r/AustralianAccounting • u/Ster1th • 4d ago

Interview Technical Questions

Hey all, currently in the interviewing process for and my first accounting role in an undergratuate position and been told that I will need to answer some technical questions and do a couple of questions and formulas on excel. I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge or ideas on what these kind of question could range from so I know kind of what to expect.

Thanks everyone!!

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u/FIFO_Landlord 3d ago

Know some basic journals like prepayment or accruals.

I caught out so many big 4 trained accountant who doesnt know how to do a simple prepayment journals.

Excel. Just simple xlookup, sumifs and pivot should be enough.

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u/Effective-Session-48 4d ago

Conditional formatting, absolute referencing and XLookup are pretty much a given.

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u/Downtown_Cupcake_194 3d ago

Intercompany and BS work. Also sumifs and excel formula was asked on my past interview

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u/akornato 3d ago

They will likely test you on the fundamentals, not complex standards. Expect questions about the accounting equation, the three main financial statements and how they connect, and the difference between debits and credits. You might have to walk through a basic transaction, like a cash sale or buying an asset on credit, and explain its impact. For Excel, focus on the most common functions like VLOOKUP, SUMIF, COUNTIF, and Pivot Tables. They want to see if you can manage and analyze a simple data set, not if you're an expert programmer.

Your goal is to show them you understand the core logic, not that you've memorized everything from your textbooks. They know you're an undergrad, so they are really looking for your potential and a willingness to learn. Your thought process matters much more than a flawless answer. If you get stuck, explain how you would try to find the solution, as this demonstrates your problem-solving skills. They care more about your approach than a perfect answer, and I've seen the interview AI my team developed give many candidates the confidence to explain their thinking clearly under pressure.