Controller interview questions
List of interview questions
- What was your most difficult experience in finance, and how did you overcome it?
- How do you handle a financial report with inaccurate information?
- How do you simplify a complex financial report for someone who needs help understanding it?
- What are some ways to increase a company’s revenue?
- What is your process for conducting financial audits?
- What accounting and financial reporting software do you use or are familiar with?
- How do you ensure a company does not spend more than its financial means?
A financial controller (a.k.a controller) is responsible for maintaining a company’s financial health. Controllers keep track of all financial records and create strategies to optimize the business’ monetary assets.
One way to assess candidates’ skills is through a series of interview questions. Listed below are some interview questions you can ask to gauge their capabilities.
Interview questions for a controller
Listed below are some questions that you can ask during a controller interview:
1. What was your most difficult experience in finance, and how did you overcome it?
This question looks into the controller’s problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm when dealing with difficult situations.
Ask applicants to recount a specific example of a difficult situation they have encountered. What was their solution, and how did they come up with that solution?
2. How do you handle a financial report with inaccurate information?
Regardless of who is at fault for logging incorrect or inaccurate information, a good controller must be able to rectify this situation.
This question assesses a potential hire’s attention to detail and ability to spot mistakes and resolve them. Ask about specific ways to prevent errors and ensure accuracy before submission to other departments.
3. How do you simplify a complex financial report for someone who needs help understanding it?
This question gauges the candidates’ ability to communicate complicated information to make it easier for fellow employees and team members to understand.
Listen to how they explain things in layman’s terms and what specific tools or visual aids they can give to illustrate key points further.
4. What are some ways to increase a company’s revenue?
Look into the applicants’ understanding of revenue generation and ability to contribute to the company’s growth.
Ask them to give specific strategies and plans of action on how they can achieve increased revenue. Pay attention to each strategy’s feasibility and potential to boost results.
5. What is your process for conducting financial audits?
Financial audits help controllers see where the company stands in terms of how much has been spent and on what.
This question gives insight into the applicants’ thoroughness when conducting audits. Listen to how clearly they outline their auditing process, including documentation, reporting, and risk management.
6. What accounting and financial reporting software do you use or are you familiar with?
Finance software programs are crucial to conducting financial jobs as they keep everything organized and help cut down on costs and time.
Ask your applicants to name specific software they have used and what their experience level is. It is a good sign if they express willingness to learn new software and adapt to new technologies.
7. How do you ensure a company does not spend more than its financial means?
Sometimes, companies end up spending more than planned, leading to uncontrolled costs. Financial controllers are responsible for ensuring that the company sticks to the budget and only spends on what was previously agreed on.
This question looks into the controllers’ budgeting abilities and how well they can keep track of costs. Listen to how well they can think of cost-effective solutions and ways to prevent overspending.
Hire a financial controller now
These questions help you learn more about your potential hires to see if you found the right person for this role.
Feel free to customize this controller job description template, as it has all the necessary information to look for hiring.
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