Interview coaching for tax professionals
One hour, before the interview that matters. We work through the questions you will actually be asked, by the people who will actually be asking them.
The problem with most interview prep
It is written for everyone. You get advice about the STAR method and firm handshakes, and none of it helps when the VP of Tax asks how you would handle a provision-to-return true-up that surfaces a material weakness, or when the CFO in the third round wants to know why you left public accounting and is listening for whether you actually know.
Tax interviews fail in specific, repeatable ways. Strong technicians answer the technical question and miss the one underneath it. People from public accounting describe process when the company wants judgment. Candidates who have never reported to a CFO cannot read what a CFO is actually asking.
What we do in the hour
- The actual questions. We bring what this company, or companies like it, ask for this level. Not a generic list, the questions we have heard in these searches.
- The answer underneath the answer. Most technical questions in a tax interview are really testing judgment, ownership, or whether you will be a problem. We work out what is being asked.
- Your weak spot. Every candidate has one they are hoping does not come up. It comes up. We build the answer now instead of improvising it then.
- The room. Who you are talking to, and how the same answer should land differently for a Tax Director, a CFO, and an HR screen.
What to bring
The job description, the interview date, and the names or titles of who you are meeting if you have them. That is enough. We will have looked at the company before we talk.
What candidates say
“He’s helped coach, guide, and foster job moves for us both.”
From candidates of our recruiting practice. More recommendations on LinkedIn · Rated 4.7 on Google
$350 · 60 minutes
Common questions
How soon before the interview should we talk?
Two to four days out is the sweet spot, close enough that it stays fresh, far enough that you can work on anything that needs work. If you are interviewing inside 48 hours, book the soonest slot and tell us the date.
Do you help with a specific company, or is this general?
Specific. Bring the job description and we will prepare for that role. Where we have recruited for the company or placed people there, you get that directly.
I am in public accounting and moving to industry. Is this right for me?
That is the single most common move we coach. It is also where the most avoidable mistakes happen. The way you describe your work in a Big 4 review is close to the opposite of what an in-house tax department wants to hear.
What if I need more than one session?
Most people do not. If you are running a full search rather than preparing for one interview, we can cover search strategy as well.
Will this get me placed through your recruiting practice?
No, and we would be suspicious of anyone who said otherwise. Coaching and recruiting are kept entirely separate.
Other coaching services
- College Graduate Career Counseling$175
- LinkedIn 101$225
- Resume Advice$250
- Navigating Your Job Search$350
- Year-End Performance Review$350
- Public Accounting to Industry$350
- Executive Presentations$475
- Boardroom Presentations$550
Coaching fees are for preparation, confidence and intentional execution. They do not put you in front of our clients or move you up any shortlist. If we are actively representing you for a role with one of our clients, we will not charge you coaching fees related to that search, and we will not advise an employer on a shortlist that includes a coaching client. Full policy here.