Junior Accountant

Junior Accountant qualifications to look for 

Junior accountants work under senior accountants to perform basic accounting and financial tasks. 

As an entry-level position, they should have an Accounting degree but won’t have more than five years of experience. Look for candidates who have completed internships or have gained some work experience at a company or department similar to what you are hiring for.

Focus on how their education or previous job has prepared them for this role. They should have a passion for learning and a drive to grow within the company. 

Keep an eye out for candidates who are:

• Analytical 
• Math whizzes 
• Organized
• Detail-oriented 
• Comfortable with computer programs 
  

Top tip: Hire candidates willing to grow by making sure their personal career goals align with your company's mission.

Problem-solving interview questions

• How do you prioritize your tasks when you have a tight deadline?
• What’s important when updating a journal entry?
• What are the steps for bank reconciliation?
• Explain SFAS (Statement of Financial Accounting Standards). 
• What ERP systems have you used?
• What steps will you take to prepare for a senior accountant position?
• What’s your process to protect confidential information?
• What do you do to stay accurate with accounting?
• If you realized you made a mistake on a report you’ve handed in, how do you handle it? 
• If a manager pressured you to provide them with confidential information, how would you handle it?
  

Behavioral interview questions

• What was the most important thing you learned during your internship? What did you contribute?
• Tell me about a difficult project you worked on and the outcome. 
• Describe an accounting project that pushed you to become better at your job. 
• Have you ever made a mistake due to a lack of instructions? What have you learned?
• Have you ever been asked to do something outside your expertise? What did you do?