What Interview Questions to Ask Candidates to Prove Their Financial Skills

When you’re making hiring decisions for your finance positions, the stakes are high. Whoever you pick can significantly influence your organization’s bottom line, so it’s crucial to use the interview process to gain as much insight as possible into how their credentials translate to success in the workplace. Here are interview questions to ask candidates to prove their financial skills:

What do you think is the most important indicator of a company’s financial health?

You don’t want to hire a finance professional who just runs reports and doesn’t know how to dive deeper into what these figures could indicate. To assess a candidate’s critical thinking and analysis skills, ask them their opinion on what they look for when determining a company’s financial health. This will help you assess how they use data to make predictions and recommendations. 

How do you stay updated on industry news?

The world of finance is constantly in a state of flux, whether it’s the impact of economic conditions on businesses’ profits or newly introduced legislation that changes financial regulations. A financial candidate who clearly demonstrates that they prioritize staying updated on industry happenings is more likely to be an engaged, proactive employee who will take action when changes are needed. 

Describe a time in which you had to explain a complicated financial matter to someone in a different department. 

Finance workers typically do not solely work aside from other professionals with the same skillsets. They must be able to explain financial findings or recommendations in a way that makes them easy to understand, even for senior leadership or colleagues who work in a different department. The example a candidate provides in their response can give you a sense of their communication skills, in addition to their financial knowledge. 

What professional achievement are you most proud of?

Give financial candidates time to shine in the interview by providing a clear opening for them to communicate what they’ve achieved in the past. Be observant of how quickly and easily a candidate can think of an example – a top performer should have a variety of detailed examples to provide off the cuff, while a mediocre performer may struggle or only have a vague response. 

Start Finding Qualified Candidates

Recruit top financial talent to join your team by working with The Hire Firm. With 27 years of experience in recruitment and staffing in New Mexico, we have the expertise to find and evaluate candidates to ensure they are the right match for employers’ specific needs. Contact us today to learn more about our employer services. 

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