Sourcing a suitable accounting manager makes quite a difference in the financial health and operational efficiency of any business venture. The roles that an accounting manager plays in an organization include oversight of daily financial operations, assurance of regulatory compliance, team management, and providing accurate financial reports that would inform business decisions. Since the tasks were pretty complex, it is essential to consider accounting skills in candidates at the time of hiring.
A well-structured accounting skill assessment allows one to understand not only technical skills but also managerial ones. The following article will discuss what an accounting skills assessment is, how to create one with the help of OnlineExamMaker, and share three tips that will make the assessment effective and comprehensive.
- What Is An Accounting Skills Assessment?
- How to Make A Skills Assessment to Test Accounting Managers Using OnlineExamMaker?
- 3 Tips to Create An Online Accounting Manager Skills Assessment
What Is An Accounting Skills Assessment?
The accounting skill assessment test is designed to help review candidate proficiency in basic principles, technical tasks of accounting, and financial management skills. It helps determine whether or not candidates possess the knowledge necessary for this position, like financial reporting, budgeting, tax compliance, internal controls, etc. In the case of accounting managers, leadership qualities are an added skill, while team management and problem-solving are assessed as important traits.
How to Make A Skills Assessment to Test Accounting Managers Using OnlineExamMaker?
With OnlineExamMaker, it is easy and quick to create a custom skills assessment for accounting managers. Here’s how you get started.
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Step 1: Design a new assessment
With OnlineExamMaker, one can create a series of question types from multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions to more practical tasks. For the accounting manager, include a mix of questions that both test technical accounting knowledge example might be, “What is the proper journal entry for an accrual?”, and managerial skills, using questions such as, “How would you handle the conflict between team members where there is a dispute with a financial decision?”.
You can also construct case studies or scenario-type questions wherein candidates will be required to analyze a certain set of financial data to make decisions or recommendations. This scenario would be very similar to how a real accounting manager faces these situations.
Step 2: Set difficulty levels and customization
Depending on the position you are looking to fill, make the test questions more or less challenging. For entry-level accounting positions, for instance, you can have more emphasis on basic accounting skills. On the other hand, when testing a managerial position, the questions should be at a more advanced level, testing leadership, team management, and strategic thinking in financial decision-making.
Step 3: Use time-limited questions
Time-limited assessments help to simulate the high-pressure environment to which accounting managers are often exposed. By establishing appropriate time limits for particular tasks, such as preparing a financial report or analyzing data, you will be able to determine how well a candidate works under time pressure and manages his or her time accordingly.
Step 4: Preview and release the assessment
After you configure the settings of the accounting skills assessment, you can preview the exam on your own computer. After you ensure the settings are ready, you can publish the assessment and share it to candidates via a link or QR code.
Step 5: Automate grading and generate reports
The automatic grading of the test is followed by a detailed report that is obtained from OnlineExamMaker when the candidates finish the assessment. It makes a comparison of the candidate’s skills objectively and in a relatively quick time.
3 Tips to Create An Online Accounting Manager Skills Assessment
1. Include real-world scenarios
Since the accounting manager typically has to make decisions that could affect the financial health of the company, include scenario-based questions that require candidates to solve real-world problems. This might be creating a budget plan, finding discrepancies in financial statements, or recommending cost-saving strategies. In this way, you will be able to see how well they apply their knowledge in practical situations.
2. Test both technical and managerial skills
An effective accounting manager will require a combination of strong technical and management abilities: accounting, auditing, and financial reporting with team leading, decision-making, and communication. Your review has to mention these two major aspects. Supplement questions about bookkeeping processes and regulations with questions concerning team management, conflict resolution, and division of labor.
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3. Focus on attention to detail and accuracy
Accounting managers should be precise and accurate in their practice. To that effect, your assessment tasks should include activities where the candidate is required to find mistakes in financial reports, inconsistencies in budgeting, or compliance with tax laws. This will give you a better understanding of their attention to detail, which is paramount for any accounting professional.
The accounting manager’s skills need to be put to the test before hiring someone into that position to ensure that you are hiring an individual with the right technical and managerial skills. Using a tool like OnlineExamMaker, one can create a customized assessment testing accounting and leadership skills necessary for this position. You will be able to build custom-situated, effective tests under the scenarios that can indeed provide you with substantial experience in how each candidate will behave amidst stress and if he potentially possesses the needed skills for achieving excellence in a managerial accounting position. It ensures that OnlineExamMaker helps your processes save time in recruiting while selecting the best candidate through evidence that can be made onto any accounting team.
