Common interview questions for accounts payable specialist

The best way to prepare for an interview for account payable specialist job is to find out the questions that are usually asked and practice your responses with them before the interview day.

By preparing this way for the interview will definitely increase your chances of being hired for the account payable specialist position that you are applying for.

This post provides lots of account payable specialist interview questions you can work with in your preparation for the interview.

Please, read on:

What do Interviewers look for in an Account Payable Specialist?

Interviewers look for certain qualities when hiring for the account payable specialist position in their organizations.

They want to make sure that the right person for the account payable specialist position has strong work ethic and can get along with others very well, and is willing to take on the various tasks that will be assigned to them.

Basically, they want the person to be the best possible fit for the account payable specialist position for the company.

10 Most Common Account Payable Specialist Interview Questions and Answers

Here are some of the most common questions you would find in an account payable specialist interview, with suggested answers, to enable you to prepare well for the interview:   

1. Why are you the best candidate for this job?

I’m the perfect fit for this position because of my hardworking attitude, willingness to take on tasks, and strong work ethic.

2. How would you describe your work ethic?

My work ethic is inspired by my love of the task at hand, and I put in extra effort when needed.

3. What types of tasks or jobs have you taken on?

I’ve taken on various jobs over the years. Some of these include physical labor, customer service roles, lead positions in work groups, and even taking care of pets. I’ve always been willing to take on a task and do it well.

4. What kinds of things do you notice about this company?

There are various things that I have noticed. First, is the high volume of employees per executive here. There are also several decorations around the office that suggests a professional business environment.

5. What do you think is most important for us to know about you?

I believe it’s important for you to know that I am a strong team player. I also am dependable and have the ability to learn quickly on my feet.

6. How do you feel about working with others?

I’m a firm believer in teamwork, and I enjoy working with others on projects. There’s no better feeling than achieving success by working with others.

7. What would your previous supervisor say about you?

My previous supervisor says that I’m one of the hardest working people he has ever worked with. He also said that I’m always able to work well with others, even though my co-workers are not always the greatest.

8. What is one flaw you have?

My biggest flaw would be that I can sometimes take on too many tasks at once. This ended up exhausting me, and I had to learn how to delegate some of my work to others.

9. Have you ever failed at a task?

Yes, I’ve failed at a few tasks in my time working with various companies. One of these jobs was a customer service position. I did a great job getting a lot of customers to come back, but there were also times where I had difficult customers who gave me trouble.

10. What set you apart from the other candidates?

The fact that I’m a hard worker and always willing to take on a challenge sets me apart from the other candidates.

More Sample Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position

Here are additional account payable specialist interview questions you can practice with:

Sample Behavioral Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position

1. How would you describe your leadership style?
2. What are three mistakes you have made in your past that illustrate the quality that matters most to this position?
3. Tell me about a time where you showed great initiative.
4. When did find yourself working with people who had different perspectives on what the best course of action should be, how did you handle it?
5. Can you tell me about a problem or challenge and how you approached it? Talk through your thought process for why you took each step of the way.

Sample Case Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position?

1. How would you handle a situation where an invoice has been unpaid for over 120-days?
2. How does your system determine if the requested account is valid or not?
3. Take us through a scenario where you have to dispute an invoice.
4. What are some of the key areas that need to be monitored when managing accounts payable?
5. The major issue I see with my current supervisor is that he/she doesn’t communicate well with me and other team members. How would you deal with this situation as a manager?

Sample Competency Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position?

1. Why are you interested in this position?
2. What are the three most important skills that an accountant needs to have?
3. Can you tell me about a time when your skills were put to use?
4. What gets on your nerves the most?
5. Why should I hire you for this position over all of these other applicants who have more experience than you do, or more education than you do?

Sample Problem-Solving Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position?

1. If I asked your last boss about your performance, what would he or she say?
2. What challenges do you think account payable specialists might face in their work?
3. What would annoy you most in a typical day?
4. How did you prepare for this interview?
5. What can you do for this company that other candidates cannot?

Sample Situational Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position?

1. What is your biggest weakness?
2. Give an example of a time you were in conflict with someone at work.
3. How many hours do you usually work, per week?
4. Tell me about the best thing that happened to you this year.
5. What are your long term goals within 2 years, 5 years and 10 years from now?

Sample Communication Skills Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position?

1. What is your ability to deal with difficult people?
2. How do you handle conflicts?
3. Tell me about the last time you had to convince someone of something important. What was your strategy?
4. Tell us about your previous experience working in a team.
5. Give an example of a time when you successfully managed conflicting priorities.

Sample Interpersonal Skills Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position?

1. Tell me about a time when you had to overcome difficult obstacles.
2. What motivates you?
3. How do you maintain relationships with people in the office who are different from yourself?
4. How well can you work without supervision?
5. How would your co-workers describe you?

Sample Company Culture Interview Questions for Account Payable Specialist Position?

1. What do you know about our company culture, mission statement, and values?
2. What is better about working in a small or large company? Why?
3. What unique skills can you bring to this position?
4. Could you give me some examples of how you have handled a situation where someone was not following office policy
5. What do you think about teamwork? Give me an example of when teamwork was useful (or not useful) in your career.

The following tips will help you shine during your next interview for an account payable specialist position: 

• Research the company’s values and mission statement. A clear understanding of what makes this organization unique is crucial for success at the interview.

• Spend time researching your interviewer(s) beforehand so that you know their background and interests, which could lead to more personal conversation than strictly professional topics.

• Prepare at least one example of how you have worked in a team to overcome obstacles.

• Prepare one example of how you have handled an office policy that was not followed by someone.

Remember, the interview is your time to sell yourself! You want to give them enough information to be able to visualize you having success in this role.

Conclusion

If you are seeking an account payable specialist job and have been scheduled for an interview, the questions provided in this post will help you prepare effectively for the interview.

What questions are asked in accounts payable interview?

What are the key skills of accounts payable specialist?

Why should we hire you as an accounts payable specialist?

What are the 10 most common interview questions and answers for accounting?