THE CAREER CENTER
California State University, Northridge

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ASKED BY CPA FIRMS

ACADEMIC

Why did you choose accounting as a major? What coursed did you enjoy most? Least? How many units have you carried per semester?

WORK EXPERIENCE

Tell me about your work experiences. What did you learn. What skills did you develop? What did you accomplish? How have your work experiences prepared you for this job?

ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONS

Tell me about your extra-curricular activities. Community involvement? What leadership roles have you had? What have you learned from them?

PERSONAL/SELF-ASSESSMENT

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? What are your interests? What are your strengths? Your weaknesses? What would you like to improve? How would people describe you--friends, professors, employers? Tell me about yourself.

CAREER GOALS

Why, how, when did you choose public accounting as a profession? Why do you want to work for a Big 6 firm; a national firm; a local firm? Why do you want to work for our firm? What type of work would you prefer (tax, audit, small business)? What do you hope to be doing in 5 years? In 10 years? What are your career aspirations?

QUESTIONS TO ASK EMPLOYERS Try to ask "telling" questions, questions that indicate you have done your homework and which demonstrate your interest and future goals within the company. Judgments about your seriousness toward the job and the company are often made on the basis of the questions you ask during the interview.

What are the opportunities for professional training and development? Tell me about your initial and future training programs. What are your expectations for new hires? How is an employee evaluated and promoted? Describe the typical first year assignments. What major trends will affect this organization? How would you describe your corporation's personality and management style? What makes your company different from its competitors? Why do you enjoy working for this organization?

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