20 Questions

Questions to Ask Finance Interview

Strategic questions that demonstrate financial knowledge and help you evaluate if this finance role aligns with your career goals.

1

What does a typical day look like in this finance role?

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Why this works

Provides insight into daily responsibilities and helps you understand the practical aspects of the position.

2

What financial systems and tools will I be working with?

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Why this works

Reveals the technical skills required and helps you assess if you have the necessary software and system experience.

3

How does this role contribute to the company's financial strategy?

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Why this works

Shows understanding of business impact and reveals how your position fits into larger financial objectives.

4

What are the key performance metrics for this finance position?

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Why this works

Demonstrates interest in success measurement and reveals how your performance will be evaluated.

5

What opportunities exist for professional development in finance?

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Why this works

Shows commitment to growth and reveals available training, certifications, and advancement opportunities.

6

How does the finance team collaborate with other departments?

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Why this works

Reveals the collaborative nature of the role and helps you understand cross-functional relationships.

7

What are the biggest financial challenges facing the company right now?

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Why this works

Demonstrates strategic thinking and reveals current pain points you'd be expected to help address.

8

How does the company approach financial planning and budgeting?

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Why this works

Shows understanding of financial processes and reveals the company's approach to financial management.

9

What financial reporting and analysis will I be responsible for?

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Why this works

Clarifies specific deliverables and helps you understand the analytical aspects of the role.

10

How does the company handle financial risk management?

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Why this works

Demonstrates awareness of financial governance and reveals the company's approach to risk assessment and mitigation.

11

What opportunities exist for process improvement in the finance function?

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Why this works

Shows forward-thinking and reveals potential areas for financial innovation and efficiency gains.

12

How does the company approach financial technology and digital transformation?

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Why this works

Demonstrates awareness of modern finance trends and reveals the company's approach to financial technology adoption.

13

What is the company's approach to financial compliance and regulatory requirements?

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Why this works

Shows understanding of regulatory environment and reveals the company's compliance framework and requirements.

14

How do you measure the success of the finance team?

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Why this works

Reveals team performance expectations and helps you understand how finance success is evaluated.

15

What financial projects or initiatives are currently underway?

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Why this works

Shows interest in current work and reveals active financial initiatives you might be involved in.

16

How does the company approach financial talent development and career progression?

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Why this works

Demonstrates interest in career growth and reveals the company's approach to developing finance professionals.

17

What financial software or certifications would be most valuable for this role?

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Why this works

Shows commitment to skill development and reveals specific technical requirements and learning opportunities.

18

How does the company handle financial communication with stakeholders?

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Why this works

Demonstrates understanding of financial communication and reveals how the company manages financial transparency.

19

What opportunities exist for cross-training or exposure to different finance areas?

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Why this works

Shows interest in broad experience and reveals opportunities for diverse financial exposure and skill development.

20

How does the company approach financial sustainability and ESG considerations?

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Why this works

Demonstrates awareness of modern finance trends and reveals how the company integrates sustainability into financial decision-making.

Best Practices for Finance Interview Questions

Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.

Best Practices

Demonstrate Financial Acumen

Show that you understand financial concepts, processes, and can think strategically about business performance and financial management.

Focus on Business Impact

Ask questions that reveal how finance drives business strategy and decision-making, not just operational processes.

Show Interest in Technology and Innovation

Demonstrate awareness of financial technology trends, automation, and modern finance practices.

Question Sequences

The Role Understanding Sequence

1
What does a typical day look like in this role?
2
What financial systems will I be working with?
3
What are the key performance metrics?
4
What financial reporting will I be responsible for?

The Strategic Impact Sequence

1
How does this role contribute to financial strategy?
2
What are the biggest financial challenges?
3
What financial projects are currently underway?
4
How do you measure finance team success?

Common Pitfalls

Don't Ask Basic Accounting Questions

Avoid questions about fundamental accounting principles that you should already know. Focus on strategic and operational finance topics.

Don't Focus Only on Compensation

While salary matters, don't make every question about money. Show interest in the role, company, and professional development opportunities.

Don't Ignore Technology and Innovation

Modern finance is technology-driven. Show awareness of financial technology trends and digital transformation in finance.

Conversation Templates

The Strategic Finance Approach

1
Step 1: Start with: "I'm interested in how this role contributes to financial strategy..."
2
Step 2: Ask: "What are the biggest financial challenges facing the company?"
3
Step 3: Explore: "How does this role fit into the company's financial objectives?"
4
Step 4: Follow up: "What opportunities exist for financial process improvement?"

The Growth and Development Approach

1
Step 1: Begin with: "I'm looking for a role where I can grow in finance..."
2
Step 2: Ask: "What opportunities exist for professional development?"
3
Step 3: Explore: "What financial software or certifications would be valuable?"
4
Step 4: Connect: "How does the company approach financial talent development?"

Further Reading

"Financial Intelligence" by Karen Berman and Joe Knight
"The Finance Book" by Stuart Warner and Si Hussain
"Corporate Finance for Dummies" by Michael Taillard
"Financial Modeling and Valuation" by Paul Pignataro

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