVOUS AS HELL on the inside.
So we are walking to his office which takes about 2 minutes and I accidentall hit his shoe from behind which causes it to come out, and I was like OHH *UCK.. what have I done.But he said it was alright and we started laughing about it.I thought that was it but I tried to forget about it.

Then we finally made it to the office and I met my other interviewer and she was a really nice lady , a partner with the firm. So I sit down on the chair and JUST BE AS CONFIDENT AS POSSIBLE.

The interview itself was VERY UNSTRUCTURED.I was expecting to get like ready made questions but I didn't.Instead they went through my resume and just started asking general questions and EXPECTED ME to show how a partiuclar experience related to the position.It's something I figured out, their indirect approach. From there I just made sure there were lots of HAND MOTIONS to explain things and EMOTION AND PASSION in what I talked about and ofcourse LOTS of eye contact and LAUGH... I DID NOT FORGET TO LAUGH.Not laugh like an idiot but where I think it was appropriate.

That's about it, I got a call the following evening with the interviewer raving about how when the interview ended they knew I was the perfect fit for their firm. And I was just ECSTATIC, actually I still am. Get my offer package tomorrow. :D

18

Re: Interview tips

Good for you.

Can someone now talk about how they totally suck at interviewing and how they are having troble finding a job so i dont feel like a loser that i am :sara:

LP
19

Re: Interview tips

Hey hang in there I just graduated in August and Im still looking for a job. I graduated as an accounting major and am posting my resume all over the place. Just dont give up and sooner or later youll get a job.

20

Re: Interview tips

The Effective Interview

The interview is an important meeting that, if handled well, can advance your career. Once you have one, consider it a ‘sales opportunity’. An interview is not a semi-passive conversation during which you answer questions and then wait to see if you receive a job offer.

The purpose of an interview should be understood as followed:
• A fact-finding opportunity for both you and the organization or work unit.
• A time to convey the value you have brought to current and previous employers.
• A time to present skills, experiences and personal strengths and outline how they directly relate to the work unit at hand and the organizations’s specific needs.
• A time to sell abilities and ‘close the deal’.
It is a sales process that requires preparation. The golden rule is: Do your homework; get prepared.

Preparing for the interview

1. Know Yourself
[INDENT]• Think about your skills, interests and values: What makes you different? Do you have a success story? What are your skill gaps or weaknesses? Does the position fit with your future career goals?
• Be able to discuss decisions you have made and the thoughts behind them.
• Identify accomplishments you are proud of—a success story—and things you might have done differently.
• Provide examples to demonstrate how you have developed your skills.
• Be able to articulate why you are interested in this field. If appropriate, define your long-term goals.
• Develop a list of questions you need answered. Some might be related to the job; others centring on more global corporate or business matter. As a rule, do not ask about salary.
[/INDENT]The following could help you make a job analysis:

Job Responsibilities
What they want: What I can offer:Job Qualifications
What they would like:What I have:2. Know the Employer and the Field

[INDENT]• Obtain company/organization information by visiting web sites and reviewing annual reports and product literature; check to see if the company/organization has been subject of recent news.
• Find out answers to these questions: Why this Organization; Why this Department; Why this Division/Unit; Why this job?
• Review mission statements and thoroughly analyse the responsibilities, the competencies and skills mentioned in the vacancy announcement.
• Use your networking skills to discuss what is critical for this position; you can even ask/call the Hiring Manager to obtain further information. Find out as much as you can about the hiring manager, department, services, challenges, successes, changes and initiatives. If possible, find out why the last person left the position, or if the position is new, for example.
• Know what salary range is usual for this type of position; read current periodicals and trade journals to learn about current trends in the field.
• Be familiar with the employer’s organizational structure.
• When you are setting up the interview, be sure to ask what the schedule will involve and with whom you’ll meet (if you will be interviewed by an individual or a panel).
[/INDENT]Interview Tips

  • Please also refer to the competency-based interview section of the UN Core Values and Comptencies page.
  • Punctuality: Do not arrive on time—arrive early to avoid a negative first impression.
    Introduce yourself; get the correct spelling of the person’s name and his/her exact title, wherever possible. Greet the panel manager with a firm handshake.
  • Dress and Presentation: dress conservatively. Make sure your interview clothes are clean and pressed a few days beforehand. Never wear jeans, tennis shoes, a T-shirt or any symbols that may politicise you.
  • Take copies of your résumé, printed on a nice grade of paper, if possible—just in case.
  • Think about what an employer wants to know and prepare examples. Build your examples on the CAR-story:
    *Challenge: Relate briefly what you did,
    *Action: Tell what you undertook/did,
    *Result: Show the outcome of your action.

Find a brief story that best demonstrate your ability to do what you say you can. Be aware of the specific skills your story illustrates.

  • Be certain that you hear accurately what your interviewer says; if not, do not be afraid to ask questions. This is especially important in telephone interviews. The best way to do it is to summarise the interviewer’s important information and then ask if your summary is correct.
  • The ‘Tell me about yourself’ question would best be answered by claiming your strengths. Try a statement like, ‘I am so & so. My most transferable skills are X, Y and Z; the qualities that I bring to my work are A, B and C; and the one driving force that inspires and guides my life is X’.
  • Another option is the 90-Second Introduction:

  • Background/Education (5 seconds)

  • Accomplishments/Work Experience (50 seconds)

  • Current Situation (5 seconds)

  • Future (30 seconds)

    • Be prepared to ask appropriate and well thought out questions.
    • Be enthusiastic: people love to hire individuals excited about their work unit. Be professional; sit attentively to demonstrate your interest, energy and enthusiasm. Positive nonverbal communication reinforces your verbal message.
    • In a competency-based interview, based on the premise that past performance is the best indicator of future performance, be prepared to discuss past performance in detail. ‘Tell me about a time when you worked in an ineffective team/less-than-effective team…’ Explain the situation (don’t pick a major disaster and don’t dwell on it); always conclude with a positive statement, e.g., ‘What I learned from this was…’ Golden Rule: never blame someone.
    • Where culturally appropriate, maintain eye contact (it shows attentiveness) and facial expressions (e.g., a smile reflects interest and enthusiasm);
    • Listen carefully. Never interrupt the interviewer; wait your turn to speak. Make sure you understand a question before you attempt to answer it. It is okay to take a minute to reflect. A minute for the interviewee feels much longer than it does for the interviewer.
    • Share information that you feel is appropriate and relevant. Keep to the point. Be as specific as possible.
    • Do not try to dominate the interview; let the interviewer guide the questions.
    • In a group interview, it is the best to answer the interviewer’s questions in turn and maintain eye contact with the individual whose question you are answering. Make an effort occasionally to make eye contact with all of the individuals involved.
    • You are being interviewed and observed throughout the time that you visit the organization or unit, not only during the formal office interview. Do not say or do something which may be seen as ‘unprofessional’. You are involved in the interview process from the moment you arrive until the time you depart.
    • For the question, usually at the end, ‘Do you have any questions?](http://iseek.un.org/LibraryDocuments/760-200510181049513899126.pdf)’ there is only one wrong answer – ‘No’. Many hiring managers weigh the questions asked more heavily than the answers provided throughout the interview. Do not worry that asking specific questions that might make you sound like you assume you have the position. Such interest helps build your value and shows you are capable and engaging. Note: only ask questions you cannot find answers to yourself.
    • End: At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer(s) for taking the time to meet with you. Make a short, concise summary of your qualifications and stress your interest in the position. You may also want to ask what will happen in the future with respect to your application for the position.

**What Not to Do

**The following are common mistakes that interviewees often make. Avoid them at all cost:

  1. Does not ask questions
  2. Condemnation of past employer
  3. Inability to take criticism
  4. Poor personal appearance
  5. Indecisive, cynical or lazy
  6. Overbearing, over aggressive, “know it all”
  7. Late to interview
  8. Failure to look at interviewer while interviewing
  9. Unable to express self clearly

**After the Interview
**
Within a few days after your interview (no later than one week), send a short thank-you note or email to refresh the employer’s memory of you. (See Job-Related Correspondence for details)

An ‘interview assessment’ can help improve your technique and continue to build your confidence and skills. Analysing the interview, talking about how you were feeling during and after it, can be very helpful in preparing for the next interview.

Ask yourself:
• What were my strengths in the interview?
• What did not go as planned?
• What can I do differently next time?
Keep in mind that the art of effective interviewing takes practice.

Good luck!