Accountants are typically not good at interviews they are not natural salespeople so you can considerably improve their performance at interview and therefore get more offers by preparing them with a few short tips and some motivation and confidence boosters. You may also like to redraft their CV with copilot. Also, in preparation is to find out their goals and set them up to accept offers.
Partners in public‑practice accountancy tend to ask a very predictable set of interview questions. They focus on technical competence, client handling, work ethic, and career motivation. A new recruitment consultant only needs to understand the patterns to prepare candidates properly, so that they are prepared. Ask these questions yourself, rather than email them. This way they will gain experience in a real interview situation. It will lift their confidence, and they will have good answers. It also gives you the opportunity to probe their answers. You may detect a weak response which you can coach.
The Most Common Interview Questions in Public‑Practice Accountancy
Technical and Work‑Based Questions
1. Can you walk me through your experience in accounts/audit/tax?
2. What size and type of clients have you worked with?
3. What software do you use? (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, CCH, CaseWare, etc.)
4. How confident are you preparing year‑end accounts?
5. What parts of an audit have you led or completed independently?
6. What tax returns have you handled? (Personal, corporate, VAT, etc.)
7. How do you manage deadlines during busy season?
8. How do you ensure accuracy and reduce errors in your work?
9. What is your experience reviewing juniors’ work?
10. How do you handle multiple clients at once?
Client‑Facing and Communication Questions
11. How do you explain technical issues to non‑technical clients?
12. Tell me about a difficult client and how you handled it.
13. How do you build long‑term client relationships?
14. Have you ever spotted an issue in a client’s accounts and how did you deal with it?
Motivation and Career Questions
15. Why are you looking to move from your current firm?
16. What are your long‑term career goals?
17. Are you looking for progression to Senior/Manager/Partner in the future?
18. What do you enjoy most and least about your current role?
Practical and Fit Questions
19. What is your notice period and availability?
20. What salary are you looking for?
21. Why do you want to work for our firm specifically?
22. How do you handle pressure and tight deadlines?
23. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
24. How do you stay up to date with accounting standards and tax changes?
Why These Questions Matter
Partners ask these because they want to quickly understand:
• Can they do the job technically?
• Can they handle clients professionally?
• Will they fit into the team?
• Are they ambitious or stable?
• Will they stay long‑term?
• Are they worth the salary they are asking for?
How Consultants Should Coach Candidates
• Keep answers structured: Situation → Action → Result.
• Avoid negativity about current employers.
• Emphasise client handling and communication.
• Highlight progression, responsibility, and technical competence.
• Prepare one strong example for each major area: accounts, audit, tax, deadlines, teamwork.
Salary negotiation that works in public practice
1. Anchor expectations early
Candidates should state a reasonable range when asked about salary, not a single number. This gives flexibility and avoids boxing themselves in.
2. Link salary to market value
Partners respond well when candidates show awareness of London market rates and explain their expectations based on experience, qualification, and responsibilities.
3. Emphasise value, not cost
Candidates should talk about what they bring: client handling, audit leadership, tax expertise, software skills, mentoring juniors. This reframes the conversation from “price” to “return on investment.”
4. Avoid negotiating too early
Candidates should not discuss salary until the partner raises it, which is clearly a buying signal. Early negotiation weakens their position and distracts from selling themselves.
5. Use competing interest subtly
If the candidate has other interviews or interest, they should mention it lightly, not as pressure, but as context that they are in demand.
6. Stay flexible on structure
If the firm cannot meet the top of the range, candidates can negotiate on:
• Job Title. This is quite powerful as it gives status and that is a key motivator.
• Progression reviews. Review in three months is a very practical way to come to terms on a salary negotiation.
• Study support if relevant.
• Hybrid or remote working
• Bonus scheme.
Closing techniques that help secure the offer
7. Show clear enthusiasm for the role
Partners want people who genuinely want to join. Candidates should say something like:
“I really like the culture here and the type of clients you work with. I can see myself fitting in well.”
8. Ask closing questions
Strong closers ask questions that move the process forward:
• “Is there anything in my experience you’d like more detail on?”
• “Do you feel I’d be a good fit for the team?”
• “What are the next steps?”
9. Reinforce fit at the end
Candidates should summarise why they match the role: technical skills, client handling, progression goals, and cultural fit. This helps the partner visualise them in the job.
10. Make it easy for the partner to say yes
Candidates should end with a confident, positive close:
“I am very interested in this position. If you feel the same, I would be delighted to move forward.”
Why this works
Partners in public practice are busy, commercial, and decisive. They respond best to candidates who are:
• Clear about their value
• Confident but not arrogant
• Flexible but not weak
• Enthusiastic but not desperate
• Professional and commercially aware
This combination dramatically increases the chance of an offer.
