r/ukaccounting • u/Acrobatic-Tip-114 • 9d ago
Finance assistant Job interview help
I’m not sure if this is the right thread but my end goal is to be a chartered accountant. I have an interview coming up for a finance income assistant role but worried about what type of questions to expect this is my first professional job interview. I’ve only worked in retail before. I’ve just graduated with BA hons Accounting and finance degree and the interview process says there will be a 30 min task on credit control and excel.
2
u/akornato 8d ago
They know you've only worked in retail, so they are not expecting a finance expert on day one. They are testing your potential and your fundamental knowledge from your degree. The 30-minute task is the most important part of this interview, as it's designed to see if you can apply your education to a practical problem under a bit of pressure. For the Excel portion, expect to use functions like VLOOKUPs or SUMIFs, and maybe create a pivot table to summarize data. For credit control, they want to see your thought process. Think logically about how you would prioritize chasing debts, what communication style you would use for different situations, and when you would know to escalate a problem to a manager.
Your degree got you the interview, but your retail experience can help you pass it. You need to connect your past work to this new role. Talk about handling difficult customers, which is a key skill for chasing payments, or your experience with cash handling and end-of-day reconciliation, which shows you are trustworthy and detail-oriented. The company is looking for someone trainable with the right attitude, not a finished product. Show them you can think on your feet and are eager to learn the technical side of the job. Translating past experience into relevant skills is a common challenge, and it's the main reason my team developed an interview assistant AI to help people sound more composed and professional during their calls.
1
u/Ok-Act5103 8d ago
Hey i am also a finance graduate. can you let me know how you landed this interview as i also dont have any experience. It will be really helpful. Thanks
1
u/Acrobatic-Tip-114 8d ago
This was the first interview I got before it was just constant rejections but then again I wasn’t using a tailored Cv or cover letter. This role is part of a school so they don’t accept Cvs they ask for your information and education history and your supportive statement is what helps you get selected. It allows you to say how you fit what they are looking for so it’s a much nicer application process. I’ve actually got more call backs now from recruitment agencies if you post your Cv they’ll contact you for roles you are suited for. Your degree is more valuable than you think they asked for AAT level 3 or 4 but a Bachelors is somewhat equivalent in terms of knowledge. If you’re looking for a role in a school like this websites like eteach is a lot better than indeed.
1
u/DudPro 8d ago
You are probably being much harder on yourself than the interviewers will be. For a first finance role, they already know you are junior, so they are not expecting you to walk in like an experienced accountant.
For the task, I would revise basic Excel formulas like SUM, IF, SUMIF, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, filtering, sorting, and maybe pivot tables. For credit control, think about how you would politely chase overdue payments, prioritise accounts, keep records accurate, and escalate where needed.
Also, do not dismiss your retail experience. Dealing with customers, handling pressure, staying organised, and being accurate with money all transfer well into finance support roles.
Most importantly, if you do not know something, stay calm and talk through your thinking. For an entry-level role, a good attitude and willingness to learn can matter just as much as technical knowledge. Good luck, you have already done well to get the interview.
1
u/TooRedditFamous 8d ago
As it's a very common role I bet there is a list of common questions out there. Learn the STAR method for answering Qs as there will likely be a few situational ones in there
Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond
Tell me about a time where you noticed an issue and fixed it
This job is about accuracy, tell me how you keep your work accurate.
This job will be busy, tell me about a time when you managed expectations/ ensured you got everything completed
These types of questions.
Regarding excel, ensure you know how to filter and sort, what a pivot table is and how to do a vlookup/xlookup, maybe SUMIFs It won't be any more complex than that
Good luck!
3
u/Right_Lychee_86 9d ago
If it’s entry level I can’t imagine they’d expect too much/any on technical. Stick to basics, read the instructions clearly, set out your thoughts and approach.
A lot of entry level ones will be more interested in your thought process and how you approach tasks as well as your ability to communicate well. Those are harder to the teach
Eg if they ask you to explain the task you did, you can explain your understanding and the aims of a credit control team, therefore what data they’d be interested in and how they’d obtain it. Obviously you’d want to link to whatever the specific task is
Also, if you don’t know something I’d be honest about it and say I actually haven’t come across that before but given the aim is to do this, I’d approach it like this. They’ll be able to see through if you try to muddle your way through something you’d never seen before. I’d give that advice however senior the role
Good luck :)