Behind the Interview: What Recruiters and Managers Look for in Public Accounting

Ever wondered what recruiters and senior managers are really thinking during an interview? Joe and Chelsea are here to tell you. Joe Arrigo is Director of Talent at HHM and Chelsea O'Shields, CPA is a Senior Manager with the same firm. With Joe’s expertise in hiring and Chelsea’s first-hand experience moving up from intern to senior manager, this interview is packed with practical advice and insider tips for anyone looking to make it in the public accounting industry.

Check it out!

Q: What stood out to you during the interview process when you were fresh out of college?

Chelsea: I was impressed by the effectiveness of name-dropping, especially in public accounting firms. Just knowing the names of people in the firm goes a long way, even for someone fresh out of college. As a recent graduate, it shows that you’ve done your research.

Accounting firms would come onto college campuses to recruit—you're going to see that a lot. It’s a pretty common recruiting tool they use. I would memorize the names of the representatives they sent and then I would meet and shake hands with people directly. If I got a follow-up interview, I would say, “I met [ ]. We had a talk about [ ]. They told me about the firm and it looks really interesting.” This showed that I knew what was going on, had a little bit of insight, and knew who the big players were.??

Q: What stands out to you when you're interviewing someone for an accounting role?

Joe: I look for ambition. We’ve had people come in here, and the first thing they’ll say is, “I want to make partner. I want to grow a book of business. I want to jump into every single project.” If someone is willing to say that in the interview, then I’m paying attention. I love hearing from candidates who come in and say, “I want to drink from the fire hose of public accounting.” That’s exactly what I want to hear from a young person in public accounting. You can just tell when someone is hungry for it.

Chelsea: When it comes to technical knowledge, I’ll test people in the interview. For example, if a candidate claims they can do something highly technical, I’ll push them on it. I’ll say, “You can do partnership basis adjustments, right? So you know section 754?” If they say “yes,” but can’t explain the types of basis adjustments, I know immediately they’re not telling the truth. If you don’t know something, it’s okay to say, “I don’t know, but I’d love to learn.” Being honest about what you don’t know, especially in a field as technical as accounting, is way better than trying to bluff your way through it.

Q: What mistakes do candidates make in accounting interviews, and how can they avoid them?

Joe: A big mistake I see is that candidates are not specific enough. Be as specific as possible. I like when candidates break down their experience by what type of taxes or audits they do. They'll say, “Well 70% of the time I do 1040s, but then 25% of the time I do S-Corps and then the rest is miscellaneous.” That way I know what their skill set is and what they primarily do.

Another mistake I see is candidates asking about benefits right out of the gate. It’s not that benefits aren’t important, but it comes across as “What's this company going to do for me first? And then I'll let you know what I can do for you.” It rubs people the wrong way. I've had that happen with somebody and the interview ended in 10 minutes.

Chelsea: I would completely agree. And it's not because we don't think those things matter. It's because they are so insignificant in terms of what you should want out of an accounting firm. Instead, you should be asking, “What's your minimum billable hour requirement? What do you do for your employees during tax season?” If you're going to ask about benefits, ask about those that actually matter. That is so much more important in a public accounting program than some of this other stuff.?

Q: What should candidates look for in a firm's leadership and culture when interviewing at accounting firms?

Chelsea: At every firm you interview with, ask this one question: “Are there plans for your firm to get bought out by private equity?” If they're not transparent enough to answer or if they immediately say yes, that’s a bad sign. If they are an adamant, hard no, that’s a great sign.

Look for the signs. Private equity is coming in hot in public accounting firms and when it happens it changes the entire dynamic.?

Joe: The private equity question is such an insightful question. A really smart person considering their future will ask, “What's your succession plan? Does it include being bought out by private equity?”

The other thing that I would want to know is, “Do you have working partners? Do they do the work or do they just manage clients?” You don’t want to work for partners that spend their days at the golf course and collect a paycheck. They won’t know your name and they won’t lead you well.

Q: What advice do you have for someone looking to level up in public accounting, particularly if they want to make partner?

Chelsea: Want it and let people know you want it. You get more opportunities from telling people your expectations than anything else. Some people say I am an aggressive marketer, but I will gladly be aggressive in this sense. Tell people what you want and it'll come.?

Sometimes it's as simple as saying, “I would love to make partner in the next 10 years. Just so you know that's my goal.” That way, when that partner receives projects they will first think of you as someone they can share opportunities with. Put down your pride and say you want it. It's scary to do, because when you say, I want to be a partner and you don't get it, it's embarrassing. So there's this automatic fear. But in public accounting, if you put in the work, it will come.

Joe: There’s this idea that if you just keep your head down and work, leadership will somehow discover you doing a great job. I don’t think that’s true at all. The most successful people state their intentions right from the beginning. If you’re an intern and you say, “I want to make partner someday,” leadership will help you find the path to make that happen. But you have to tell them.

You also need to update leadership on what you're doing, what goals you’re achieving, and the benchmarks you’re hitting along the way. You don’t need to do it in a way that sounds like bragging, but you have to make sure people know what you’re accomplishing and that you’re serious about what you want.

That’s all for now! Thank you, Joe and Chelsea!