Larger firms require general ledger reconciliations frequently throughout the day. An assistant working at small firms may be less likely to complete the task as often. Reconciling the general ledgers on a more consistent basis keeps the accounting assistant in the habit of completing the task. Frequent general ledger reconciling boosts their skill set, giving them adequate general ledger experience and presenting you with a more skilled worker. What to look for in an answer:

• Experience in general ledger reconciliation and preparation
• Experience working with an accounting team
• A candidate with advanced general ledger skills

Depending on your choice of timesheet products, a preference for someone who can read manual and digital time sheets is ideal. The skill enables them to enter vital employee data into the payroll software without causing serious errors. Even if you use digital timesheets, an employee who knows how to calculate data from a manual time clock helps if your computerized system fails and you need disaster recovery services. What to look for in an answer:

• Experience with manual and digital timesheets
• Basic math skills for entry-level accounting staff
• A candidate who helps during disaster recovery

Familiarity with company accounts payable requirements is a vital part of the candidate’s job description. Pay attention to the verbiage selected for the candidate’s answer. You want a candidate who understands the importance of managing payments in a timely fashion and someone who doesn’t lose their cool when communicating with creditors or vendors. Issues arise without warning when managing payments, and you want a candidate that performs well under pressure. What to look for in an answer:

• Experience managing company expenses
• Communicating with creditors and vendors professionally
• A candidate who submits payments according to the company’s schedule

All company and customer financial records must remain confidential and secured. An accounting assistant understands the importance of preventing security breaches and unauthorized access to files. You want a candidate who understands protocol when it comes to requests for copies of any financial files. You want an accounting assistant who won’t give copies to individuals who aren’t authorized to obtain the files. Verification of authorization via proper credentials is vital. What to look for in an answer:

• Experience with confidential financial records reproduction
• Knowledge of security measures for confidential financial records
• Differentiates between authorized and unauthorized workers

Accounting assistants answer incoming calls to the accounting department. It is critical that the candidate understands how to provide customer service to customers and remains courteous when communicating with authorized personnel, such as workers and managers who have questions about financial records. You want a candidate who multitasks in a fast-paced work environment and who has experience with multiple-line business phone systems and maintains professional communications with all departments. What to look for in an answer:

• Receptionist experience in an accounting department
• High-quality customer service
• The ability to manage phone calls and other daily duties with ease

As part of their daily work duties, accounting assistants have to handle several tasks and often simultaneously. By asking this question, interviewers can discover how capable candidates are in time management and in prioritizing and accomplishing tasks within a given timeframe. An efficient accounting assistant will know how to focus on quality while managing the work quantity and will be able to switch between the tasks without getting stressed and without making errors. The candidate's answer should include:

• Interest in taking on multiple tasks
• Work planning ability
• Time management capability

A sample response would be something like this: