It is critical to do well in a job interview in order to land a decent job with the highest compensation obtainable in the industry for the position you are applying for. If you want to be a professional accountant, you need to prepare for all kinds of accounting interview questions. There’s always a need for accountants. But you really have to compete to get and do well in these jobs.
Getting ready for an interview means you need to know all about accounting and be able to explain it well. Start by brushing up on important topics like journal entries, trial balances, financial statements, GST, TDS, and some basic tax rules. Interviewers usually ask questions based on real-life accounting situations, so think back on any school projects or jobs where you used accounting ideas. Also, make sure you know the tools you’ve worked with, like Tally or Excel. Be honest about what you can do and be ready to talk about how you would tackle regular accounting tasks or fix mistakes in financial records.
During the interview, try to stay calm and confident. Make sure to listen to the questions carefully and answer clearly—start by defining the term, explaining the concept, and if you can, relate it to a real-life example. Show that you pay attention to details, think analytically, and can meet deadlines, which are important for accounting jobs. Be prepared to talk about your experience with reconciliations, ledger maintenance, or audits. Interviewers might also ask about current tax laws or updates on GST, so it’s a good idea to stay updated on those. Asking smart questions about the company’s accounting systems or how they handle reporting can help you make a good impression.
If you are a fresher, here’s what you can expect to get ready for the interview.
The interviewer will mostly check your understanding of basic accounting. This will include:
Owner’s equity
Debit & Credit concepts
Balance Sheet
Bookkeeping and its rules
Bank reconciliation statement
Asset accounting
When you’re getting ready for an accounting interview, it’s essential to know the common accounting interview questions they might ask and to showcase your hands-on skills. Accounting Interview questions typically assess your knowledge of financial reporting, taxation, and software tools. To excel, focus on interview tips such as practising common questions, explaining your thought process clearly, and showing confidence in your expertise. Having good technical skills and being able to communicate well will make it easier for you to tackle interview tips and impress the people interviewing you.
Common Accounting Interview Questions
Why did you pick a career in accounting?
The candidate needs to share why they’re interested in accounting and similar fields. For instance, they could mention being strong in accounting during their studies and then choosing it as a career.
Explain about accounting concepts
Some key accounting concepts are the business entity concept, dual aspect concept, accounting period concept, and cost concept, among others.
As a newcomer, it’s key to show your interest in accounting and your eagerness to learn and improve.
What do you know about the basic accounting equation?
The balance sheet clearly depicts what a business owns and owes, along with the shareholders’ equity, at a specific point in time. We can understand the accounting equation by checking out the balance, which is:
Assets = Liabilities + Owners Equity.
What will you do as an accountant to reduce errors in your job?
Making mistakes can really hurt a company’s finances. When you’re in an interview, let them know you’ll always double-check your work to keep errors to a minimum.
Will you be able to manage several projects with demanding deadlines?
Make sure your response shows you’re really good at handling multiple tasks at once. As an accountant, you’ll have several projects going on, and you’ll need to keep track of deadlines by figuring out what’s most important. It would help a lot if you could share some examples of times you juggled different tasks in your last job.
Tell me about accounting standards.
There are 27 accounting standards from ICAI. These standards aim to create consistent policies and practices. Here are a few key accounting standards:
AS 1: Disclosure of Accounting Policies
AS 2: Valuation of Inventories
AS 3: Cash Flow Statements
What is the unique feature of the GST law?
Accountants need to understand why GST was brought in and that it’s a single tax for the entire country. They should also be able to explain how to claim credit for inputs at each step.
What is the GST registration limit?
Starting in 2025, if a business in India makes over ₹40 lakhs a year from selling goods or over ₹20 lakhs from services in most states, it needs to register for GST. In some special states like Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, the limits drop to ₹20 lakhs for goods and ₹10 lakhs for services.
Which goods or services are ineligible for claiming Input Tax Credit (ITC)?
According to the latest update in 2025, you can’t claim Input Tax Credit (ITC) on goods and services you use for personal stuff, like building a property (except for things like plants and machinery), and on certain services like health, food, or club memberships. The changes also make it clear that ITC is not allowed for works contract services related to immovable property.
What are the different forms of GST returns, and when are they due?
Make sure to talk about GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-4, and GSTR-9, and don’t forget to include their due dates.
As a newcomer, you might not have any work experience, but it’s important to understand the basics and show confidence when you present yourself. Here are some questions you might come across in your accounting job interview. Try to show the interviewer that you’d be a valuable addition to their team.Make sure to show that you’re really interested in accounting and the job.
