Interviews are arguably the most critical step of the hiring process. Interviews take a lot of time and money, but they can also help you figure out how successful your team will be in the future.
At the same time, interviews are notoriously nerve-wracking and can be emotionally fraught experiences for both parties. For the employer, the high stakes and fear of hiring the “wrong person” can trigger stress. As a hiring manager, you probably already know that candidates’ biggest complaints about job interviews are that there are too many of them and it takes too long to hire someone.
But what you may not know is that you have the power to improve the interview experience. It’s the way you ask questions, the tone of your voice, and the structure of the interview itself that matter when it comes to finding the right person for the job.
As you prepare for an interview with Aprio it’s important to anticipate and practice responding to the types of questions you may encounter. Here are 25 of the most frequently asked interview questions at Aprio, along with tips on how to craft strong responses
About Aprio
Aprio is a top business advisory and certified public accounting firm that helps companies in many industries with their accounting, advice, and technology needs. Aprio has been around since 1952 and now has over 600 employees working out of offices in Atlanta, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
Common Interview Questions and Answers
1. Why are you interested in working at Aprio?
Tips Show your enthusiasm for the firm’s culture, values, and focus areas Mention your alignment with their mission of helping clients achieve their business goals through insightful advice and tailored solutions
Sample Answer: I’m very interested in working at Aprio because of your sharp focus on both business advisory and technology consulting. This combination allows you to take a comprehensive approach in helping clients solve complex challenges. Your firm culture also promotes collaboration across teams, which enables the cross-pollination of ideas. This innovative environment matches my passion for problem-solving.
2. What makes you a strong candidate for this position?
Tips: Highlight your most relevant hard and soft skills. Provide examples of past achievements that relate directly to the role.
I think I’m a good fit for the job of audit associate because I have three years of experience in external auditing and I am a certified public accountant (CPA). Because I think analytically and pay close attention to detail, I can always meet tight deadlines and deliver high-quality work. I also have good client relationship skills that let me talk about audit results in a way that is both polite and clear.
3. How would you describe your work style?
Tips: Emphasize key qualities like organization, communication, collaboration, and efficiency. Provide examples of how you demonstrate these.
Sample Answer: I would describe my work style as meticulous yet efficient. I thrive on organizing information and schedules to optimize my productivity. At the same time, I prioritize clear communication across teams to help projects run smoothly. I’m a collaborative worker who values diverse insights, which enables me to provide more well-rounded solutions to clients.
4. Why do you want to leave your current job?
Tips: Focus on positive reasons like seeking greater challenges or alignment with your long-term goals. Avoid bad-mouthing your past employer.
Sample Answer: I’ve learned a lot in my current audit role, but now I’m eager to take on more responsibility and complex assignments. Aprio’s wide variety of clients and growth opportunities perfectly aligns with my career goals. While I value my time at my current company, I’m excited by the prospect of bringing my skills to Aprio’s dynamic teams and projects.
5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Tips: Show ambition by mentioning goals like earning a CPA license, specializing, or leading teams. However, balance your growth plans with a long-term interest in the company.
Sample Answer: In 5 years, after gaining broad experience across audit engagements, I hope to move into a senior associate role and begin specializing in a particular industry such as technology or healthcare. I plan to have earned my CPA license by then too. Longer-term, I aim to progress into an audit manager role so I can mentor teams. Overall, my goal is to build my expertise and leadership abilities at Aprio.
6. How do you respond to high-pressure situations?
Tips: Give an example of successfully managing a stressful project or deadline. Share specific techniques you used.
Sample Answer: I respond to high-pressure situations with focused calm. For example, when we suddenly lost a team member during a tight year-end audit, I immediately re-assessed priorities and rebalanced workloads. By coordinating closely with my manager and team, we devised a plan that allowed us to complete the audit on time without compromising quality. I managed my own stress by taking brief breaks to clear my head and staying laser-focused when working.
7. What accounting skills are you looking to improve or gain in a new position?
Tips: Share 1-2 concrete skills that you aim to develop which are highly relevant to the role. Convey your excitement for learning.
Sample Answer: In my next role, I’m looking to expand my expertise in conducting risk assessments for audit clients across different industries. I have some experience but want to deepen my ability to analyze a client’s controls and identify potential errors or fraud risks. I also hope to gain greater knowledge of data analytics tools to enhance audit testing. I’m excited to learn from Aprio’s experienced teams.
8. Describe your experience with accounting and business software.
Tips: Provide specific examples rather than just listing packages you know. Highlight skills relevant to the job.
Sample Answer: In previous audit roles, I leveraged various accounting systems like QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, and NetSuite to understand financial data and perform test procedures. I also conducted data analysis using Excel and ACL analytics. At my current firm, I spearheaded training on our new Tableau implementation. My hands-on experience has made me adept at quickly mastering different accounting software and leveraging their key features.
9. How do you prioritize tasks when everything is high priority?
Tips: Demonstrate your time management skills. Explain how you prioritize and handle shifting deadlines.
Sample Answer: When juggling competing priorities, I use a systematic approach to prioritize the most business-critical and time-sensitive tasks first. For example, on an audit, key processes like finalizing financial statements take precedence over peripheral tasks. I re-evaluate priorities frequently as deadlines shift. To manage my time, I break large assignments into smaller tasks and schedule them. I also proactively communicate with stakeholders if deadlines need realigning based on existing workloads.
10. Why do you want to work in public accounting versus private accounting?
Tips: Emphasize your desire for variety, intellectual challenge, and cross-industry exposure. Show your interest in Aprio’s culture.
Sample Answer: I’m pursuing public accounting because I really enjoy the intellectual challenge of working across different industries versus specializing in just one. The variety of projects and ability to gain broader experience appeals to me. Longer-term, this cross-industry exposure will make me a more versatile professional. I’m also drawn by Aprio’s collaborative culture and opportunity to build strong client relationships, which are less often found in private firms.
11. How would you explain a complex accounting issue to a client unfamiliar with accounting terms?
Tips: Demonstrate your communication skills. Highlight strategies like using relatable examples and analogies.
Sample Answer: I would take a client-focused approach and use clear, simple language to explain accounting specifics. To illustrate concepts, I provide relevant examples based on their industry and business model to make it easily digestible. If needed, I use analogies to convey technical aspects in an intuitive way while avoiding jargon. I also invite the client to ask clarifying questions, and I summarize key takeaways at the end to ensure understanding. My goal is to enable clients to grasp the relevance of accounting details.
12. Describe a time you made a mistake. How did you handle it?
Tips: Be transparent and share an example that highlights your accountability, problem-solving abilities, and growth mindset.
Sample Answer: Early in my career, I miscalculated depreciation on several fixed assets for a client. When reviewing my work, my manager caught the error. I immediately took accountability for the oversight and drafted a revised memo with the correct amounts. To prevent similar errors going forward, I developed a checklist to use when calculating depreciation. I learned the importance of taking the time to get the details right, as well as not being afraid to acknowledge when I make a mistake so I can improve.
13. Why should we hire you over other candidates?
Tips: Speak to the specific skills and attributes that make you stand out. Back them up with brief examples.
Sample Answer: What sets me apart is my depth of experience across various industries including hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing. This diverse exposure equips me to quickly understand and provide value to new clients across sectors. I also have an entrepreneurial mindset – for example, I founded a small business while in college, which strengthened my client relationship abilities and risk analysis skills. Additionally, I’m known for my positive, collaborative team spirit which enhances engagement and productivity. These qualities make me a uniquely valuable addition to your teams.
14. How do you stay current on accounting regulations and standards?
Tips: Demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning. Highlight the sources you rely on for updates.
Sample Answer: I make learning about evolving regulations a priority so I can perform audits accurately. I take annual continuing education courses on new standards. I also regularly review updates from authoritative sources like the AICPA and FASB. When I have down-time, I’ll read accounting articles and publications. Within my team, we discuss implications of new rules and how to reflect them in our work. Staying current enables me to implement best practices and provide sound guidance to clients.
15. Tell me about a time you influenced a team member to do something. How did you persuade them?
Tips: Share a
Interviewing best practices to implement
Setting up a structure for your interview process is important once you know what you want and what you expect. Nothing is worse for a candidate than going into an interview where there isn’t a clear plan and the questions aren’t always the same.
Not only do interviews help you vet candidates, but they also serve as branding opportunities for your organization. The quality of your interview process could either gain you a customer for life or a detractor. Plus, your interview process is a strong indicator to candidates of how you work internally.
So, how should you set up your interviews to get the best results? To begin, you should limit the process to three interviews: a phone or virtual screen with the recruiter or HR team; an in-person interview with the lead hiring manager; and a group interview with core team members.
Companies should also try and target an hour to thoroughly conduct the interview process. This allows for healthy dialogue between both the interviewer(s) and the candidate(s). Here is a list of sample prompts to help you build your interview structure and question list:
- Why do you want to leave your current job? This question can help you see any “red flags” that might appear if you hire the person.
- “What are your greatest strengths?” is a good skill-matching question that can help you figure out if the candidate’s skills match the job you want to fill.
- “What are your greatest areas of growth?” is a more positive way to ask the old “What are your greatest weaknesses?” question. It also gives you a good chance to find out what the candidate is doing to fill in any skill gaps.
- What are the most proudest moments of your career? This question can give you more information about the candidate’s past successes and why they want the job.
- What are your long-term career goals? This question will help you figure out if the candidate fits in with your company’s culture and if their long-term goals are in line with where you want the job and the company to go.
- Please describe a tough situation you faced at work in a previous job. This behavioral question has been used for a long time and can help you judge how well the candidate can solve problems and think critically.
- This question, “Why are you interested in this role?” will not only help you understand what they want, but it will also show you how well they researched the job and your company.
Not only should you ask these standard questions, you should also find out what the candidate wants to be paid (if they haven’t already said) and if there are any gaps in their resume. When you ask more than one member of your team to help with the interview, you should give each person a specific role and set of questions to answer so that the conversation flows smoothly and effectively.
Interviews don’t have to be hard on your candidates or your team if you plan and set up the process correctly. Contact Aprio Talent Solutions and talk to our accounting, finance, and IT staffing team if you need help changing the way you interview people to get good ones.
Aprio’s advisors use a large network of top professionals to match the best job candidates with the best jobs across the U.S. S. and Canada.
Answer three key questions before starting the interview process
One of the best ways to make the interview better for everyone is to plan ahead and focus on one thing. Before you start scheduling calls, ask yourself these three questions first:
- Will this position be hard to fill?
- How qualified do your candidates need to be?
- Do you need to sell the position to potential candidates?
Depending on how hard the job is to fill and how qualified the candidates are, employers need to find a balance between selling the job and interviewing people.
For example, let’s say that you are hiring for a new chief financial officer (CFO). What is the most important thing you want your new CFO to do or change? Will they be expected to “clean up” your finances and put in place processes that will make them more efficient? Or are you looking for a CFO who can help you reach your company’s financial goals as it grows?
What kind of candidates you bring in for interviews and whether you need to sell the opportunity will depend on what you expect. Some companies go overboard when evaluating candidates and they completely forget to sell the job. This can leave candidates disinterested, unengaged, and dissatisfied with your company and your interview experience.
TOP 21 QUICK ANSWERS TO JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS!
FAQ
Why should we hire you for accounts payable?
