A Guide to Crack Finance Domain Interviews at DELL
Introduction
In today’s competitive landscape, securing a finance role at a top company like Dell is a dream for many aspiring chartered accountants. The interview process for these positions is designed to test what you know, and how you think, adapt, and fit within the organization’s culture. We interviewed CA Diksha Kundu, who told us in detail about her experience of interviewing at Dell.
In this blog, we break down the process for the Dell FInance Interview for freshers along with topics and how to prepare for the questions.
Process of Dell Finance Interviews
The Dell Finance Interview process typically consists of three rounds. Generally, it starts with a general manager interview, where they check your basic knowledge. After that, you move on to a senior-level interview, where they focus on your practical experience. Then, you have to appear for the HR or director round. All these rounds evaluate your skillsets and knowledge so that you can contribute to the company’s objective. Now, let’s take a look at the detailed breakdown of Dell finance interview rounds:
Round 1: Manager Round
Before we proceed further, all the questions we present here are to provide you with a general idea about the whole process. The difficulty level of questions may differ based on your domain and experience. Here we will discuss questions from common topics you may face in this round. Let’s have a look at Dell’s managerial round interview questions:
- Revenue and recognition: For any expenditure you book, why is it sometimes expensive, and why do you sometimes consider it an asset?
- Financial reporting: Questions related to financial reporting are also important for this round. You can be asked about your familiarity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or IFRS
- Articleship Experience: Be prepared to share your articleship experience. You can expect questions like:
- Is there any situation that you handled and something that you’re proud of? Did you give any solution, and what was the reaction?
- Any challenge or conflict that you face with your manager and how you handled it?
- Questions on inventory turnover issues.
Tips: It’s evident from the question pattern that the first round is more focused on the technical part and personal experience. To clear this round you need to be very clear about the basics of accounting, IND-AS and some other topics related to financial reporting.
Round 2: Senior-Level Interview
According to CA Diksha Kundu, this round at Dell is very company-centric. It focuses on your understanding of the company’s financial operations and how well-versed you are with it.
- Questions related to growth and revenue: As mentioned, this round is more focused on Dell’s financial performance and operations. So be ready to face the questions related to its business model, revenue generation and so on.
- Current business trends and their impact on business: Interviewers can ask questions related to current business and global economic trends.
- Questions Related to Auditing: Questions around materiality and how it applies to financial reporting. To give you an idea, here’s an example, “if 100 million is the revenue and there is an amount that is still unpaid. So would you report it in your audit?”
Tips: The typical questions they ask around auditing confuse people; candidates often mistake this type of question for financial reports. So, if you are confident in your domain knowledge, you can provide a well-structured response. To crack this round you need to research the company. You should know all the nitty gritty details like ‘Who’s the CFO’? and important facts about the company.
Round 3: HR Round/Director Round
In this round, you can expect typical HR questions like:
- Why do you wish to join Dell?
- What is your career plan?
- Where do you see yourself in the future?
Tips: Dell’s HR round interview questions are to assess whether you are interested in the company or not. So good presentation skill and communication skills will help you to get through this round. Another important thing, communicate your queries well in this round. Ask all aspects of questions related to your job, it will leave a good first impression.
What Can You Expect as a CA Fresher at Dell?
As a CA fresher, you will come across two development programmes at Dell which are FDP and ADP.
Finance Development Program (FDP): It’s a two-year program with four rotations of six months each, focusing on areas like FP&A, controllership, and financial analysis.
Accounting Development Program (ADP): A 3-year program with three rotations of one year each, focusing on accounting, global operations, and sales. Candidates who are well-equipped with accounting, numbers or balance sheets can apply for ADP.
However, being selected for any of these fields is dependent on the hiring authority.
Dell Finance Interview Tips for CA Freshers
- Stay Calm: As a CA fresher, you may have to face back-to-back interviews in a day. The key to getting through the day is to stay calm. You know that, at the end of the day, you will have an offer letter or letters in your hand. You are well-versed in your domain and have good articleship experience, so you have nothing to worry about.
- Don’t stress on CTC: In our five years of experience, we have seen a lot of candidates stressing over CTC. Because money comes with experience. The four-five years of your career, after you join, are your formative years. You should focus more on the learning and growth part.
- Research well: Do good research on the company’s background. Try to obtain relevant insight into the company’s financial operations. It will make you stand out among many.
- Don’t stress about the number of attempts: When appearing for the interview, just keep in mind that an interview, getting a job and clearing CA final exams are two different things. So, don’t spoil your interview thinking about the number of attempts.
- Maintain a positive attitude: Stay positive and confident throughout the interview process.
Conclusion
Landing a finance role at a leading company like Dell is an incredible opportunity to kickstart or elevate your career. While the interview process may seem challenging, it’s also a chance to showcase your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and enthusiasm for the company.
Ultimately, every interview is a learning experience. Whether you secure the role or not, the effort you put in today will prepare you for even bigger opportunities tomorrow. So dream big, work hard, and trust that your dedication will lead to success.
Join our Getting Interview Ready Workshop now to learn more on interview prep.
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