I have completed the AAT Advanced Bookkeeping Qualification, Level 3, and have recently signed up to a recruitment agency to gain hands-on experience through temporary finance roles. All was going swimmingly until I started their internal five minute assessments for 'basic bookkeeping' and 'payroll'. I was faced with questions containing things I'd never been taught or even heard of and couldn't finish them within the allotted time. As you can imagine this has knocked me sideways and I have lost all confidence in my ability as a "bookkeeper".
Has anyone else had a similar experience? Can anyone suggest any online videos/tutorials that show what a day in the life of a UK bookkeeper would look like? Maybe that would put my mind at ease slightly. Is there such a thing as a mentoring programme? Would I have access to more relevant information if I became a member of the AAT? So many questions...
Thank you if you've made it this far. I'd really appreciate any help at all.
I am frequently interviewed by idiots who attempt to prove how clever they are by asking the most difficult quetions about things that you would never use in the real world.
Some plonka the other day asked me about Vlookup to which I answered it was for people who didn't understand how to use Index and Match (or Xlookup now) and promptly gave them the answer to the question that they should have asked. Then they went on to ask about other Excel stuff which was the equivalent of asking what is the best way to use a hairdrier whilst driving your car. Time and again they got a nope, thats the wrong question. Most ammusing thing is that they were attempting to interview me in front of their boss. lol. (I refused the job but the interview was fun).
Don't be put off by one interview and one sites questions that may be more about someone so insecure of their own capabilities that they attempt to compensate by finding questions that they wouldn't be able to answer themselves if similar one's were asked to them. A good interviewer will ask a simple question but then dive further and further in so they are both building your confidence and finding out what you really know rather than almost belittleing you for their own satisfaction.
There will be many things that you do not know until you are on the job and when you do know them you won't be happy with the salary that was no doubt on offer.
Go on then, give us a few of the questions that must have stuck in your mind. They should allow us to easily judge the level of questions and point you in the right direction to improve any holes in your skillset.
Just don't beat yourself up that you don't know everything. I'm FCCA with a masters in accountancy from a world top ten Uni and I still think that I know bugger all.... But most of the time I still know more than the interviewers do, lol.
Interviewers would do well to remember that the interview process is a two way street and when they find the right candidate, stupid questions from them attempting to be clever may well result in the right candidates telling them maybe, if they're lucky, when hell freezes over.... Doesn't pay the mortgage but it gives you a hell of a lot of personal satisfaction, lol.
Keep at it, you will find the right role for you... Now, these questions
Shaun.
p.s. And remember... nobody... and I mean NOBODY... Knows everything no matter how cock sure of themselves they may sound.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Came accross this last night which might cheer you up a bit... I've interviewed people not a hundred miles from this girl!
Unfortunately nowadays I find its people like her who may be the interviewer rather than the interviewee!!!
We're all doomed...
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
On a slightly different note; when I applied for a job at a Chamber of Commerce to do their payroll (experience to that point was payroll for 6 people, and this was for nearly 300) interview was going steady and they said they used EARNIE, did I know it? Yes, I jokingly replied, it tells you if you've won the premium bonds. That got a laugh and I'm sure helped swing it, because I got the job.
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John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
On a slightly different note; when I applied for a job at a Chamber of Commerce to do their payroll (experience to that point was payroll for 6 people, and this was for nearly 300) interview was going steady and they said they used EARNIE, did I know it? Yes, I jokingly replied, it tells you if you've won the premium bonds. That got a laugh and I'm sure helped swing it, because I got the job.
Lol,
many years ago I was interviewed for a contract role. naswered all of the interviewers questions beyond what I would expect someone to answer if I asked the question but the two interviewers seemed to be disinterested so I figured that it must be a personality clash and there was no way that I would get the job no matter how good my answers might be.
One of the interviewer then asked one of those broader questions.
"What do you feel that you could bring to this job".
My tongue in cheek answer was "Awful ties and alcohol abuse".
Suddenly they seemed interested and the interview changed gear completely.
Turned out that the had interviewed loads of people. All pretty good but what they were really looking for was someone that they felt that they could sit opposit for the next six months of their lives.
Lucky I was a good fit as I was actually there for the next seven and a half years!
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
