Bookkeeper interview questions and answers

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Bookkeeper Interview Questions

On paper, there’s a few things that may give some Bookkeeper candidates an edge over the others. Professional certification from the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB) or the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers generally means that your candidates’ knowledge and skills are current. Being a member of a professional bookkeeping association is also a strong indicator of a candidate’s commitment to their career.

Once you’ve selected your top candidates, use the interview process to evaluate hard skills. The interview questions below are written to verify that candidates can perform basic accounting tasks such as processing accounts payable and receivable, reconciling bank statements, checking your books for errors, and using bookkeeping tools such as QuickBooks. In many cases, relevant experience trumps duration of experience. For best results, add questions that refer to accounting practices specific to your industry. You may even want to include a short skills test in your hiring process.

The interview process is also a great opportunity to assess problem-solving skills, communication skills, and a mindset of continual learning, all traits of excellent bookkeepers. Keep an eye out for candidates who can explain their thought processes clearly and concisely. It’s also a good sign when candidates contribute smart, spontaneous questions of their own to your conversation.

Operational and Situational questions

• Talk about your previous work experience as a bookkeeper.
• What have you done recently to become a better bookkeeper?
• How do you stay updated on regulatory changes that impact on your work?
• What sort of financial reports were you responsible for preparing?
• Which bookkeeping systems are you familiar with?
• How would you rate your computer skills?
• As a bookkeeper, how do you avoid errors in your work?
• Explain the balance sheet equation.
• The ledger is off by $0.80. What process would you use to find the error?
• How would you record an insurance premium using the accrual accounting method versus the cost accounting method?
• What process would you use to prepare and process invoices?
• How have you contributed to cost savings or profits in your department?
• How often did you interact with vendors and clients?
• Have you faced any ethical dilemmas in your work? How did you handle it?
• Recall a time you worked with your team to complete a complex project under a deadline.