Senior Accountant Interview Questions | Finance

Introduction

Hiring the right Senior Accountant is critical in the Finance industry to maintain compliance, support reliable reporting and drive operational efficiency. A Senior Accountant must combine technical accounting expertise with strong judgment and collaboration skills.

This guide contains role-specific Senior Accountant interview questions for screening, including basic, intermediate and advanced prompts plus five pre-screening one-way video interview questions suitable for ScreeningHive. Use these to streamline candidate selection and assess both technical ability and practical problem solving.

Senior Accountant Interview Questions

Basic Senior Accountant Interview Questions

• Describe your experience with GAAP and how you apply it in month-end close.
• How do you ensure accuracy when preparing account reconciliations?
• Explain the differences between accrual and cash accounting and when each is used.
• What steps do you take to identify and correct accounting errors?
• How do you approach preparing financial statements for internal stakeholders?
• What is your experience with accounts payable and accounts receivable processes?
• Describe your familiarity with tax reporting requirements relevant to our jurisdiction.
• How do you stay current with changes in accounting standards and regulations?

Intermediate Senior Accountant Interview Questions

• Walk me through your month-end close checklist and how you prioritise tasks under a tight deadline.
• Describe a time you improved an accounting process. What was the problem, your solution and the outcome?
• How would you evaluate and implement a new accounting policy for revenue recognition in a product-based company?
• Explain how you would handle a complex reconciling item that appears every month and affects cash forecasting.
• Provide an example of preparing financial analysis to support a budget variance inquiry from management.
• How do you manage and document internal controls to reduce the risk of material misstatement?
• Describe your experience with ERP systems and any modules you have configured for accounting workflows.
• How would you collaborate with audit teams during interim and year-end audits to ensure an efficient process?
• Explain how you generate and validate accruals and prepayments to reflect accurate month-end results.
• Describe how you prepare and present journal entries for intercompany transactions and reconciliations.

Advanced Senior Accountant Interview Questions

• How would you design a scalable month-end close process for a growing finance organisation?
• Describe your approach to leading a transition from manual accounting processes to an automated ERP solution.
• Explain strategies you use to optimise working capital across accounts receivable and payable.
• How do you evaluate and strengthen internal control frameworks across multiple locations or entities?
• Discuss your experience in preparing accounting for mergers, acquisitions or divestitures and the key challenges you addressed.
• Describe how you develop and maintain accurate financial forecasts and what drivers you prioritise.
• How would you implement continuous improvement metrics for the accounting team and measure ROI?
• Explain a complex technical accounting issue you resolved and how you communicated the impact to senior leadership.
• Describe your experience mentoring and developing junior accountants to improve team capability and retention.
• How do you balance compliance, stakeholder reporting needs and strategic financial initiatives in your role?

Pre-Screening Video Interview Questions for Senior Accountant

These five pre-screening one-way video interview questions are ideal for ScreeningHive to quickly evaluate candidates on technical knowledge, communication and cultural fit before live interviews.

1. Tell us about your most recent role as a Senior Accountant and the key responsibilities you handled.

   This question evaluates overall experience, role fit and the candidate's ability to summarize relevant responsibilities clearly.

2. Describe a specific month-end close challenge you faced and how you resolved it.

This checks problem-solving, process ownership and ability to deliver under deadlines.

3. Which accounting systems and reporting tools are you most proficient with and how have you used them to improve accuracy?

Assesses technical system proficiency and practical examples of process improvement through tools.

4. Explain how you would approach ensuring compliance with a new accounting standard affecting revenue recognition.

Evaluates technical knowledge, analytical approach and communication of policy changes.

5. Give an example of how you have supported or mentored a junior team member to improve their performance.

This measures leadership, coaching ability and commitment to team development.

Conclusion

These Senior Accountant interview questions help hiring managers, recruiters and HR teams assess candidates across technical knowledge, practical application and leadership potential. They also help candidates prepare for what employers value in Finance roles.

Using ScreeningHive one-way video interviews speeds up screening, standardises evaluations and gives hiring teams clearer insights before live interviews. Try a free sign-up to start creating consistent, efficient pre-screening interview workflows for your accounting hires.