Mastering Interview Questions from Top Accounting Firms: Part II

Welcome back to our coverage of real interview questions asked by top accounting firms. If you haven’t checked out part one yet, you can do so here. There’s still a lot more ground to cover, so without further ado, here are the rest of the questions.

“Describe a time when you overcame an issue in a work environment that was challenging.”

Along with a career in accounting comes tight deadlines, demanding clients, and high expectations. This question helps interviewers assess how you adapt, persevere, and find solutions in tough situations. Let’s get the example of a bad answer out of the way:

“I just work harder when things get tough.”

Like many of our bad answers in this series, this one is far too vague, and it doesn’t show how the candidate actively solved a problem. Instead, tell a story from your experience—it might look something like this:

“During my internship, a senior team member left unexpectedly, and I had to take over their portion of a financial audit. I quickly familiarized myself with their work by reviewing documentation and consulting with colleagues. I also asked my manager for clarification when needed. In the end, I was able to complete the audit on time.”

“How have you dealt with a situation where you were in a group and there was a conflict of how to proceed to finish a task or project?”

Accounting professionals often work in teams on complex projects. This question is designed to evaluate your collaboration skills, decision-making abilities, and leadership in situations where opinions clash. Here’s an example of a bad answer:

"I just follow what the majority says.”

An answer like the one above won’t impress the interviewer. Top accounting firms are looking for candidates who solve conflicts strategically, not just go along with the crowd. The key here is to tell a story about how you took the initiative. Check out this example of a good answer:

“In a consulting project at school, my group was split between two different presentation formats. Instead of arguing, I suggested we test both formats on a small section and present our findings. After reviewing the results, we chose the format that worked best. This approach ensured everyone felt heard while keeping the project on track.”

“Describe the type of steps you would take if you were given a task that you became stuck on after starting.”

At an accounting firm, you’ll often face complex problems with no easy answers. This question tests how resourceful and proactive you are in problem-solving. Thus, it goes without saying that you shouldn’t answer like this:

“I’d just ask my manager right away.”

On the surface this answer might seem acceptable, but many top accounting firms often expect their employees to think critically before escalating issues. In other words, they want to see what steps you would take to solve the problem. Here’s an example of a better way to answer this question:

“First, I would try to break the problem into smaller parts and research potential solutions. If I still couldn’t find the answer, I would check internal resources or past project reports for guidance. If I was still stuck after that, I would seek advice from a colleague or supervisor, making sure to present the steps I had already taken to solve the issue on my own.”

“Describe a time when you had to deal with an irate person and how you overcame the issue.”

Demanding clients are a fact of life at top accounting firms. This question is designed to gauge whether you can handle difficult people while maintaining professionalism. You certainly wouldn’t want to answer like this:

“I told them to calm down.”

For starters, this approach usually makes people angrier. Along with this, it doesn’t demonstrate effective conflict resolution skills. Instead, try something like this:

“When I worked in customer service, a client was upset about a billing issue. I let them vent without interrupting, then calmly acknowledged their frustration and explained how we could resolve the problem. I walked them through the next steps and followed up later to ensure they were satisfied.”

“Tell me about a time when you had to work on a group project and someone in the group was not pulling their weight. What did you do? What was the result of the project?”

This is a classic behavioral interview question designed to assess how you handle conflict, accountability, communication, and teamwork. Check out this example of a bad answer:

“When I was part of a group project on a mock audit case in my accounting class, one teammate didn’t contribute and wouldn’t respond to emails. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, so we just did the work without them.”

This answer shows avoidance rather than leadership qualities. It also makes no attempt to communicate or solve the problem. Instead, try something like this:

“During a group audit simulation for my accounting class, one teammate consistently missed meetings and failed to submit their work. I reached out to them privately and asked if there was anything going on or if they needed help, and they admitted they were overwhelmed by another class. I adjusted the task allocation and walked them through some of their tasks to get them back on track.”

Additional Interview Questions

There are plenty more interview questions that are asked by top accounting firms. If you’re looking to practice or you just need a refresher, consider adding some of these common questions into your routine:

• “Share a time when you had to set a goal. Did you achieve it? If not, what did you learn?”
• “Tell me about a time when you had to use written communication skills to get an important point across.”
• “Give me an example of a time you felt challenged by material at school and how you worked to learn it.”
• “We value exceptional client service—can you give us an example of when you have done this in the past?”
• “Tell me about a time when you experienced a major obstacle (like a tight deadline, difficult team member) and how you overcame it.”
• “Describe for me how you balance your course load at school; what have you learned from your process?”
• “Tell me about a time you had to sustain a fast pace of work over an extended period and remain organized.”
• “Tell me about your methods for keeping others advised on the status of your work projects.”
• “How do you approach receiving feedback and then using it to improve your performance and skills?”
• “Describe a time you went above and beyond your responsibilities at work or in an organization.”

Rob Porter is an editor at Vault.