5/12/2017堪培拉全修班面试作业

Amber

Summer+Esther：准备电话面试题目1-6
Allen+Amy  p27
小乐+Jenny   p29 1-12
Liz+Sylvia    p29  13-23

Amy123

5 How do you prioritise payments when supplierchasing payments? 有没有具体操作经验

firstly, pay the govrrnmant bills, like PAYG tax, GST.then, is the utility account bills, like water; and important supplier's bill.

8 How do you handle a customer complaint about an incorrect invoice? -有没有具体操作经验
Firstly, check if the invoice is correct or not.
If the invoice is incorrect, issuing credit note/ debit notes to reconcile the incorrect invoice.
Then, issue a new correct invoice.
9 What is your company’s procedure on billing? 有没有具体操作经验？
Step 1 Review billing information, make sure the price, item, tax code etc. are correct.
Step 2 print invoice
Step 3 prepare and send invoice
Step 4 file the copy of invoice by date.

10 How do you adjust an incorrect payroll payment (can be either overpayment or underpayment)? – 考你如何准确的处理payroll adjustment
If the salary already paid, then adjust the overpayment/underpayment in next pay.
If the salary hasn’t been paid, then edit payroll payment to make sure it is right.

11 How often do you submit your super payment/PAYG/GST-有没有具体操作经验？知不知道什么时候交Super和PAYG?
For super, monthly payment is due on 7th of next month; quarterly payment is due on the 28th of the month after the end of the quarter.
For PAYG and GST, monthly payment is due on 21th of next month; quarterly payment is due on the 28th of the month after the end of the quarter.

12 How often do you reconcile you bank account and how do you follow up the unreconciled items?
Daily (or you can say weekly, monthly)
For the unreconciled items, find out the reason why it is outstanding.
Usually, if it is a payable, double check with the supplier if they received the cheque or not. If the cheque is missing, then cancel that cheque and issue new cheque.
If it is a receivable, check if the cheque is dishonoured. If the cheque is dishonoured, then ask client to deposit it again.
13 What are your largest balance sheet accounts?
payroll
14 What is your month end procedure?

1	Run the Company Data Auditor
2	Reconcile your bank accounts
3	Review your reports
4	Make superannuation payments
5	Report your payroll tax
6	Print or email customer statements
7	Record depreciation
8	Lodge your activity statement
9	Lock the month you've completed

qianzhong

电话面试 -Summer & Esther
1.        Describe your company business and turnover and your duties
I am an Assistant Accountant at A company. A company is an Australian medium-sized company that provide legal services. The turnover of A company is about 2 million per month. My duties include payroll, AP, AR, month and year-end reconciliation, cash flow forecast and other accounting processes.

2.        Briefly describe your team and who you are normally liaising within the business
In my current company, we have a finance team of 5. Under the supervision of the financial controller and general manager, me, the assistant account and payroll officer, accounts all-rounder work closely every day to support the financial aspect of the company.
3.        Why you left current company
“I have been at my company for one year now and have learned a lot from working with some amazing people.  I started working at this company since I graduated from this company and I have developed accounting skills and gained experience in the office working since. However, I am starting to feel like I need some new challenges. This position really appeals to me because it would allow me to work in a bigger team and undertake more responsibilities.”
4.        Why you are interested in our company
First of all, I am attracted to the reputation of the company. EY is a globally reputable company with amazing people that I admire. Also, I believe that I am a good fit of this position. I have worked in my current company for 3 years and I am keen to move to a higher position with more responsibilities.

5.        What you can bring to this position
I am a hard-working individual with experience and attention to detail. From my past experience, my employers were always satisfied with my performance. I am a fast learner as well, I will adapt to new environments easily.
6.        Salary package and notice period
I would like an annual salary around 50k plus super which is what I currently make. I would like 2 weeks notice as I am currently working.

allen6797

1.How do you process the supplier invoice/coding?-有没有具体操作经验, 能不能分辨Asset, expense 和prepayment
Once the supplier invoice arrives, I will check something like ABN, amount, date, signature and so on to make sure whether the invoice is right. Afterwards, I will entering the supplier invoice into the accounting system and ensure the different coding information is right. For example, account codes of fixed asset invoice, prepaid invoice and accrual invoice are respectively asset, prepayment and liability.
2.How do you reconcile the supplier statement? -有没有具体操作经验
At first, I will check whether the overdue is right and already paid to prevent the situation of double pay if the supplier statement include the overdue. Then I will check whether the statement indeed match invoice lists and identify the status of invoice (closed/open) in accounting system. If some invoices have not been entered into system based on statement, I will ask suppliers to get new copies and booked them into system.
3.How do you correct a supplier invoice incorrectly entered? –有没有具体操作经验，也想知道公司内部对AP的管理
I can edit the wrong invoice directly in system regardless of whether it is or not paid if the financial report is not posted out. Otherwise, I can only do the adjusting entry in next month.
4.How do you handle credit note from supplier? 有没有具体操作经验
I will record the credit note into the applied amount of the particular invoice which the credit note belongs to.
5.What is your company’s collection procedure? 有没有具体操作经验？也想知道公司内部对AR的管理
I will give priority to the collections which are longer and have larger amounts, and I usually keep firm and friendly to these customers. At first, I would make phone calls to customer company and introduce myself then I ask for AP to state that which outstanding invoice I want to collect. If there is no reply to the phone, I will ask the salesperson who is responsible for the particular invoice for helping me negotiate with the customer company. Furthermore, I would talk with the financial manger about this invoice if this problem is serious.
6.How do you handle the situation that you do not have sufficient or incomplete information from remittance? 有没有具体操作经验？
I will ask the supplier for new copy of remittance which have sufficient and complete information.
7.How do you handle a customer complaint about an incorrect invoice? -有没有具体操作经验
I will issue a credit not to offset the incorrect invoice then post a new right invoice to the customer.

Liz

13.What is your weakness? To what extent do you think it will affect your performance?
I am not that confident about my oral speaking. Sometimes I am nervous to speak in front of a group of people. This problem may affect my performance since as an accountant, I often need to interact with others. So I am practicing my oral speaking by watching TED's talk, TV dramas, and also I have some local friends who are very kind to help me with that problem.

14.Which one you will feel more comfortable, in a team or work alone?
It depends on the type of work. If the work requires a high level of focus I would be more efficient by working alone, however, if the work is more based on finding a better solution, I would like to choose working as a team since it is a better way to find a best solution.

15.Can you work independently when required?
Definitely yes, but before I start my work I need to totally understand the task and maybe sometimes I need to communicate with my supervisor first.

16.What management style you are most comfortable with?
I would prefer the manager to be a leader that provides the main direction of our team while gives us certain space to let us show our abilities.

17.How do you rate yourself in meeting deadlines?
I think the best way is to allocate my work properly on a daily basis then I should not have many tasks to do on deadlines.

18.How do you prioritise your job?
I will focus on the more urgent job first and then finish the others.

sylviayyy

19.        What motivates you in your work?
Basically it is about my long term career development, the felling to acquire a new skill and complete a new task, all these feelings motivate me.


20.        Have you made mistake before and what have you learnt from it?

Though I always strive for perfection in everything I do, I don't hit my mark every time, but to stay on target, I perform a series of checks and balances on my work and make adjustment as I go. For example, I am untimately responsible for a variety of small projects and need to delegate certain tasks to various team members and I do this through email. I have found that delegated tasks are more likely to be completed on-time if I take one extra step after sending out my initial request. That one extra step is to personally discuss the task and its due date with each team member. It's such a small thing, but a huge impact.


21.        What is your salary expectation?

My salary expectations are in line with my experience and qualifications. I am currently making **per year and based on my current level of experience i'm looking to be in the **－** range.


22.        What is your plan in next year and/or next 3(5) years?
Continuing to learn and applying my experience and knowledge to grow professionally in the field of Accounting and finance.



23.        What new skills or capabilities have you developed recently?
I learn how to analyze a financial report, dig the reasons behind ratio's change, not just focus on the data itself, and I also enrolled CPA professional cause.

ysywk810

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself
Professional self should be the focus, not general self.
To talk about your professional self, you’ll need to do two things. First, you’ll need to identify your greatest professional achievements. Second, you’ll need to tailor your accomplishments to the needs of the company.
Your answer should reflect that you're aware of the company's needs and values. Meanwhile, your tone should register as articulate, confident, and prepared.
So, tell me about yourself.

Situation - I'm now the accounting intern of the glass comapny, I'm required to do diversified tasks which can help other formal staffs.  
Task - Such as filing, recieve cash payment, check and save the invoices when recieved etc. At first, it took a very long time for me to check the sales order before we issued the invoice, since there were so many types of glass and hardwares.

Action - I told the problems to the manager, and made a date for the basic knowledge learning, in order to know more about the company's daily tasks and the glass as well.

Result - With my hardwork, now, I know the galss types and the detailed services very well, and could finish the purchasing order information checking very quickly.


3. Walk me through your resume (often backwards)
Very often in the interview a recruiter or hiring manager will put upon you the task of walking them through your resume or work experience.  It’s a simple enough request, and yet it can still feel like a trick question since they usually have a copy of your resume in front of them.

Walking an interviewer through your work history is your two minute chance to develop a comprehensive view of who you are and why you should be hired.  Many candidates overlook this opportunity to showcase themselves and have to work harder the rest of the interview to plead their case of being the perfect candidate.

The first step in responding to this question is to know your resume backwards and forwards.  When you start interviewing for a job, your memory can be a little stale as to your previous positions.  Take time to review the chronology of your career to date.  Be ready to explain away any gaps in employment.  And, know your experience so well you don’t have to use your resume as a reference.

The next step is to choose how you want to tell your story.  Like any good story, you should have an exposition, some climactic points, and a resolution.  You are the protagonist in this journey so don’t be afraid to speak up your achievements or discuss what you learned and how you grew out of troubled moments on your path.

Some people like to start with their education and explain how it relates to their career trajectory.  Other people like to start with their most recent position and work backwards.  There is no one right way; it’s all about telling a story—and this is your story, so be sure to tell it in a way that puts you in the best light and best positioning for the job you’re interviewing for.  Try telling it different ways to see which sounds best to you.

Don’t be afraid to mix in outside leadership positions in volunteer work, personal interests that aid in your work, or discussing how you acquired certain skills that may not be apparent on the resume itself.  Sometimes this slight diversion can create a connection with the interviewer that can lead to a larger discussion. (Perhaps you both held positions in the same sorority or are both avid sports enthusiasts.)

It’s also good to note any awards or recognition you’ve received, especially as a hiring manager may not be familiar with them and overlooked them on your resume.  You can be humble and still be proud of the things you have achieved.  Just be careful of treading the fine line between confidence and arrogance.

A good story teller also knows when to take it up a notch and express passion or what drives them, so be sure to use your personality to your advantage to draw them into your journey. You have a willing audience–captivate them with items of interest in a way that works for you.

After you’ve practiced walking through your story, now is the time to edit.  Yes, edit!  You only have a short time span to grab the interviewer’s attention and dragging on too long about your college years or problems at your first job can cause them to lose interest quickly and zone out.  A good rule of thumb to shoot for is around two minutes.

Whether it’s recording yourself or jotting down an outline, create a frame of reference for the story of your resume that you can easily allow yourself to cross out or cut the filler information.  Focus on what’s important to create a linear path that’s easy to follow that highlights your achievements leading up to the point in time that you are now ready to take on the new role you are interviewing for. (And don’t forget to emphasize why everything has led you to being ready to take on this new opportunity!)

Too many interviewees will quickly brush over their experience thinking that its filler time for the interviewer to get comfortable with them.  The two minutes you have to walk a person through your experience is a chance to provide the subtext to your career that they may have missed reading between the lines.

The next time someone asks you to, “Walk me through your resume,” don’t miss this opportunity to guide the interviewer down a path that leads to you being the right person for the job.
If you get the opportunity to be in the driver’s seat to respond to this question go ahead and steer the course of the interview in your favor so that when they take back the wheel, you’ve set a clear path forward for the remainder of the interview.


5. Tell me about your typical day
This one question usually tends to make most candidates caught off-guard. These kind of questions are actually a false question because a working individual knows that there is no such thing as a “typical” day. This is a good question to show how to organize your time, your schedules, your workload and use the day more efficiently. Usually, a good method to answer such question is to point out that there is no such thing as a “typical” day and try to give examples of various scenarios that you have already been engaged in. This shows how well pivoted and determined you are to strive towards the goal. To answer this “what is your typical day like” question, be ready to tell about the type of meetings and clientele you have met rather than the achievements you have made.

People who plan their days get most of their work done. During interviews, explain to the interviewer what kind of work do you normally complete first. Usually, inform them that you tend to complete the most important work first. This gives the interviewer an impression that you have your priorities set for the day. This will also let the employer know that one of the basic strengths that the candidate has is optimization and formulation of work. A typical day in the office is usually an open-ended discussion. Try to explain how to spend the day such that the employer can see you in a positive light. For example, “I usually start my work at 7:30 am , collaboratively plan my day ,and make sure that the most urgent work gets done first”. This helps the employer interpreting that you are successfully completing the job.
If the interviewer doesn’t specify whether if it is job related, explain how you spend your typical day. If not, do not go too much into personal details. Try mentioning that you have a checklist ready noting down the various activities that has to be done during the day. This gives you extra points during the interview.


7. What are your strengths?
Strengths are work related skills that you need to do the job.
The answer the interviewer is looking for is both self-aware and confident.
Here are a few other aspects of a perfect "what are your strengths" example answer:
•        Your greatest strength happens to be a skill you need to do the job.
•        Your greatest strength sets you apart from other candidates.
•        You show off your communication skills when you provide the answer.
Your strongest skills tailored to match those requested in the job offer.
A couple of your strongest, most relevant skills backed up with success stories.

My greatest strength is my writing skills. I can also work to tight deadlines under pressure. For example, I was once asked to complete a project that fell through the cracks. My editor discovered the mistake two hours before the deadline.(S)
It was an important piece that gave our publication a scoop on the topic in question. Not only did the piece have to go out on time, but it had to be perfect.(T) I hunkered down and wrote(A). The result? The article was on time and acclaimed.(R)


9. What is your biggest achievement
S/T：
My department is responsible for managing the training and orientation program that is required for all new hires.
• Unfortunately, a lot of the content was a bit dry when I started.
• It was necessary information for people to have and the training was required, but we had a real problem with people not completing the training — and the course evaluations were pretty negative.
A:
• Well, I decided to make it my mission to make the program more engaging and valuable.
• I presented my idea to my managers and they gave me the go-ahead so I started by analyzing all of the evaluations over the last few years to understand what people found valuable and where we were losing them.
• As a result, I was able to restructure the agenda to make the whole program more engaging and interactive.
• We added exercises and switched the order around to avoid long stretches of dry topics.
• We also added a game aspect that really encouraged people to stay involved and complete the entire program.
R:
I’m very proud of the fact that the new and improved program is earning rave reviews — with 92% of participants rating it as “very valuable,” compared to just 24% who rated the previous version that way.”
• My manager was very pleased and promoted me to lead a high-profile training project in our London office.

11. What is the most difficult situation/person you have faced and how did you handle it？
Similar as Q9.

sumever

2.Tell me who you are and where you come from
I’m Jenny from China. I studied Bachelor of Commerce and majored in accounting at  ANU and just graduated with distinction on average.

4.What do you normally do in your current/last job
Normally I took the responsibility of preparing the cash flow forecast for a month, doing bank reconciliation at the end of the week/month, and making adjustment to specific accounts such as accruals.

6.Why should we offer you this position?
Attention to details, problem solving, quick learner, strong team player.
Good at Excel work.

8.Give me an example from a previous job where you've shown initiative.
You need to convince the interviewer that you are a doer, someone who takes responsibility and gets the ball rolling. In my internship project, I took the lead on researching several different external best practices at our competitors. Then I compiled that external information along with our internal data to write up an internal best practice white paper which is still in use today. In fact, that white paper earned me the CEO Award at the end of my internship. I was the only intern to ever receive that award

10.What your colleagues will say about you?
They would say that I am reliable and active as the data I provided was accurate and I always look for work to do after finishing my own work.

12.What part of your current job you like most/least?
I enjoyed the people I worked with. It was a friendly and fun atmosphere and I actually enjoyed going to work every morning.
While the people in XXX company were terrific to work with, I felt that the opportunities for me there were limited by the size of the company. I believe that a larger company can offer me challenges as well as opportunities.