IRS Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 329 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
30 roles · 329 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at IRS.
IRS
Attorney
Mid Average Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral
It was a 45-minute interview, pretty much just one conversation. They wanted to see if I was interested in the job and in public service. They asked about my past work and how my education would apply. The whole process, from interviewing to getting the offer, took about a month.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What is your motivation for seeking employment at this organization?
IRS
Revenue Officer
Mid Easy Neutral experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Case
It was a quick process. About 5 questions total. I spoke with my manager's supervisor. I introduced myself, then I was given about 3-5 work-related scenarios and asked how I would handle them as a Revenue Officer. The questions were geared towards someone already in the role, which was a bit unexpected, but scenario questions are pretty standard for external hires. I had done some research, so it wasn't a total surprise. One question was exactly what I found online. No follow-ups, and it was over in about 15 minutes.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Situational questions about how I would proceed as a Revenue Officer were asked.
- The interviewer seemed to be assessing my temperament, reasoning, and communication skills for an external hire.
- One of the questions asked was identical to what I found through internet research.
IRS
Public Affairs Specialist
Mid Easy Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Presentation Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
You'll meet with a panel of three people who will ask you standard questions. They want to know how you manage competing priorities, advise partners who might not want to listen, share a success story as a communication pro, and how you approach communication planning. Make sure to send in work samples, or you probably won't be considered.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you provide work samples for us to look at?
IRS
Contact Representative
Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Take home Background check Offer
Interview formats
Other
It was super easy. No actual interview. Applied online, went to a hiring event where they picked 200 people. Got an email with questions to answer. Then waited for a conditional offer. Accepted it. Then someone called to get my fingerprints and photo for a badge. After that, I waited for the final offer with pay and schedule details.
Confirmed questions1 question
- No interview was conducted, selection was based on answers to questions provided in an email following a hiring event.
IRS Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from IRS interview reports.
“A taxpayer provides telephone records showing 60% personal use and 40% business use, with a monthly bill of $75. How much of a deduction for business use would you allow on his taxes for the entire year?”
Read reports →“What would you do if a restaurant owner was going to have assets seized but the night before it mysteriously burnt down.”
Read reports →“What would you do if a single mother, a waitress with a kid, who's behind on taxes, had to pay everything back?”
Read reports →“For a hypothetical transfer pricing scenario, what would be the appropriate markup for a foreign contract manufacturer of drugs?”
Read reports →“How would you address a situation with a single parent household that has underreported income and is unable to pay the taxes due to an incorrectly filed tax report.”
Read report →“What would you do if a cash payment arrived without a taxpayer's social security number, and a coworker confirmed it was for their taxpayer?”
Read report →“How would you deal with a person who owes a lot of money and can't afford to pay it back?”
Read report →“What action would you take if a taxpayer attempted to bribe you with $10,000 to waive their tax obligations?”
Read report →“What steps would you take if a family member asked you to remove a lien from a house to facilitate its sale?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 329 IRS interview reports.