ExamopotamiaWhy test financial analyst skills before you hire?
Analyst CVs tend to look alike: a finance degree, a modelling course and a list of spreadsheet functions. What separates people is whether they understand how the three statements connect and whether they question their own numbers. A short assessment before the first interview checks that the same way for every applicant, so your finance team only spends time on candidates who already have the foundations.
What this template covers
- Financial statements: what the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement each show.
- Ratios: gross margin, current ratio and interest coverage, and what they say about a business.
- Cash versus profit: working capital, depreciation add-backs and free cash flow.
- Time value of money: discount rates and a simple NPV calculation.
- Forecasting judgement: what to do when a forecast keeps missing in the same direction.
How to run it well
Twelve questions in 18 to 20 minutes gives candidates time to do the arithmetic on paper without making the test drag. Allow a calculator and say so in the instructions, because you are testing understanding, not mental maths. A pass mark near 65% suits graduate and junior analysts; for senior or FP&A lead roles, raise it to 75% and add harder valuation questions.
Shuffle both questions and options. Keep the mix of mostly single-choice items, one select-all question and one short numeric answer, which shows whether someone can calculate a figure rather than recognise it. In the results, pay most attention to the cash flow and forecasting questions: people who miss those tend to struggle once real month-end work starts.
Who this test is for
Use it for financial analyst, FP&A, business analyst (finance), credit analyst and graduate finance programme intakes. Recruitment agencies placing finance staff can send it as a first filter, and finance managers can use it to check where an existing team needs training before budget season. It is also a sensible check for accountants applying to move into analysis roles, since it shows whether their reporting knowledge extends to cash flow and valuation thinking.
Make it yours
Add questions built on your own reporting: a short extract of a management pack, your key ratios or the way your company treats capital expenditure. You can also ask the AI generator for more questions on topics such as variance analysis, budgeting or valuation multiples, then review each one before it goes live. Your copy sits in your own question bank, so edits never affect anyone else.