Accounting Job Interview Guide

When trying to hire an accountant as an outside contractor one of the more important things you should ask is the fees they will ask for. Each accountant may have different fees in mind for the services they will offer. Do ask them what their expectations are for their fees. You should also ask what services are included in those fees. You wouldn’t want to be surprised at the end of the month to find out that the fee the accountant is asking for only covers some services and it doesn’t include some services that are crucial for your business.

Vying for a managerial position? Here are some of the job descriptions and qualifications – use this in assessing your skills and experience. Knowing that you are qualified will boost your confidence in facing that tough interviewer.

Generally, accounting managers head the finance department of a company, and supervises all accounts payables and receivables, staff accountants, clerks and the payroll. A certified public accountant is preferred, knowledge in general and cost accounting is a must, and one should have computer skills. Since this is a managerial position, effective written and oral communication skills and ability to interact with all types of people and relevant experience of at least 4 years are important requirements.

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An auditor verifies a company’s financial records and finds out whether a company’s financial situation matches its records. They inspect the bookkeeping and accounting methods used, compare the company’s records with the records of banks and other agencies it deals with. The audit report helps the management identify areas where they can cut costs, or allocate more resources to improve their operations and increase profits.

With these responsibilities, employers look for qualified accountants that are willing to travel often and adopt easily to different office environments, since auditors usually work in the client’s office. They deal with different kinds of people, and usually have an eight-hour, five day shift, but should be willing to work overtime without additional pay.

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Over 40′s looking for new accounting & finance jobs may be faced with some barriers, so here are just a few things to consider when job searching to help get by and overcome these issues.

Do not stay out of accounting employment for too long
If you have been laid off or you have decided to move jobs to reduce your hours, then if possible try to jump straight into another job or at least do not hang around for too long unemployed. This will make your life a lot more difficult when applying for any new job in accounting.

Keep your skills current

It is important that your accountancy skills do not become outdated and are up to date with those required in the present day. You may also need to keep up to date with the current computing skills as technology and computers are increasingly being used in every business. By keeping on top of your own personal development, you will be a more attractive option when applying to new accounting jobs.

Network

By networking and keeping in touch with people you have worked with and met over the years, you may be able to contact them to find out if they know of any opportunities around. As you age, you meet more people and your network grows. So, you can really use this developed set of connections to your advantage at this stage of your career. When possible, get even more involved in networking opportunities to meet more people.

Pick accounting companies strategically

Some companies are well known for recruiting graduates so to avoid a battle and something that may be unachievable, target those companies who are more inclined to recruit the older generation or have a diverse set of employees already. It will make your job easier and heighten the chances of being accepted.

Consider accounting temp jobs

You can always register with accounting employment agencies and ask them to help you find a new role. They may be able to help place you in accounting temp roles to generate some money short term before finding you a more secure longer-term placement.

Consider not taking pension and benefits

When applying to a job, you may be able to negotiate not receiving a pension but just a salary. You may already have a pension from your old company and so may not necessarily need this benefit. A company may jump at the chance of this, as you are ultimately a cheaper alternative. You may want to also consider other options to negotiate your position in the company e.g. flexitime, part-time or telecommuting.

Seek advice

If you are not having luck finding a new accounting job, you feel you are being discriminated against and you want to find out if the company is acting illegally or not, speak to a lawyer or contact one of the organisations set up to help older workers e.g. Age Positive. They will help you work out what you can do in the situation you are faced with.

Most expect an interview to be a one-sided question-answer session. But if your interviewer ends with “Do you have any questions?”, be sure to grab the opportunity – ask your questions and leave a good impression. This may be your chance to impress the interviewer and let him/her see your potential.

Questions that you may ask: (from Best Interview Strategies)

“What do you enjoy most about working here?” – this gives you a glimpse of what to actually look forward to in case you get accepted

“Is there anything I mentioned that makes you think I’m not the best candidate for this job?” – this gives them a chance to tell you what they think, and your chance to “salvage” your interview and make them change their opinion

“When do you expect to make your final decision?” – this shows you are interested in the job and that you will be following up on your status soon.

The interview is your chance to “sell” yourself. It is advisable to tell stories (not too long, that is) rather than stating facts. As Bonnie Lowe says, “facts tell, but stories sell”.

Prepare your lines and make it “sound like you” – avoid sounding like a scripted announcer. Be concise, and emphasize positive traits such as:

Communication skills. Cite writing and public speaking experiences.

Honesty / integrity. Emphasize how these values are important to you in both personal and professional aspects.

Teamwork skills. Being able to work with a team of different personalities is a plus.

Decision-making skills. Having the initiative and making a stand shows leadership.

Interpersonal skills. Having the flexibility to jive with people who have different personalities and values will make a team more effective.

Organization / project management skills. Efficiency is the key.

Each one of us have used or are using banking services in managing our money and wealth, if any. Generally, there is little room for errors in most banks as they follow high standards in attending to the banking needs of clients. In some instances, however, due to some neglect on the part of the bank personnel and the client, error in transactions happens such as bounced checks and unauthorized overdrafts that eventually translate to bank charges.

At present, there is no set of laws on bank charges. However, FairInvestment.co.uk
offers some suggestions to help clients claim back bank charges:

1. Use an intermediary company that will claim back the bank charges on your behalf; such companies will give you advice and represent you if it cannot be settled out of court.

2. Write to your bank to request a list of the charges and ask that they be refunded to you. If this fails, write again to inform them that you are willing to take the case to a small claims court.

The above suggestions are not only insightful and wise but also give us a better idea on how we can assert our banking rights at any given situation. I hope they be of help to you as they have been to me.

What You Can Count On: Job Security

For the 2007 fiscal year, Microsoft reported an annual revenue of $51.2 billion. Behind any company’s revenue numbers–big or small–are accountants and financial managers who balance the books. In 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act added further scrutiny to corporate procedures. Between government regulations and the thousands of companies that need to manage finances, the immediate benefit of a career in accounting is a reasonable amount of job security. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts strong growth for accountants and auditors through 2016.

What You Can Take to the Bank: Strong Earnings

Another benefit for an accountant is that the median annual salary for accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services is $57,020. Going further into the financial services industry, you could become a financial manager for a major corporation and earn in the neighborhood of $105,410 a year according to the BLS. You can also work your way up the corporate ladder to financial director, corporate controller, or even chief financial officer (CFO).

What Education You Need: Accounting Degree and Certification

A college degree and certification are almost essential for advancement and a long term career in accounting. A bachelor’s degree in accounting or a finance related topic is a solid start, and earning a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential furthers your employability prospects. You can even take it a step-further by earning a specialized certification such as a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Accredited Tax Advisor (ATA), or other credential. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants reports on a survey finding that candidates with a professional certification can earn 10% more than other accountants. A graduate degree can also help you stand out from the crowd.

If keeping track of the nickels and dimes is your passion, then accounting may be what you can count on for a career.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, also known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 and commonly called SOX or Sarbox, is a United States federal law signed into law on July 30, 2002 in response to a number of major corporate and accounting scandals including those affecting Enron, Tyco International, Peregrine Systems and WorldCom. These scandals resulted in a decline of public trust in accounting and reporting practices. Since the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, an entirely new field of accounting jobs has been developed.

SOX is currently known as the “hot skill” of the accounting profession. Jobs involving this “hot skill” run the entire gamut from SOX testers to SOX Senior Manager positions. Jobs involving Sarbanes-Oxley are known as Sarbanes-Oxley Jobs. Learn about Sarbanes-Oxley and you can easily find an accounting job.

With Sarbanes-Oxley compliance so important nowadays, there are a multitude of online sites offering training and certification.

HereÂ’s a list of some training sites:

http://grc.soxinstitute.org/

http://thecaq.aicpa.org/Resources/Sarbanes+Oxley

http://www.cfainstitute.org/centre/sarbanesoxley.html

http://www.soxinstitute.org/certification.htm

Accounting is a flourishing field that provides innumerable career opportunities for students just finished with their education. Even the youngsters shine in this field and make a huge profit out of freelancing and working in an accounting firm. Now, the people who crossed over 40 years are striving hard to get a new accounting and finance jobs. They face lot of difficulties in all shapes. Here are the few ideas which could help them to conquer the issues.

Do not stay away from accounting for too long:

If you have decided to move from your present job, try to shift straight into another job and do not hang around unemployed too long. This will create more difficulties when you search for other jobs in accounting.

Keep updating your expertise:

It is necessary to keep updating your knowledge in accountancy. As the rules and formalities changes, you have to be up to date in order to get adapted to the new rules and tax procedures. Even if you hanged unemployed for one or two months, keep updating your accounting knowledge will be an attractive option when you applying to new accounting jobs. Utilize your leisure hours and learn the new updates. Get registered in accounting forums and communities. You find lot of experts will be discussing on the popular accounting forums. They would provide you the details about the new things and easy practical
techniques.

Network:

In these 40 years, you would have had at least 5 years of working experience. You may know and worked
with many people. By keeping in touch with those people, you can check for the job opportunities. As you get more opportunity to meet people, your network grows and so you can utilize this developed connection to find for more career opportunity. By networking with people, there are lots of opportunities to get “work from home projects”. If you know people who are networking, you just mingle with them and strive for a chance to meet more people to get a good career.

Strategies in choosing accounting company:

Some companies will be continuously recruiting more people. They would be interested in older generation rather than recruiting fresh graduates. Give high preference to these kinds of companies instead of wasting your time on the companies who do not entertain the candidates who crossed the age of 40 years. Get advice from your friends and known people

Recruitment Agency:

If you are aggressively looking for a change of career, the employment agencies are the right place to get in touch with. Get your profile registered with different job consultancies. They would help you get ting a temporary role to generate some money before finding you a permanent job. It would make you to keep practicing the known techniques in accounting.

Pension and Benefits:

When you apply to a new job, you can prefer not taking the benefit of pension but just a salary. This would make them consider appointing you as you are ultimately a cheap alternative for them. If you are not be able to find a new job or if you feel discriminated or if you want to find out the company is good and legal, you can speak straight away speak to a lawyer or get in touch with the organization established to assist old workers such as Age Positive. They would provide you suggestion from various angels in this situation. Hence, your age is not a big barrier to get a new job opportunity. Always a company should have an experienced worker who could assist other new employees using their own experience. Older generation would have more experience and more knowledge and help the company to have an exponential growth.