Mock Interview Questions For An Accountant

By Florence Mukunya

You have probably been attending interviews and never hearing from the interviewer or you are lucky you always get invited for second interviews but never get the job offer.

What next? The common mistake that job seekers in this dilemma make is failing to address this issue and instead, continue making more applications where the results are the same, Says Melody Mwendwa an Interview Coach at Corporate Staffing Service .

Highly Recommended: How Do I Find a Job in Kenya If I am rejected After Every Interview?

If you are an accountant who is in this situation, here are some mock interview questions and how to tackle them

1. Tell us about your self

Right way to answer: when answering the “tell us about yourself” question. Talk about your recent work experience and how it relates to the position you are interviewing for.

Secondly, talk about your areas of expertise and your achievements and how they relate to the job you are applying for. Lastly you can talk about relevant education and any other value adding certificates you might possess e.g. training in sage & pastel, QuickBooks etc.

Wrong way to answer: You cannot start by talking about your family, where you come from, your religion or giving your education background from your nursery school all the way to university.

2. Why should we hire you?

Right way to answer: When answering this question, stick to your accomplishments and make sure that you have proof of the same, areas of expertise and any other personal attributes that are related to the job e.g. someone who observes accuracy which is very relevant for an accountant.

Wrong way to answer: Do not answer this question by generalizing facts about you that cannot be proven e.g. do not say you are the best accountant, how can the employer prove that you are the best accountant, so stick to the advice above.

3. What do you know about the company?

Right way to answer: concentrate on the latest news about the company, if for example the company is expanding mention that you have seen that company ABC has opened new branches which creates new positions and that you are looking forward to getting a chance to work with them.

Wrong way to answer: If there has been any negative news about the company this is not the time and place to talk about that. For example, if the company was reported to have been making losses this year, do not mention that to the interviewer.

See also: Job Interview Tips: How to Answer, What Do You Know About Us?

4. The last mock interview question- Why did you apply for this job?

Right way to answer: To answer this question, talk about the position aligning well with your experience, you can also mention that it’s a position that will allow you to grow in terms of responsibilities. Another way to answer the question is mentioning that the company’s values and its reputation in the market attracted you to apply for the job.

Wrong way to answer: When answering this, avoid appearing, for example you cannot say that you applied for the job because you are jobless. It’s also important that you show interest, so avoid answers like I applied for the job because somebody asked me to apply.

While conducting mock interviews in her interview preparation sessions  , Ms Mwendwa says that she has noted that carrying out mock interviews with the candidates greatly increases their confidence as it makes them aware of the commonly asked interview questions and how to answer them.

The mock interviews also provide candidates with a platform to exercise their interviewing skills without being judged thus improving on areas that have been limiting them from getting jobs.

Attending an interview soon? If you need to be taken though a mock interview session click here.

The writer is a Communications Officer at Corporate Staffing Services, a leading Recruitment firm that offers CV Writing, Job Placement & Career Advice. Email florence@corporatestaffing.co.ke