Obviously, the interview process remains the best way to truly vet an accounting candidate before potentially offering them a position. This means you need to use the right questioning to ensure you get a proper read on their skills, experience, and attitude. Ineffective questions simply don’t provide a sufficient window on an accounting professionals fit with your organization.
With a successful interview in mind, here are a few questions to avoid when speaking with accounting professionals. Make sure your interviewing team takes heed of this advice!
Watch Out for Vague Questions
An interview question like, “Tell me about yourself” is simply too vague to be useful when meeting with an accounting candidate. In general, watch out for lines of questioning that seem too open-ended to prompt a meaningful answer. Adding a measure of specificity to your questions is essential to truly understand a candidate.
This same rule applies to the traditional, “Tell me your strengths and weaknesses” question. Again, this is simply a too vague query. Instead, direct questions make it easier to truly dive into what makes the candidate a valued accounting professional.
Where Do You Want to Be in Five Years?
While this question possibly offers some insight into a candidate’s desires for their career path, chances are good they really don’t know at this time. Many interviewers ask a question like this see if the person is willing to stay with their organization for the long haul. Just remember, you likely aren’t getting an accurate answer. The candidate isn’t being deceitful; they just aren’t sure.
Never Ask About a Candidate’s Current Salary
Asking a candidate about their current salary is simply poor form. In fact, it might even be illegal depending on the state. Instead, ask them about what salary range is acceptable to them.
Why Should We Hire You?
Once again, this is another question that’s simply too vague to be of any value in an interview. Ultimately, it adds too little to the conversation. The interviewer needs to be able to determine the answer to this question by the specific responses given by the candidate throughout your meeting.
In short, your interviewers need to focus on asking the detailed questions to inspire meaningful answers from the candidate. An accounting career is likely rich with a variety of experiences. So, use questions able to probe best into a candidate’s skills and professional background.
When you need additional insights on building a great team at your accounting firm, talk with the experts at Venteon. As one of the top financial staffing agencies in the Midwest, we also provide the accounting professionals able to succeed for you. Schedule some time with us today.
