Most controller interviews cover the resume and not much else. Where did you work, what systems did you use, how big was the team. That tells you where someone has been. It does not tell you how they will handle your books.
Here are five questions I use to get past the resume.
“Walk me through your last month-end close, day by day.” A strong controller can tell you exactly what happens and when, who owns what, and where it usually gets stuck. Vague answers here are a warning sign.
“Tell me about a number you caught that nobody else did.” You want someone who looks for problems before they cost you. Listen for a real example, what they noticed, and what they did about it.
“How would you explain our gross margin to someone outside finance?” Your controller has to talk to owners, managers and bankers, not just accountants. If they cannot make a number clear in plain English, that gap shows up everywhere.
“What would you change in your first 90 days, and what would you leave alone?” Good candidates know that fixing everything at once breaks things. You are listening for judgment, not a long list.
“Why this company, and why now?” This tells you whether they want this seat or just a new one. It also tells you how likely they are to stay.
None of these have a right answer to memorize. What matters is whether the candidate can talk about the real work in a real way. That is the conversation I have with every candidate before you ever meet them.
If you have a controller seat to fill and want people who can answer these questions well, call or text 262-893-1523 or email marc@mdmrecruitingllc.com.