What Do Accountants And Doctors Have In Common?
Freshly qualified accounting graduates when asked by the interviewer "Are there any questions you want to ask?" usually respond with "What are my duties and responsibilities"
Be careful. Some interviewers intentionally do not mention anything about duties and responsibilities to test the reaction of the candidates. Those less confident will show on the face.
I usually respond to the candidate "You're lucky I'm the interviewer and I'm accountant by training. So I can tell you what are the duties and responsibilities of an Accountant... but what if I'm the boss. I do not know anything about accounting. A friend I know just asked me to get an Accountant as my business is growing. Now should'nt you tell me what the Accountant is supposed to do. Isn't it a profession? Didn't they teach you stuff like that in business school. Imagine if our company is hiring an in-house doctor and the candidate asks "What is a doctor suppose to do?".
Another favourite question by candidates to the interviewer "Are your accounts uptodate?"
I answer swiftly "No. They are quite backlogged and damn messy". And watch the reaction on the candidate's face. Some show disinterest and some insecure. And then I add "if our accounts are so beautiful and uptodate we don't need an Accountant do we?"
Candidates should just learn to listen carefully and spot any potential problems given away by the interviewer during the interview. If there are, phrase your question carefully about the problem spotted and ask this during the open session.
Do not think about problems you may have heard, read about or whatever from somewhere and ask the interviewer. Just remember, after two or three years you maybe the one sitting on the other end. Think about what you like in a candidate during an interview.
James NK Khoo is the owner of Qwenkay Information http://www.qwenkay.com a company providing accounting and content management systems software support. He is also the publisher for Go Uncle Web http://www.gouncleweb.com, a practical online business and web oriented guide. James has been in the commercial and industrial sector for many years.
If you need solid practical advice with accounts/bookkeeping or a budgeted yet decent website, contact him at james@qwenkay.com
MORE RESOURCES:
 Los Angeles Times | April job losses end state's eight months of gains Los Angeles Times Some of those who are discouraged by their job prospects have gone into business for themselves. (Francine Orr, Los Angeles Times / April 11, 2012) By Ricardo Lopez, Los Angeles Times California's labor market stumbled in April as employers in a wide ... Fla. April jobless rate drops to 8.7 percent, state loses jobs but thousands ... South Bay adds 3600 jobs, strongest employment gains for April in entire state Stanislaus County still losing jobs |
 Boston.com | Report: Wisconsin lost 5900 jobs in April BusinessWeek By TODD RICHMOND Wisconsin lost nearly 6000 jobs in April according to preliminary monthly data state labor officials released Thursday, putting Republican Gov. Scott Walker on the defensive as he faces a June 5 recall election. Recall Roundup: Jobs back in focus as new report shows losses Walker, Barrett continue sparring over jobs Walker and Barrett keep fighting over jobs number |
 IBNLive.com | Steve Jobs TV movie to film at the original Apple garage CNET The garage where the first Apple computers were built will be used in the upcoming TV movie about Jobs. by Josh Lowensohn May 18, 2012 4:48 PM PDT Follow @Josh For those wondering how authentic the upcoming made-for-TV movie about Steve Jobs will be, ... Steve Jobs biopic to begin filming in garage where Apple was born Steve Jobs Movie Begins Filming in the Original Apple Garage 'jOBS' biopic starring Ashton Kutcher will shoot in Apple Garage and childhood ... |
Proposed arena a job killer, say Port of Seattle leaders The Seattle Times Seattle and King County leaders say the Port of Seattle can thrive next to a new NBA and NHL arena, but the Port sees potential damage to its plan to expand and add up to 100000 new jobs to the area. By Emily Heffter The sky is falling! |
Best and worst jobs for your health Fox News A healthy job is about more than just avoiding hazards, like dangerous material and machines. Employees need respect, benefits, wellness incentives, and control over their work, says L. Casey Chosewood, MD, senior medical officer for the Total Worker ... |
 Hollywood Reporter | Sorkin says Jobs movie won't be straight biography Reuters NEW YORK (Reuters) - Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin hasn't yet figured out how to put the life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs on the silver screen, but he is certain it's not going to be a straightforward biography. Sorkin, who won an Oscar for his ... REFILE-Sorkin says Jobs movie won't be straight biography Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Hired to Help Aaron Sorkin on Steve Jobs Biopic Aaron Sorkin Says Steve Jobs Film Won't Be a Standard Biopic; Apple Co-Founder ... |
 IGNN | Utah's job growth slows, unemployment rate up Salt Lake Tribune Data show that a sluggish labor market still has some vigor as nearly all sectors of Utah's economy added jobs in April. By paul beebe Job growth in Utah slowed in April for the fourth consecutive month and the unemployment rate rose, suggesting the ... Illinois Adds 140700 Private Sector Jobs Since Recovery |
 Bloomberg | Who is the real jobs killer -- Obama or Romney? Fox News When it comes to the audacity of trope, it is hard to top President Obama -- a big time jobs killer. One of the president's re-election campaign websites features a new attack ad in which a steelworker brands Mitt Romney as a person “like a vampire” ... Mitt Romney's claim that 100000 auto jobs have been lost under Obama Fact-Checking Romney's Jobs Stats The Austerity Trap and the Jobs Deficit |
Santa Cruz County adds 3500 jobs in April San Jose Mercury News By JONDI GUMZ - Santa Cruz Sentinel SANTA CRUZ - Santa Cruz County saw a spurt of growth in April, adding 3500 jobs compared to March, and unemployment fell to 12 percent from, 13.7 percent in March even as the labor force grew. |
Summer jobs introduce kids to Uncle Sam, taxes Kansas City Star By STEVE ROSEN Expect to hear those words from exasperated teenagers or college students over the next few weeks as they set aside their calculators and toss their textbooks to start summer jobs. For many young workers, this will be their first time ... |
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