There's a task at my interview!

Claddagh_Noir

IvyFlood said:

Hi, I have an interview for a Finance Officer role with a charity and there's a 45 minute task after the interview. Does anyone have any ideas what it could be?

Also, if anyone has any ideas of questions they might ask outside of the usual? Just trying to be as prepared as possible.

TIA

You will more thank likely work a spreadsheet and navigate around whatever programme they use such as SAGE or SAP.

Good luck!!

alibean121

I'm an accountant - I echo the above, any exercise I've been given at a job interview has basically been checking my excel skills

LeafGreen

Could also be some kind of team exercise, to see how well you might work with other people.

TELLIT01

ElefantEd said:

TELLIT01 said:

So the terminology used by Devongardener was incorrect.  The reality of the statement still valid.  If they are not creating a surplus they will go bust.

Terminology is quite important in finance! And in this case showed a lack of understanding of the sector the job was in, so quite legitimately was viewed as negative.

Also, whether they go bust depends on a) the size of the deficit compared to the assets (if it would take 1000 years to run out of money is it really a problem) and b) whether they always have a deficit or if deficits and surpluses tend to balance each other out.

As far as the OP's question goes, the exercise could be to take some information and prepare some draft accounts, or prepare a budget for a mini-project, or analyse expenditure to see if a budget is on track. If you know your way around a finance office you should be able to do it. It's likely to be a way of weeding out candidates who don't have the experience/knowledge that are needed.

I accept that terminology is important, but given the stress of an interview situation it's not that uncommon to use the wrong term.  That does not show a lack of understanding of the sector - just nervousness in the situation.

I was in a meeting many years ago where, as the answer to a question my boss replied "You can, but you may not".  That was actually an important distinction given what the questioner wanted to do.  In the situation with the finance terminology, it wouldn't have hurt to ask if they meant 'deficit'?  If the person being interviewed just looked confused there would be justification for wondering about their suitability.