Free template · Word and PDF

Accountant reference check template

A reference check form for accountants, bookkeepers and finance officers. It adds eight questions on accuracy, month-end and deadlines, compliance, systems and integrity with money.

Download Word (.docx)Download PDF
  • Free, no sign-up
  • Editable Word file
  • 8 accountant questions

What to focus on in a accountant reference check

For finance roles, accuracy and integrity come first. Ask the finance manager or business owner about errors, deadlines and how the candidate handled pressure at month-end or year-end.

8 reference check questions to ask about a accountant

Ask these after the standard verification and performance questions. They are already in the Word and PDF template.

  1. 1.What were the candidate's main responsibilities: payables, payroll, reconciliations, reporting?
  2. 2.How accurate was their work? Were errors caught by them or by others?
  3. 3.How did they handle month-end, year-end and tax deadlines?
  4. 4.Which accounting systems did they use, and how well?
  5. 5.How did they explain numbers to non-finance managers?
  6. 6.Did they ever raise a concern about a transaction or a control?
  7. 7.Were there ever concerns about how they handled money or approvals?
  8. 8.Would you trust them with your books again?

What a strong reference sounds like

  • Finds and fixes their own errors
  • Meets every deadline
  • Raises control concerns
  • Owner would trust them again

Red flags to follow up

  • Errors caught by others
  • Missed lodgements or deadlines
  • Any hesitation on the money question
  • Referee avoids the final question

Download the accountant reference check template

Free, no sign-up. The Word version is editable; the PDF is ready to print.

Download Word (.docx)Download PDF

Want more questions? See 35 reference check questions to ask references. Prefer referees to answer online? HiveRef sends the form, chases replies and builds the report. Start with 4 free checks.

Accountant Reference Check Template

For phone or written reference checks. Use the same questions for every referee so answers are comparable.

1. Candidate and referee details

  • Candidate name
  • Role applied for
  • Referee name
  • Referee job title and organisation
  • Referee email and phone
  • Relationship to the candidate (for example, direct manager)
  • Date of reference check
  • Checked by

2. Consent

Confirm the candidate agreed to you contacting this referee. Tell the referee their answers are used only for this hiring decision.

  • Candidate consent confirmed (yes / no)
  • Date consent was given

3. Verification questions

  1. 1.How do you know the candidate, and what was your working relationship?
  2. 2.What were the candidate's start and end dates, as far as you remember them?
  3. 3.What was their job title, and did it change while you worked together?
  4. 4.Did the candidate report to you directly? If not, how often did you see their work?
  5. 5.What were the main reasons the candidate left, as far as you know?

4. Performance questions

  1. 6.Which parts of the role did the candidate own day to day?
  2. 7.Tell me about a deadline the candidate missed or nearly missed. What happened next?
  3. 8.Give an example of the candidate producing good work with incomplete information.
  4. 9.What result improved while they were in the role, and what was their contribution?
  5. 10.When results were below expectations, how did they respond to feedback?
  6. 11.What skill did the candidate develop most while you worked together?

5. Accountant questions

  1. 12.What were the candidate's main responsibilities: payables, payroll, reconciliations, reporting?
  2. 13.How accurate was their work? Were errors caught by them or by others?
  3. 14.How did they handle month-end, year-end and tax deadlines?
  4. 15.Which accounting systems did they use, and how well?
  5. 16.How did they explain numbers to non-finance managers?
  6. 17.Did they ever raise a concern about a transaction or a control?
  7. 18.Were there ever concerns about how they handled money or approvals?
  8. 19.Would you trust them with your books again?

6. Working style and integrity

  1. 20.Describe a disagreement the candidate had with a colleague. How did they move the work forward?
  2. 21.How did the candidate ask for help when they needed it?
  3. 22.When the candidate made a mistake that affected others, what did they do?
  4. 23.What would you tell a new manager about working with this person?

7. Closing questions

  1. 24.Is there anything we have not asked that you think we should know?
  2. 25.What kind of manager or team would get the best out of this person?
  3. 26.Would you hire or work with this person again? Why or why not?

8. Recommendation

  • Overall: recommend / recommend with reservations / do not recommend
  • Strengths confirmed
  • Concerns or follow-ups
  • Signed and dated

Do not ask about health, family, age, religion or other protected personal information, and check the law where you hire.

Frequently asked questions

Should I check qualifications as well as references?

Yes. Confirm professional memberships and qualifications with the issuing body. References tell you how the candidate actually worked.

What is the key accountant reference question?

Ask whether errors were caught by the candidate or by someone else. It shows attention to detail.

Can I use this for bookkeepers?

Yes. Swap the reporting question for one about the specific bookkeeping tasks in your role.

Send these accountant questions online instead.

HiveRef emails the referees, chases them for you and puts every answer into one report. First 4 checks free, no card needed.

Start freeSee a sample report