What an accountant does
New Zealand's careers service says accountants provide accounting services to companies, organisations and people. They prepare financial statements and advise on business finances. The UK's profile for management accountants lists tasks such as:
- preparing financial statements and accounts
- monitoring spending and budgets
- analysing the company's financial performance
- forecasting future spending and ways to cut costs
The US profile for accountants and auditors adds checking accounts for errors and fixing differences. It also lists working out taxes owed and preparing tax returns.
Qualifications and licences
Some accounting work needs a licence or registration. The rules vary by country. Some examples:
- US: a CPA is licensed by a state board of accountancy. You must meet the licensing rules of the state where you want to practise.
- Australia: if you provide tax agent services for a fee, you must be registered with the Tax Practitioners Board. Some exemptions apply.
- UK: the National Careers Service says you can qualify through a professional body. Examples are CIMA, ACCA and the Institute of Financial Accountants.
- New Zealand: Tahatū says you may need a Chartered Accountant or Certified Public Accountant qualification.
Never call yourself chartered, certified or a CPA unless you hold the title. These titles come from professional bodies or licensing boards, and employers can check them.
Skills employers look for
The National Careers Service lists skills that an interview can test:
- knowledge of economics and accounting
- maths knowledge and analytical thinking
- being thorough and paying attention to detail
- admin skills
- working well with others
- clear spoken communication
New Zealand's profile says you need to be methodical, accurate and responsible. O*NET lists integrity, caution, attention to detail and dependability among the work styles.
The interviews you may face
Each employer runs its own process. You may face some of these:
- A screening call about your experience. See our phone screen guide.
- Technical questions about accounting, tax or the standards the role uses.
- A practical test, such as a spreadsheet task, a reconciliation or reading a set of accounts.
- A case study on a business problem, such as why costs are rising.
- A behavioural interview about deadlines, mistakes and teamwork. Read our guide to behavioural answers.
For a timed test, read every instruction first. Our guide to tests and assessment tasks has more tips.
Questions that test each skill
These are themes, with sample wording. Real questions vary by employer.
- Accuracy: "Tell me about a time you found an error in the accounts."
- Technical: "Walk me through how you would reconcile a bank account."
- Deadlines: "How do you plan for month-end or year-end?"
- Ethics: "A manager asks you to move a cost into next year. What do you do?"
- Explaining: "How would you explain a budget gap to a manager outside finance?"
- Systems: "Which accounting software have you used, and for what?"
Answer "tell me about a time" questions with STAR: the situation, your task, the actions you took and the result.
What to prepare
- Note the software, standards and taxes the ad names.
- Refresh the basics, such as reconciliations and journal entries.
- Practise a timed spreadsheet task: sums, lookups and a simple pivot table.
- Prepare STAR stories about an error, a deadline, a process you improved and an ethical call.
- Have your qualification and membership details ready, with dates.
An example answer about finding an error
Here is a made-up answer for a made-up person. Use it to see the shape of a strong answer, then tell your own true story.
Made-up example
Sofia, an assistant accountant applying for an accountant role
Question
Situation
Task
Action
- I matched every transaction for the month and narrowed the gap to one supplier.
- I found the same invoice had been paid twice, a week apart, under two invoice numbers.
- I called the supplier, confirmed the double payment and asked for a refund.
- I posted a correcting journal entry and noted the reason for the auditors.
- I suggested a system check that flags invoices with the same amount and supplier.
Result
Sofia is methodical, fixes the cause and stops it happening again. The result has numbers.
Questions
Do I need to be qualified to get an accounting job?
Not for every role. Some jobs are for trainees or part-qualified staff. Check the ad, and be exact about where you are in any qualification.
Should I mention a qualification I'm still studying for?
Yes, if you say clearly that it's in progress and give the expected date. Never round it up to finished.
What does an accountant earn?
In the US, O*NET lists a 2025 median wage of $83,680 a year for accountants and auditors. Pay varies by country, level and qualification.
Sources
Written by Seal the Offer from these pages, last checked on . Rules change, so check the employer's own page and the job ad before you apply.
- Accountant and auditor · Tahatū, Tertiary Education Commission (NZ)
- Management accountant · National Careers Service (England)
- Accountants and Auditors · O*NET OnLine, US Department of Labor
- Getting a License · National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (US)
- Apply to register · Tax Practitioners Board (Australia)