16 Accounting Clerk Interview Questions

9/15/22, 7:18 PM 16 Accounting Clerk Interview Questions (With Example Answers) - Zippia
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ACCOUNTING C L E R K Interview Questions Calvin Chibwe

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1 6 ACCO U N T I N G CLERK INTERVIEW Search For Accounting Clerk Jobs

QUES T I O N S ( WI TH EXAMPLE ANSWERS)
Every business needs accounting. Without the accurate and timely organization of
expenses and revenue, a company would not be able to sustain itself. Accounting
clerks are one type of accounting role that provides such sustainability.
Accounting clerks are an entry-level role in the field of accounting. Unlike a CPA, the
requirements and certification of an accounting clerk are less strenuous. However,
that does not mean just anybody can be an accounting clerk.
The job entails a lot of bookkeeping, auditing, tracking, reconciliation, and more to
support the financial operations of the company. Therefore, accounting clerks need
to be detail-oriented and good with numbers.
If you are considering a career as an accounting clerk you still need certain
educational and skill-based requirements.
If you get an interview opportunity, you will likely be asked about your experience as
well as how you think you would handle the responsibilities of the position. Read
through the following examples to help you prepare.
Looking for a job? These position are hiring now near you:
1. Accounting Clerk
2. Accounting Assistant
3. Accounting Associate
4. Accounting Coordinator
5. Accounting Administrator
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EXAMP L E S O F Q UESTIONS AND

ANSWE R S
1 Why do you want to be an accounting clerk? Like any profession,

you’ll get this specific question as it relates to the job. The interviewer
will want to know what brings you to accounting.
https://www.zippia.com/accounting-clerk-jobs/interview-questions/ 1/8
This is why you should have some experience with accounting, either
in education or work, because you will want to show the role aligns
with your interests.
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Overview Example
Jobs How To Become
Answer: Salary Resume Skills What They Do Education Certifications Demog
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“I love organization and numbers. It just makes sense to me.
When I can put the flow of transactions into a logical structure, I 1 more account
feel delighted with my work.”
2 What do you expect your role to be at our organization? You want

to be familiar with the company and have a general idea of what your
responsibilities will be as an accounting clerk.
Understand it can depend on the size of the company. A large

company will most likely expect you to perform specific accounting
roles.
Example Answer:
“Since the company is so big, I imagine I will be placed on a

specific account within the company. I imagine my role will be
part of a bigger team that handles the overall accounting
process.”
3 How do you feel about working alone and with people?

Accounting clerks have to be pretty self-sufficient and comfortable
with working alone.
That being said, you still need to work well with others, whether they
be other employees in accounting or different departments, as well
as clients. So strike a balance between independence and
collaboration.
Example Answer:
“I am very comfortable working for long periods on my own. I

can organize my tasks in such a way that I can keep track of
progress and stay motivated. That being said, I love working
with people too, as long as my role is well defined. Our
combined talents can have a greater impact.”
4 How do you handle mistakes? Mistakes are bound to happen, but

in accounting, they need to be minimized as much as possible.
The interviewer will want to see that you understand this, so be Sign in to zippia.com with Google
honest and show that you approach mistakes with a rational,
anesu chibwe
problem-solving mindset. Importantly, show that you learn from past anesuchibwe@gmail.com
mistakes to avoid future ones.

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Example Answer: 1 more account
“When I make a mistake, my first thought is to find a solution. To

do this, I look back, step by step, to how I got to where I am.
Also, I make sure to own up to my mistakes. I would never
blame anyone else for my responsibility. I try to turn every
mistake into a learning opportunity.”
5 Where do you see yourself in five years? This classic question is

quite important for accounting clerks. The interviewer wants
someone who considers their future seriously in the field of
accounting.
You want to show you are a stable investment. Though you don’t have
to commit to the company, answer in a way that highlights a plan to
further develop your accounting career.
Example Answer:
“I want to further my education. In five years I hope to have a

graduate degree in accounting that I plan to achieve through
part-time classes. I also hope to see myself in a higher position
within accounting.”
6 How comfortable are you with Excel? Microsoft Excel is the

industry standard for spreadsheets. Accounting contains a lot of data
entry so you must have proficient skills with Excel. Your answer
should highlight a general knowledge of some of the more common
uses and shortcuts.
Example Answer:
“I have continually developed my skills in Excel over the last ten

years. I can quite well verse in advance formulas including
SUMPRODUCT, INDIRECT, INDEX, MATCH and OFFSET.”
7 What type of bookkeeping software do you prefer? Companies

can vary on bookkeeping software because different products fit
different needs.
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However, they all fulfill basic principles. Therefore, don’t worry if the anesuchibwe@gmail.com
bookkeeping software you talk about is not one the company uses.
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The interviewer wants to know you’re comfortable with accounting calvinchibwe4@gmail.com
software in general and have the capacity to learn other software. 1 more account
Example Answer:
“I prefer QuickBooks. That is what I had to use at my accounting

internship. However, I have some experience with Xero and I
have found I was able to use either pretty easily.”
8 What type of experience do you have with enterprise resource

planning (ERP) systems? An ERP is a software system a company
uses to manage daily and long-term business activity. This can include
accounting alongside other departments.
If you do not have experience with an ERP system, be honest and

reframe it as a growth opportunity.
Example Answer:
“Although I am familiar with ERPs, I have never used one myself.

I would be very excited at the chance to learn more about them.
I think it is very important for a company to keep an accurate
record of their business activity. To ignore it would lead to
future failures.”
9 How do you ensure efficient yet accurate bookkeeping and data

entry? Remember, accounting clerks are detail-oriented. The
interviewer will gauge your work philosophy so your answer must
show an aptitude for accuracy. Consider what steps you can take to
check your work.
Example Answer:
“I never sacrifice accuracy for speed. That being said, I have

developed a technique to periodically check my work every 30
minutes which helps me quickly progress through reports.”
10 What are debit and credits and how would you apply them? You
may get a question like this that tests your basic accounting
knowledge. Debits and credits are terms used to organize certain
accounts. anesu chibwe
A debit increases assets and expenses while decreasing liability.

Calvin Chibwe
Credit does the opposite. calvinchibwe4@gmail.com
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Example Answer:
“Debits increase asset or expense accounts while credits

decrease them. Debits decrease liability, revenue, or equity
accounts while credits increase them. They are applied to
monitor the in and out flow of money in the accounts.”
11 What are the three financial statements in accounting and how

are they linked? This is a test of your knowledge of the
organizational structure of accounting. Your answer should show a
clear understanding of their role and their relationship with one
another.
Example Answer:
“The three financial statements are the income statement, the

balance sheet, and the cash flow statement. The income
statement shows the revenues and expenses. The balance sheet
shows the assets, liabilities, and shareholder equity.”
“The cash flow statement shows increases and decreases in

cash. Net income affects both the balance sheet and the cash
flow statement. If anything on the balance sheet has a cash
impact, it will also affect the cash flow statement. An error on
any three of the statements can affect the others.”
12 What do you know about reconciliation? As an accounting clerk,

you will be expected to assess the accuracy of the documents you
handle.
This means sometimes you need to compare accounting documents

with one another and with outside sources of information. This is
reconciliation and it is a standard practice in bookkeeping.
Example Answer:
“Reconciliation is the process of comparing financial records to

ensure accuracy. With proper reconciliation, you should be able
to explain the changes you find in the documents. For example,
after reconciliation debits and credits should balance to zero.” anesu chibwe
Calvin Chibwe
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13 What is the difference between a ledger and a journal? This is
another question that tests your basic understanding of the structure
of accounting. You want to be able to clarify the differences between
the two. An inability to be accurate with your definitions would be a
cause of concern for the interviewer.
Example Answer:
“The journal is where accounting transactions are first recorded.

They are recorded in chronological order. A ledger is where
these accounting transactions are then placed under their
appropriate accounting item.”
14 What can you tell me about Accounting Standards Codification

(ASC)? ASC contains the generally accepted accounting practices
(GAAP) determined by the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(FASB).
This is the sole source of accounting standards in the United States.

To underscore your professional integrity, you can use your answer to
show how important such practices are in accounting.
Example Answer:
“I know that the accounting standards codification is the only set

of generally accepted accounting practices in the United States.
This makes it easier to refer to and to have consistency
throughout the economy.”
15 What would you do if you were confronted with suspected fraud?

This is a behavioral question and it is designed to see how you would
react to a hypothetical situation.
Be open if you are not sure what you would do and then proceed to
explain your best attempt. The interviewer will look for how rational
and ethical your behavior would be.
Example Answer:
“First I would double-check my work. I would not want to
unnecessarily alarm anyone. Then I would report it to my anesu chibwe
supervisor and follow whatever other procedures I would be
Calvin Chibwe
trained in.” calvinchibwe4@gmail.com
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16 How would you handle it if a coworker got sick during tax

season? Another behavioral question concerns the busiest time of
the year for employees in accounting.
The tax deadline may be the single most important deadline you
must make. If someone were to get sick it would cause a lot of stress
for you. However, you would have to remain professional.
Example Answer:
“That would be tough for everyone, but I would have to do my

part. Whatever needs to get done must get done. I would
probably work with my other available coworkers to split the
work in the fairest way possible.”
FINAL T H O U G H T S
As you can see there are a wide variety of topics that an interviewer could cover for
an accounting clerk position.
You should notice that there is a lot of specific terminologies you must be familiar
with. This is why a position in accounting generally requires some form of education
or previous experience.
If you want to seek a career as an accounting clerk but lack the education or
experience, you should look for education programs. Some positions only require an
associate’s degree, while others may accept a certification.
You could also consider an internship or temporary position to build up your

experience and see if it is the right fit for you. Regardless, the resources are there if
you wish to pursue this career.
Updated September 15, 2022
ZIPPIA CAREERS @ O F F I C E A N D A D M I N I S T R AT I V E I N D U S T R Y @ A C C O U N T I N G C L E R K L O C AT I O N S @ ACCOUNTING CLERK

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9/15/22, 7:18 PM 16 Accounting Clerk Interview Questions (With Example Answers) - Zippia

Sign in to zippia.com with Google

ACCOUNTING C L E R K Interview Questions Calvin Chibwe

1 6 ACCO U N T I N G CLERK INTERVIEW Search For Accounting Clerk Jobs

Search For Accounting Clerk Jobs

EXAMP L E S O F Q UESTIONS AND

1 Why do you want to be an accounting clerk? Like any profession,

feel delighted with my work.”

2 What do you expect your role to be at our organization? You want

Understand it can depend on the size of the company. A large

“Since the company is so big, I imagine I will be placed on a

3 How do you feel about working alone and with people?

“I am very comfortable working for long periods on my own. I

4 How do you handle mistakes? Mistakes are bound to happen, but

in accounting, they need to be minimized as much as possible.

mistakes to avoid future ones.

Example Answer: 1 more account

“When I make a mistake, my first thought is to find a solution. To

5 Where do you see yourself in five years? This classic question is

“I want to further my education. In five years I hope to have a

6 How comfortable are you with Excel? Microsoft Excel is the

“I have continually developed my skills in Excel over the last ten

7 What type of bookkeeping software do you prefer? Companies

“I prefer QuickBooks. That is what I had to use at my accounting

8 What type of experience do you have with enterprise resource

If you do not have experience with an ERP system, be honest and

“Although I am familiar with ERPs, I have never used one myself.

9 How do you ensure efficient yet accurate bookkeeping and data

“I never sacrifice accuracy for speed. That being said, I have

A debit increases assets and expenses while decreasing liability.

“Debits increase asset or expense accounts while credits

11 What are the three financial statements in accounting and how

“The three financial statements are the income statement, the

“The cash flow statement shows increases and decreases in

12 What do you know about reconciliation? As an accounting clerk,

This means sometimes you need to compare accounting documents

“Reconciliation is the process of comparing financial records to

“The journal is where accounting transactions are first recorded.

14 What can you tell me about Accounting Standards Codification

This is the sole source of accounting standards in the United States.

“I know that the accounting standards codification is the only set

15 What would you do if you were confronted with suspected fraud?

16 How would you handle it if a coworker got sick during tax

“That would be tough for everyone, but I would have to do my

You could also consider an internship or temporary position to build up your

Updated September 15, 2022

ZIPPIA CAREERS @ O F F I C E A N D A D M I N I S T R AT I V E I N D U S T R Y @ A C C O U N T I N G C L E R K L O C AT I O N S @ ACCOUNTING CLERK

Sign in to zippia.com with Google

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