Knowing the questions to ask finance candidates is one of the key ways to gain a solid understanding of job seekers at interviews. To find the best match, it’s important to understand not just their past experience, but also what drives them. Our Senior Associate of Finance and Accounting, Jolene Lawson, shares the in-depth questions to get the most valuable feedback from your candidates.

  • “What industries or markets are you most interested in and why?” A candidate who can elaborate on this understands the role of a finance expert or accountant in their market or industry. An accountant with 15 years of experience in a bank is not likely going to be interested in or a good match for an accountant role within manufacturing company.
  • “Are you looking for a manager who will mentor you, or do you prefer to work more independently?” How a candidate answers this question can shed some light on if they’re better suited for an open environment working within a team, or if they’re a better fit for an individual contributor role.
  • “If you could choose your next job – what would that look like?” This helps recruiters and hiring managers gain a sense of if the candidate has given their long-term future thought. An answer that indicates what industry, role, and kind of environment they see themselves in gives recruiters a better understanding of whether the candidate is a good cultural and personality fit for the position in question.  
  • “Can you get a reference from your manager/supervisor if requested?” If a candidate hesitates on answering yes to this, it doesn’t mean they left their employer on bad terms or their employer would speak negatively about them, but it might open a door to a necessary question or conversation.
  • “Tell me where you can add immediate value in a company and what would be a new challenge for you?” This is a good way to get an understanding of how a candidate perceives their own strengths and weaknesses.

Our staffing professionals are experts at asking the right questions of finance and accounting candidates. Contact TalentSphere Staffing Solutions today for help finding your next finance hire.