The Behavioral-Based Interview: Questions for an Accountant

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by Amin Huffington

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Gone are the days when the interviewer would ask a silly questions such as "Where do you see yourself five years from now?" Today's interviewers are using a new tool to find specific information about you: The Behavioral-Based Interview.

Behavioral-Based Interview Overview Behavioral-based interviews focus on discovering how a candidate performed in specific work related situations.  This interview technique seeks to uncover how a potential employee actually did behave in a given situation; not on how he or she might behave in the future.  The premise behind this technique is that a good predictor of future performance is how someone performed in the past in a similar situation.  Behavioral-based interviews are becoming more common throughout industry and government and many candidates are familiar with this technique and are well prepared for these interviews.  Candidates can and should draw on previous work related experiences as well as non-work related experiences (e.g., school projects, community involvement) that are relevant to the interview questions.

A government Accountant should demonstrate experience in the following competencies:

Federal Accounting Procedures and Process: Understands the Federal accounting process, including principles and standards outlined by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), U.S. Treasury Regulations, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), professional accounting organizations and the U.S. Comptroller General

Most likely interview questions to assess this competency:

1. Provide an example of how you have used your knowledge of the Federal accounting process in communicating with others. How were you able to ensure that the information was clear and well understood? What documents or tools did you utilize to communicate the information?
2. Share an example of a time when someone asked you to provide financial information about an agency or company. How did you go about finding the information? How did you present the information so that it was relevant to the request?
3. Describe a time when you had to develop and implement new procedures in order to accommodate a change in law, rule or regulation. What challenges did you face? How did you overcome them?

Key behaviors they will be looking for:

• Understands and applies Federal accounting standards
• Provides internal and external stakeholders with the types of  financial information they require
• Understands the issues involved in Federal Government accounting
• Possesses knowledge of proprietary/accrual and budgetary accounting
• Possesses knowledge of the Appropriation process
• Develops, documents, and implements accounting procedures to meet accounting/reporting requirements due to changes in laws, rules and regulations

Financial Budget and Program Analysis: Obtains financial information from within and outside of an organization for relevant guidance or other information; reviews and evaluates the financial data and makes recommendations as appropriate

Most likely interview questions to assess this competency:

1. Share an example of a time when you analyzed financial information to make recommendations for your office or organization.  How did you approach this endeavor?  What challenges did you face and how did you handle them?
2. Describe the methodology or models you have used for analyzing data.  How have these tools helped you make sound decisions?
3. Provide an example of a time when you had to gather and interpret data from various sources in order to identify trends.  What challenges did you face? How were these challenges overcome?
4. Share an example of a time when you had to gather, evaluate and reconcile conflicting or ambiguous data from multiple sources and present your findings. How did you ensure the results were comprehensible?

Key behaviors they will be looking for:

• Analyzes budget, accounting, and program data in order to make comparisons and draw conclusions
• Uses established models and tools for analyzing data
• Gathers and interprets pertinent data from a variety of sources and identifies trends
• Evaluates different sources of information and reconciles conflicting or ambiguous data
• Applies existing standards, rules and regulations to problems explicitly and not explicitly identified

Project Management: Creates and maintains an environment that guides a project to its successful completion

Most likely interview questions to assess this competency:

1. Tell me about a project you managed. What did you do to ensure the success of the project?
2. Briefly describe how you have approached a new project in the past.  How did you initiate the project? What steps did you take to assess risk?  What tools did you use to manage the project? What quality assurance mechanisms were necessary to maintain control of the project?
3. In this role, it is imperative to create and maintain an environment that guides a project to successful completion.  How have you approached creating such a project environment in the past?  What challenges did you encounter?  How did you overcome those challenges? 
4. Give me an example of a time when your oral and written communication skills helped ensure the successful completion of a project. What communications method or strategy did you utilize? How did you determine which method to use?
5. Stakeholders are defined as those with a vested interest in a particular project.  Thinking of a specific project you’ve worked on, please discuss how you identified and managed stakeholders.  What was particularly challenging about that process? How did you successfully overcome those challenges?
6. Describe a time when you planned for and conducted a project kick-off meeting. What was on the agenda? How were you able to meet the goals and objectives outlined for the meeting?

 Key behaviors they will be looking for:

• Executes project start-up and planning activities
• Defines and manages schedules, budgets and resources to accomplish project objectives and reports on project progress
• Identifies and manages scope, risks and quality throughout the project lifecycle
• Identifies and partners with stakeholders to develop and implement change management plans
• Communicates effectively with project team and stakeholders
• Evaluates project success and documents lessons learned to apply to future projects

Reconciliation and Financial Reporting: Prepares, reviews and provides updated financial information for monthly, quarterly, and yearly reconciliation and financial statements, and other financial reports as required

Most likely interview questions to assess this competency:

1. Describe your approach to analyzing data and preparing financial spreadsheets, charts, and reports. What tools have you utilized? How did you ensure that the data was comprehensive yet clear and easy to understand?
2. Share an example of a time when you were given data that needed to be reconciled. How did you go about identifying and resolving the variances in data?

Key behaviors they will be looking for:

• Identifies and resolves variances in data trends
• Analyzes the data used to prepare the financial reports
• Creates financial spreadsheets, charts, and reports that contain relevant business performance data that can be clearly understood by financial and non-financial employees

Risk Analysis and Internal Control: Identifies and manages the risks of failing to detect a misstatement, caused by inadvertent error or fraud that is material to financial statements

Most likely interview questions to assess this competency:

1. Sometimes it can be difficult to communicate the possible risks or potential down side to a project/plan/initiative. Describe a time when you had to do just that. How was the information you provided received? How were you able to get others to acknowledge the risk and modify their plan/actions?
2. Give an example of a time when you identified a risk to a planned project and developed a plan to mitigate that risk.  What was your approach?
3. Describe a time when you identified an error that posed a significant risk and you were not the party responsible for the error. How did you communicate this information? How was the situation resolved?

Key behaviors they will be looking for:

• Identifies risks of negative outcomes (including fraud)
• Evaluates controls that mitigate risk of negative outcomes through prevention or detection and correction
• Assesses and controls unmitigated risks through various methods (e.g., designing and applying tests)
• Communicates the impact of identified risks and recommends corrective action

How will I be rated?

While you are answering the questions, the interviewer or panel, will be writing down a number based on your answers.  This number will be between 1 and 5.  At the end of the interview the numbers  are added that this is how the person is chosen for the job.

Score Proficiency Level Description

1 Fundamental Awareness: (basic knowledge)

• You have a common knowledge or an understanding of basic techniques and concepts.
• Focus is on learning.

2 Novice: (limited experience)

• You have the level of experience gained in a classroom and/or experimental scenarios or as a trainee on-the-job.
• You are expected to need help when performing this skill.
• Focus is on developing through on-the-job experience;
• You understand and can discuss terminology, concepts,   principles, and issues related to this competency;
• You utilize the full range of reference and resource materials in this competency.

3 Intermediate: (practical application)

• You are able to successfully complete tasks in this competency as requested.
• Help from an expert may be required from time to time, but you can usually perform the skill independently. 
• Focus is on applying and enhancing knowledge or skill;
• You have applied this competency to situations occasionally while needing minimal guidance to perform successfully;
• You understand and can discuss the application and implications of changes to processes, policies, and procedures in this area.

4 Advanced: (applied theory)

• You can perform the actions associated with this skill without assistance.
• You are certainly recognized within your immediate organization as "a person to ask" when difficult questions arise regarding this skill.
• Focus is on broad organizational/professional issues;
• You have consistently provided practical/relevant ideas and perspectives on process or practice improvements which may easily be implemented;
• You are capable of coaching others in the application of this competency by translating complex nuances relating to this competency into easy to understand terms;
• You participate in senior level discussions regarding this competency;
• You assist in the development of reference and resource materials in this competency.

5 Expert: (recognized authority)

•  You are known as an expert in this area. You can provide guidance, troubleshoot and answer questions related to this area of expertise and the field where the skill is used.
• Focus is strategic;
• You have demonstrated consistent excellence in applying this competency across multiple projects and/or organizations;
• You are considered the “go to” person in this area within an agency, company and/or outside organizations;
• You create new applications for and/or lead the development of reference and resource materials for this competency;
• You are able to diagram or explain the relevant process elements and issues in relation to organizational issues and trends in sufficient detail during discussions and presentations, to foster a greater understanding among internal and external colleagues and constituents.

When you are working on your resume, don't forget to keep in mind the type of experience that the interviewers are most likely to want to see.  Good luck.

For additional information on accounting follow the link below:  http://www.dreamfedjob.com/careers/0510_Accountant_and_Auditors_Specialists.html