6 Tax Questions That Could Come Up in an Interview
Working in the tax business can be a stable and well-paying way to make a living. When interviewing for a job that involves working with taxes, it can help to prepare ahead of time to make sure you have all the information you need to stand out as an ideal candidate to employers. Since there are many different kinds of jobs in the tax industry, you can choose the one that fits you best and get ready to apply for jobs in that field. In this article, we look at six possible questions about taxes that could be asked at a job interview. 6 Tax Questions That Could Come Up
6 interview questions about taxation
Here are six questions you might be asked in an interview for a job that has something to do with taxes:
Please tell us what you have done in the past.
This is a question an interviewer might ask to find out how long you have worked in the tax business. The answer you give can help the interviewer figure out how well you know the industry and what jobs you’ve already had in it. To answer this question, you can talk about two or three of the most helpful things you’ve done at tax-related jobs you’ve had in the past.
Here’s what I mean: “I have been a bookkeeper for the past ten years. I help people file their income taxes most of the time. During this time, I have worked at two different accounting firms and done a lot of accounting work for clients as a freelancer. I learned how to file taxes and make tax documents for both private and public companies, as well as for individuals, at these jobs.”
How well do you do more than one thing at the same time?
How you answer this question can show how well you can organize and manage your time. Every project that has to do with taxes usually has a number of tasks. If you can do more than one thing at once, it can show that you are ready for the job. You can answer this question by talking about how you handle your time and giving an example of when you did it well.
Here’s what I mean: “I’ve always been able to work on more than one thing at the same time and make sure each one is done well. I helped three different clients file their taxes at the same time during tax season last year. I was able to do this by making a schedule that gave each client a certain amount of time every work day.”
How do you keep up with changes to tax laws and how accounting is done?
Interviewers may ask you this question to see how well you keep up with changes in accounting and tax laws. This can show a possible employer that you are interested in the field and can keep up on your own. To answer this question, you could name one or two ways or places you use to find out about changes in tax laws and accounting practices.
Here’s what I mean: “The best way for me to keep up with changes in the tax industry is to do research online and visit news sites that cover tax law and rules. I also like to keep in touch with other accountants I know who might have more information about new accounting practices that they can share with me at any time.”
In the past, what kind of accounting software did you use?
This is a question an interviewer might ask to see how well you know the tools used in accounting. Because doing taxes can be hard, an employer is more likely to hire a candidate if they know how to use the tools they’ll need. This is because they don’t have to spend time teaching a new employee how to use the software they use. You can talk about one or two accounting programs you know how to use to answer this question.
Here’s what I mean: “When I worked as an accountant in the past, I most often did tax work with QuickBooks. But I also know how to use Xero and Kashoo because some clients like how they look. I’m good at learning new software quickly, so I think I’d be good at any program you use.”
Why do you want to know about accounting for taxes?
Interviewers might ask you this question to see how well you understand all the different parts of accounting. Because there are different kinds of accounting, showing that you know tax accounting can show an employer that you are ready to work in the field and know how to do well. Give details about tax accounting to answer this question.
Here’s what I mean: “Even though I’ve worked in forensic accounting and auditing, I’ve always liked tax accounting the most. One thing I like about being a tax accountant is working with different kinds of people. In tax accounting, I get to work with more individual clients and smaller businesses than I did in forensic accounting and auditing, where I mostly worked with big companies.”
Why do you want to work with taxes?
If you want to work as a tax preparer, this is a question you might be asked. Employers can use this question to find out how interested you are in the job and how much you know about it. To answer this question, you can talk about how much you want the job and what parts of the industry are most interesting to you.
Example answer: “Having worked as an accountant for ten years, I am hoping to find a more specialized position as a tax preparer so I can focus more closely on working with taxes. I love helping my clients in any way I can, and taxes seem to be one of the areas where they need help or have the most questions. I think that if I work as a tax preparer, I’ll be able to follow my desire to help people by focusing on clients who have trouble preparing and filing their taxes.”
How to get ready for a job interview in tax
Here are some tips on how to get a job in tax:
- Use tax and accounting-specific words.
- During your interview, try to have a good attitude.
- Try out your answers before you go to the interview.
- Find out more about the company you want to work for.
- Think of questions you want to ask the person at the end of the interview before you go.
