It’s happening! You’re finally invited to interview for that accounting role you’ve been searching for. There’s a lot you don’t know about the interview, but you know you want to do your best by being ready and killing it.
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You can start by reviewing the most common interview questions. But don’t stop there—you should also make sure to be ready for some more accounting-specific interview questions.
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Some people might call me a “recovering CPA” because I used to work as one at one of the Big Four accounting firms. Before I became a career coach, I worked for a public accounting firm for years as the hiring manager for five offices all along the East Coast. I worked directly with leadership to identify top talent, built recruiting processes, and screened candidates for accounting opportunities. From what I’ve learned, here are some tips on how to answer the most common interview questions about accounting and what traits employers are looking for when they ask them.
Landing an interview for a production accountant role is an exciting accomplishment, but preparing for the actual interview can be daunting. You know you have the skills and experience for the job, but effectively conveying that to your interviewer is key.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through some of the most common and critical production accountant interview questions, along with tips on how to ace your responses. With the right preparation, you’ll be ready to impress hiring managers and snag your dream job in the world of entertainment production
Getting to Know You
The interview will likely start with questions aimed at getting to know your background and experience Be prepared to elaborate on your past jobs and how they relate to the production accountant role you’re applying for
Some examples include:
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Could you tell us about some of the films you have worked on? Don’t just rattle off movie titles here. Provide some context around your specific responsibilities, challenges faced, and accomplishments for each production. This helps paint a picture of your capabilities.
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What might an average day look like for you as a production accountant? Use this opportunity to walk through your core duties, tools used, and how you prioritize tasks. It demonstrates your time management skills and understanding of the day-to-day realities of the role.
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Is working in the film industry as glamorous as we would imagine? Be honest here. While parts of the job are exciting, highlight that much of your work consists of routine financial management, report generation, budget tracking, and supporting the production team.
Getting Down to Business
After the initial introductions, expect the focus to shift to more specific aspects of the production accountant job. This is your time to showcase both your technical knowledge and soft skills required for the role.
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What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Share a stand-out accomplishment that demonstrates strengths like critical thinking, relationship building, or creativity. For example, perhaps you identified a way to optimize the budget that saved significant costs.
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What’s been your favorite project to work on? Focus less on the actual production and more on what made the experience meaningful for you. Maybe it presented new learning opportunities or you felt challenged and rewarded by the complexities of the budget.
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How do you stay on top of each production’s spending and ensure accuracy? Emphasize your diligent tracking methods, financial reporting skills, and commitment to oversight. Don’t be afraid to get technical here and reference specific accounting tools or techniques you utilize.
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What do you do if a production goes over budget? Outline how you would diagnose the cause, work collaboratively with stakeholders to find solutions, and implement better controls to prevent future overages. Demonstrate strategic financial thinking.
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How do you prioritize when handling multiple productions? Highlight organizational skills like creating project plans, optimizing workflows, and regularly communicating with teams. The ability to multitask is key.
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What challenges are unique to production accounting? This shows the depth of your industry experience. You could mention things like short project timelines, strict budgets, complex payrolls, and the need to understand operational issues that may impact finances.
Closing Strong
As the interview wraps up, you’ll likely be asked if you have any final questions for the interviewer. This is a great chance to show your enthusiasm for the role and the company.
Some questions you could consider asking include:
- What are the top qualities you look for in a production accountant for your team?
- How much collaboration occurs between the accounting department and the rest of the production crew?
- What types of professional development opportunities are available for this role?
With the right mindset and thorough preparation, you can have the confidence to knock your production accountant interview out of the park. Use these tips to analyze the role, anticipate likely questions, and craft compelling responses. Highlight your technical capabilities as an accountant along with the soft skills needed to collaborate smoothly with creative teams. If you present yourself as a passionate, diligent, and knowledgeable candidate, you’ll be well on your way to landing the perfect production accountant job for you.
How Do You Organize and Prioritize Your Day?
This job has a lot of moving parts, so the interviewer will want to know how well you can organize and balance your work when things get busy.
The work of an accountant is driven by processes, impending deadlines, and a ton of cross-functional collaboration. So it’s very important to show that you can organize, manage your time well, and talk to your clients and team in a healthy way. Holt says it’s important for accountants to talk about how they track their time and divide it up between accounting tasks, checking in with clients, and checking in with their team.
How often do you check in with your clients? When you do, do you send them updates on what paperwork they need or where the process may be holding up (if you’re waiting for something from them)? Do you use a running to-do list, a checklist, or your calendar to mark due dates? There is no right or wrong answer. Share what has helped you stay on track and on time.
So you could say something along the lines of:
“I like to stay as proactive as possible, especially during busy times such as month- or quarter-end close. I always have a list of things I need to do, and for each one, I write down how many hours it will take to finish and whether it’s necessary or not. I also give myself due dates for my work, especially when it needs to be sent to someone else on the team. For example, budgeting has to be done before the financial analysis can be made, so I’d make sure to finish my work early to help my coworker do well. I also talk to my leaders a lot to make sure everything is going as planned, and I talk to my team a lot to find out about any possible delays or risks to finishing our work on time. ”.
Do You Have Your CPA?
The Certified Public Accountant license is the ultimate certification, and it shows commitment to the profession. If you have your CPA, it will make you stand out against the competition. However, there are many other certifications in accounting that you could pursue—having a CPA isn’t the only way.
There are no tricks to this one. Tell the interviewer briefly and straightforwardly about your CPA or other certifications or your progress toward them:
“I don’t have my CPA license yet but I am actively working toward it. Two of the four parts were passed for me: BEC and FAR. I plan to take the other two parts within the next six months. ”.
On the other hand, if you have a CPA, you might answer like this:
“I got my CPA in the first two years of my career and have kept it ever since by meeting the yearly CPE requirement by going to trainings and conferences.” I am also working toward my CFE because I am interested in forensic accounting and think that certification will help me in the direction my career is going. ”.
7 Senior Accountant Interview Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
What are the duties of a production accountant?
What type of questions are asked in an accounting interview?
Do production accountants work on set?
What is a good weakness for an accountant interview?
Do you know the answer to an accounting interview question?
MIKE’S TIP: While it may be tempting to hide the fact that you don’t know the answer to an accounting interview question, don’t. If you’re asked to define or describe something, and you have no clue what it is, admit it. Then, pivot the conversation. How do you do that? By discussing how you’d figure out the answer.
How do I prepare for an accounting job interview?
If you’re interviewing for an accounting role, you can prepare for it by reviewing common interview questions. A hiring manager may ask questions about your familiarity with software or your ability to perform certain aspects of an accounting role.
What questions should an accountant ask a hiring manager?
If an accountant is good at their job, they can have a comprehensive view of a company’s financial health. A hiring manager may ask this interview question to determine how well you understand a company’s financial situation and how efficiently you can identify excess operational costs.
How do you answer a job interview question?
The interviewer wants to see how well you can think creatively and solve problems that a firm is experiencing. If you answer no, discuss a process you helped develop or change in a previous role to demonstrate your innovative skills. If you answer yes, be ready to give the details of the process you created and how it helped the company.
