25 bookkeeper interview questions

Walk me through how you reconcile a bank account at month end.

A good answer: Clear steps: match transactions to statements, find and explain differences, and flag what they can't match instead of forcing it.

You find a transaction you can't categorise. What do you do?

A good answer: They park it in a clearly named holding account, note what they know, and ask you a specific question instead of guessing.

How do you keep our financial data and logins safe?

A good answer: Their own login with only the access they need, two-step sign-in, and no passwords shared over chat or kept on personal devices.

Which accounting software have you used, and for how long?

A good answer: Specific software like Xero or QuickBooks Online, with years of use and the kinds of businesses.

What's on your month-end checklist?

A good answer: Reconcile every account, clear uncategorised items, review what's owed both ways, and send a short report.

How do you handle receipts and bills?

A good answer: A capture app or a shared folder, each one matched to a transaction, and missing ones chased.

How do you chase an overdue invoice politely?

A good answer: A friendly reminder, then a firmer one with the invoice attached, and a word with you before anything stronger.

Which reports would you send me each month, and what do they tell me?

A good answer: Profit and loss, balance sheet and cash, explained in a few plain sentences.

How do you keep the books ready for our accountant at tax time?

A good answer: Clean categories, notes on unusual items, and a list of open questions.

How do you work alongside a payroll or expense app?

A good answer: They know how it syncs, check the entries it creates, and clean up duplicates.

The bank balance in the books doesn't match the bank. What do you do?

A good answer: They look for timing differences, duplicates and missing items, and explain any gap they can't close.

I ask you to record something in a way you think is wrong. What do you do?

A good answer: They explain why politely, suggest the right way, and if unsure suggest asking the accountant.

You find a payment you think could be fraud. What do you do?

A good answer: They tell you straight away, change nothing, and help you contact the bank.

You made an error in last month's books. What do you do?

A good answer: They tell you, correct it properly with a clear note, and work out how it happened.

A supplier says we haven't paid them, but the books say we have. What do you do?

A good answer: They find the payment record and proof, and send it to the supplier politely.

You're missing information you need to finish the month. What do you do?

A good answer: One clear list of what's missing and by when, with open items parked in a clearly named holding account.

Our transactions double in a busy season. How do you keep up?

A good answer: Bank rules, regular short sessions instead of one big one, and an early word if they need more hours.

How would you plan your working day around our hours, and how would you tell us if something came up?

A good answer: The hours they can reliably cover, how they'd warn you early about a sick day or an internet cut, and what backup they have.

Tell me about a time you got stuck with no one around to ask. What did you do?

A good answer: They tried to solve it first, noted what they tried, then asked one clear question with the details instead of waiting or guessing.

How do you like to get feedback, and how should we tell you when something needs to change?

A good answer: A straight answer about what works for them, and an example of feedback they took and how they changed their work.

What would you want from us in your first week to do this job well?

A good answer: Specific questions about tools, logins, priorities and who to ask. It shows they think ahead.

Which part of this kind of work do you enjoy most, and which part do you find hardest?

A good answer: An honest answer with a real example for each, and what they do to handle the hard part.

What does your workspace look like, and what's your backup if the power or internet goes out?

A good answer: A quiet space, a reliable connection, and a real plan B: a second connection, a nearby place to work, or a phone hotspot.

How do you show your work when nobody can see you working?

A good answer: Updates without being asked, a shared task list they keep current, and a short note at the end of the day.

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a manager or client. How did you handle it?

A good answer: They raised it respectfully with reasons, listened, and went with the decision once it was made.