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Who might interview you?
An owner, partner, manager, senior accountant, or several people at once. In a smaller office, you may meet the people you would actually work with very early.
Small-firm accounting interview
First Interview at a Small CPA Firm: What Should I Expect?
A local CPA office may interview differently from a national firm, and the conversation may be much less standardized.
Research My Interviewer FreeQuestions I would prepare first
Tell me about yourself.
Why accounting?
Why audit or tax?
Why this firm?
What accounting classes have you taken?
What Excel skills do you have?
Tell me about a team.
Tell me about a deadline.
What is your availability?
What are your CPA plans?
Could it be technical?
Possibly. For an intern, prioritize basic accounting, your coursework, anything listed on your résumé, the Excel skills you actually claim, and the service line you applied for. Do not automatically assume the interview is a CPA exam.
Why a small firm?
More direct exposure
Working closely with experienced professionals
Broader responsibilities
Local clients
Learning multiple parts of an engagement
A smaller team
Questions to ask
What would I work on during my first few weeks?
How closely do interns work with partners or managers?
Are interns exposed to multiple clients?
What makes an intern especially useful here?
How is feedback given?
Do successful interns often return full time?
Research still matters
Look at services, industries, office size, partner backgrounds, and public professional information. You do not need a full corporate intelligence operation.
Small firm does not mean small opportunity
Prepare for a more direct conversation with the people who may actually train and review your work.
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