In this article, we will be sharing some of the questions with answers that you might be asked in your interview as a GL Accountant. To secure the job, one must be well prepared for the interview. It’s great that your skillset matches an opportunity!
1. Why Are You Interested In This Role?
To pursue a career as a GL Accountant, I have a bachelor’s degree in accounting. I have completed two certifications as well. I did work as Accounts Head as a relatively small administrative assistant for quite some time I saw accounts people working, which I loved to be. So, I am happy to switch to this profession, and I am sure it is the career where I can excel in the coming years.
2. What Are The Roles Of A Gl Accountant?
The General Ledger Accountant is responsible for general accounting functions, including preparing journal entries, entering deposits, maintaining balance sheet schedules and ledgers, and account and bank reconciliations. He also assists with monthly closings and account analysis and supports the responsibilities of the business office.
3. What Main Challenges Did You Face During Your Last Role? How Could You Manage Them?
Accounting teams that influence technology are better positioned to adapt to changes and challenges like some of the unexpected supply chain and revenue interruptions seen in 2020. At the start, I faced challenges like understanding new tax laws and ensuring that the team followed them in creating cash flows and budgeting. Since COVID, Audit reporting and maintenance of the document has become a task too. To deal with this challenge, we started using several cloud-based accounting software that eased our work.
4. Describe The Daily Routine Of A Gl Accountant?
It’s difficult to come up with an accurate description of the daily life of a GL Accountant because the field is so broad, with so many variations, and no two accountants will spend their time doing the same type of work. This is a good thing, though. Even if you ask what a GL Accountant must be doing daily, you might not find answers to the specific job duties until you dig deeper into details and look at specific areas, like tax accounting or public accounting. However, on the whole, accounts professionals usually may expect to sort common types of tasks and use certain sets of skills, daily. While the life of an accountant daily is difficult to describe in-depth.
5. Briefly, Describe Your Experience?
I started my accounting carrier as Junior GL Accountant with a multinational setup. It was a manufacturing cum consultancy setup. From there, I was switched to their overseas project in the Middle East, where I worked with their accounts department and management of workers’ transport and data entry for 11,000 people messing and lodging. As I completed three years contract, I took an exit to seek a job in my home country. I hold a degree in Accounting specializing in Audit and have a command of English and three languages.
6. What Sort Of Strategies And Mindset Are Critical For This Role?
We can talk about three main trends influencing how general ledger accountants work. GL Accountants must stay updated on these developments to keep their skills relevant and maintain a competitive advantage in the workplace. On the top is The Need for Greater Data Analytics which is quickly gaining popularity in the business world, providing valuable insights into business operations. The next may be more focused on Cyber security as businesses become increasingly reliant on technology, and the need for cyber security professionals has grown. The next is the Greater Use of Cloud-Based Software, which is becoming increasingly popular among businesses as it allows them to access their data from anywhere in the world. This tendency is likely to remain in the future too. The GL Accountants should be aware of this and use it to their advantage.
7. What Is The Biggest Challenge You Foresee In This Job?
Interestingly, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is shaping to be the granddaddy of tax reforms, affecting everything from meals and entertainment expenses to depreciation. You should make sure that you are keeping your accounting software updated every month so it can do the detailed working as and when the new TCJA rates and deductions are applied. The technology is advancing and now handling complicated jobs like a compilation of all transactions and doing tax returns. Technology is reducing the demand for traditional, rule-based accounting expertise and increasing the demand for financial analysis and strategy. But you cannot just get out of bed one day and start giving out financial advice to your clients. So, become as familiar as possible with the advanced features—like forecasting and analytics, etc. To excel in this job, I need to learn all new technology fast
8. What Are The Biggest Challenges You’ve Faced As An Accounting Professional?
Ever since the start of 2020, Cyber security has been one of the biggest challenges for any accounting professional. On the other hand, the laws related to tax are always evolving, and we have to stay up to date all the time.
9. How Do You Keep Yourself Motivated At Work?
My passion for work keeps me going every day My team is my strength, and I feel motivated as I help my team members in an official and personal capacity as and when they need help or guidance or even for undoing a mistake. I feel motivated as I attend the morning brief with the team, and I see everybody ready to start the day in high spirits.
10. Everybody Can Fail At Some Point, But How You Handle That?
Failure is not something to be ashamed of – it’s part of the learning process. We try to learn and innovate when we do make mistakes. But only if we have a foundation of positive accountability and trust. We need to make our organization one where you have to trust our employees for innovation, take risks, and tell them that it is fine to make mistakes as long as they can own them, learn from them and make things better.
11. How Come You Feel You Are Fit For This Role?
As I said earlier, I opted to be with the accounts department by choice. I feel I am working in a win-win situation because my exposure to various accounting areas is helping me, and I am trying to understand new things while grasping good and smart practices. Being an Accounts graduate, I am not afraid of going through accounting figures and reports while I can write well professionally in a presentable and professional format. I focus on my assignments and maintain relationships accordingly, having excellent communication and organizational skills and having an eye for detail.
12. What Would You Advise A Junior To Become A General Ledger Accountant?
For juniors, it is a good option to proceed. They can try to get promotions to become a manager and even further up as CFO too. The freshers may also choose to specialize as per their taste and choice. Still, to stay in the field, they need to update their skills by working hard and joining pieces of training and courses, etc, and also go for professional networking with professionals using various means and platforms.
13. What Are Essential Duties And Responsibilities Of A Gl Accountant?
- Maintains the integrity of the general ledger, including the preparation, verification, and input of journal entries.
- Enters deposits into accounting software.
- Prepares and remits quarterly sales and uses tax reports.
- Imports and records account transactions in the general ledger.
- Monthly reconciliation of bank accounts and review of outstanding checklist for stale checks.
- Reconciles and maintains balance sheet accounts.
- Assists with month-end and year-end closings and annual financial statement audits.
- Takes into consideration policy decisions, major expenditures, and unusual problems.
14. How Your Previous Employer Might Describe You?
I remained an avid player, and I always supported my teammates to remain in harmony. This helps achieve team objectives while developing personal skills together. There are always good team members bringing value to the group. However, my previous employers should be rating me as an above-average team member who puts extra effort into giving more time in a demanding situation.
15. How Do You Stay Motivated And Positive During The Challenging Tasks?
I investigate as I see any procedure breach or a fire-back incident considering the same as a hurt incident because something failed to work. Now, if we gather our courage and resources, we are likely to make things happen by digging deep into facts and the several options we can deploy for making things happen; correcting a mistake is motivating.
I believe that a challenge makes us stronger and gives us a chance to improve our lives.
16. What Are Advancement Prospects In Your Case?
The most common way to advance in this career is to move up within your current organization. As you gain experience and demonstrate your abilities, you may be promoted to a higher-level position, such as senior accountant or manager. You may also have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of accounting, such as auditing or tax accounting.
17. Any Other Advancement Prospects?
The most common way to advance in this career is to move up within your current organization. As you gain experience and demonstrate your abilities, you may be promoted to a higher-level position, such as senior accountant or manager. You may also have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of accounting, such as auditing or tax accounting.
18. How Do You Describe Meaning Of Respect In The Workplace?
You should always treat people the way you wish to be treated—with respect. Try to understand that, like you, your coworkers and your superiors have rights, opinions, wishes, experience as well as competence. They also make mistakes, which are simply some lessons to be learned. A professional, respectful working culture enhances productivity and growth. The staff works much better when knowing they are being valued and respected for their ideas as well as their role in the company.
19. What Is Highest Strength You Have In This Role?
I find myself good while talking about leadership, determination, and the ability to motivate and inspire — those traits that create iconic corporations. But having the DNA of a GL Accountant at present, I have to adapt to circumstances. I have to demonstrate a certain set of skills needed for the job.
20. How About General Ledger Accountant Work Environment?
General ledger accountants work in the accounting department of a company and are responsible for maintaining the company’s financial records. They work with various financial documents, including invoices, bank statements, and tax returns. General ledger accountants typically work regular business hours, although they occasionally work overtime to meet deadlines. The work can be stressful, especially during busy periods, such as the end of the fiscal year or when a company is preparing for an audit.
21. Do You Feel Analyzing Data Or The Information It Has, Is Your Strength?
A major part of my role is being able to understand and interpret account data to make informed administrative decisions. As a GL Accountant, I use data and some metrics to understand what is happening in the company. The data gives a better understanding of the company’s performance and highlights potential weak points in a single set of papers.
22. What Are Your Views About Seeking Help From Others?
I am confident in my ability but it is also important that I can ask for assistance when necessary. I, being GL Accountant, should not be the only one responsible for the company’s success and be able to seek advice and help from others, including my seniors, when it benefits the working to do so. No one expects a GL Accountant to be all-knowing, so willingness to ask for advice or assistance is a critical skill for my position.
23. What Are Your Views About Gl Accountant Work Environment
General ledger accountants work in the accounting department of a company and are responsible for maintaining the company’s financial records. They work with various financial documents, including invoices, bank statements, and tax returns. General ledger accountants typically work regular business hours, although they occasionally work overtime to meet deadlines. The work can be stressful, especially during busy periods, such as the end of the fiscal year or when a company is preparing for an audit.
Related Articles:
- Top 25 Accounting Administrator Interview Questions and Answers
- Top 25 Accounting Associate Interview Questions and Answers
- Top 25 Accounting Internship Interview Questions and Answers
- Top 20 Accounting Assistant Interview Questions & Answers
- Top 20 Accounting Manager Interview Questions & Answers
- Top 25 Cost Accounting Interview Questions and Answers
- Top 25 Senior Accountant Interview Questions and Answers
- Top 25 Staff Accountant Interview Questions and Answers
- Top 25 Construction Accountant Interview Questions and Answers
- Top 20 Tax Accountant Interview Questions and Answers
24. There Are Important Skills Like Communication, Critical Thinking, And Organization; what Is Your Take About It?
Communication: GL Accountants must be able to communicate with various people, including other accountants, managers, and clients. They must be able to describe complex financial details in a way that is easy to understand.
Critical thinking: With this skill, you can make a sound decision based on the situation analysis. To perform duty in this role, GL Accountants record every transaction and reconcile accounts after any required adjustments.
Organization: GL Accountants must be able to organize large amounts of data and information. They must be able to handle and understand large amounts of data and find the necessary information. This is especially important when reconciling accounts. GL Accountants must also be able to streamline their workspace and the workspace of their coworkers too.
25. What Are Shs And What Are A Few Important Ones For Your Proposed Position?
SHS means Situation Handling Skills. To run a team, it is important to have these skills in handy. The important areas are information gathering, being prepared to handle the employees, use of appropriate verbal and non-verbal language and also being polite and friendly, and showing the ability to understand and share the feelings of others to handle the situation accordingly.
Conclusion
The above questions will surely help during your interview and securing the position too! Remember, the GL Accountant needs to have good interpersonal skills! This job role requires great focus and good communication with team members. If organization and multitasking give you the energy to work more, then surely this position is for you. Wear a good shirt or a dress and smile when you meet your interviewer. Do not forget to take a hard copy of your resume to the interview. Good luck.
