Assistant controller interview questions across technical accounting, internal controls, leadership, and behavioral sets, plus a weighted 1-to-5 scorecard.
6 interviewer-side question kits across technical accounting, internal controls, leadership, and behavioral sets, plus a weighted 1-to-5 scorecard. Download as DOCX.
An assistant controller keeps your general ledger clean, owns large parts of the close, reviews the accounting team's work, and backstops the controller. That makes the interview unusually high-stakes: you are not just checking whether someone is a strong accountant, but whether they can review others, hold the line on controls, and run the function when the controller is out. A structured set of questions and a consistent scorecard are what separate a confident hire from a costly one.
This page gives you six interviewer-side kits: technical accounting and close, internal controls and compliance, leadership and team management, behavioral and situational, a version tuned for a small or growing finance team, and a weighted scorecard to tie it together. The questions are written for the person doing the hiring, with what to listen for on each one. For the role itself, the assistant controller job description templates pair naturally with this guide.
TL;DR
Interview an assistant controller across four areas, weighting the first two most: technical accounting and close, internal controls and integrity, leadership, and behavioral. The strongest answers are specific and first-person, not textbook. Because the role supervises staff accountants and backstops the controller, test leadership directly. Score with a weighted 1-to-5 scorecard so the debrief compares evidence, not impressions. This page has six question kits plus the scorecard; download all as one DOCX.
What an Assistant Controller Does
An assistant controller is the controller's second-in-command in the accounting function, owning much of the month-end and year-end close, reviewing staff accountants' reconciliations and journal entries, helping maintain internal controls, and stepping in to run the function when the controller is away. The role sits one level below the controller and above staff accountants, which is why it signals a more developed finance department.
There is no separate federal occupation for the title; it falls between the accountant and the financial manager levels. The closest proxies are accountants and auditors for the technical foundation and financial managers for the supervisory and judgment dimension. For the interview, what matters is that you are testing both at once: deep technical accounting and the leadership to review and backstop a team.
What to Assess in the Interview
A strong assistant controller interview tests four competency clusters, and the first two carry the most weight because they are the core of the role. Map your questions to these rather than asking a loose collection, so every candidate is measured the same way.
Technical depth
Owns the month-end close calendar
Reconciles and resolves differences methodically
Applies real GAAP judgment and documents it
Controls and integrity
Designs and improves internal controls
Handles segregation of duties on a lean team
Escalates errors with sound judgment
Leadership
Develops and reviews staff accountants
Runs the team when the controller is out
Disagrees professionally and commits
Business partnering
Explains finance to non-finance leaders
Improves process and automates the close
Partners directly with an owner or CFO
Technical depth and controls integrity are the gates; leadership and business partnering are what separate a good assistant controller from a great one. For a structured way to define the role before you interview, the guide to defining job responsibilities and the broader guide to writing a job description are useful companions.
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Use the kits together across a structured process, or pull the ones that fit each interview stage. The technical and controls kits belong in the core technical round; the leadership and behavioral kits fit a second conversation; the small-team kit is for a lean or growing finance function; and the scorecard ties every interviewer's read together.
Technical Accounting and Close
The core gate
GAAP depth, the month-end close, reconciliations, and revenue and accrual judgment. The non-negotiable competency for the role; start here.
Internal Controls and Compliance
Protecting the numbers
Control design, segregation of duties on a small team, audit readiness, and how the candidate handles finding an error.
Leadership and Team Management
The controller's right hand
Developing and reviewing staff accountants, running the team when the controller is out, and professional disagreement.
Behavioral and Situational
How they actually work
STAR-format questions on stressful closes, explaining finance to non-finance leaders, automation, and deadline pressure.
Small Finance Team / First Hire
For a lean team
Breadth, a builder mindset, partnering with an owner or CFO, and comfort being hands-on, for a smaller or growing company.
Weighted Scorecard
Compare candidates fairly
A weighted 1-to-5 scorecard across six competencies, so every interviewer scores the same way and the debrief compares evidence.
Match the Kit to the Stage
Core technical round: Technical Accounting and Close, plus Internal Controls and Compliance. Second interview: Leadership and Team Management, plus Behavioral and Situational. Hiring for a lean or growing finance team: add the Small Finance Team kit. Every stage: have each interviewer fill out the Weighted Scorecard independently before the debrief.
6 Assistant Controller Interview Question Kits
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual kits. Each kit includes a short how-to, the questions with what to listen for, and a scoring line, so the person interviewing has everything in one place. Fill in the candidate and interviewer details and use the same kits across every candidate.
Download All 6 Interview Kits
Technical, controls, leadership, behavioral, small-team, and the weighted scorecard. All in one DOCX.
Kit 1: Technical Accounting and Close Questions
The core gate: GAAP depth, the month-end close, reconciliations, and revenue and accrual judgment. Look for specific, first-person answers that reference real ledgers and deadlines.
Technical Accounting and Close Questions
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER INTERVIEW: TECHNICAL ACCOUNTING AND CLOSE
Candidate: __
Interviewer: __
Date: _
HOW TO USE THIS KIT
Ask these to test depth in GAAP, the month-end close, and the
reconciliations an assistant controller owns day to day. Look for
specific, structured answers that reference real ledgers, real
deadlines, and real judgment, not textbook definitions. Score each
answer 1 to 5 using the rubric, and note an example the candidate
gives in their own words.
QUESTIONS
1. Walk me through your month-end close, start to finish. Where
does it usually slow down, and what have you done to speed it up?
[Look for: ownership of the close calendar, specific bottlenecks,
a concrete improvement with a result.]
2. How do you approach a balance sheet reconciliation that will not
tie out? Walk me through your process for finding the difference.
[Look for: a methodical process, materiality judgment, when they
escalate.]
3. Tell me about a revenue recognition or accrual judgment you had
to make. What guidance did you apply, and how did you document it?
[Look for: real GAAP reasoning (ASC 606 / accruals), documentation
discipline, not just "I asked the controller."]
4. What does a strong account reconciliation review look like to
you when you are reviewing a staff accountant's work?
[Look for: review standards, catching errors, coaching, not just
signing off.]
5. How do you keep the general ledger clean and audit-ready
throughout the year, rather than scrambling at year-end?
Score 1-5 per question (see rubric). Technical depth is the core
gate for this role; a candidate who cannot speak specifically to the
close and reconciliations is not ready for assistant controller.
Total ____ / 25 Notes: __
Kit 2: Internal Controls and Compliance Questions
Control design, segregation of duties on a small team, audit readiness, and how the candidate handles finding an error. Weight integrity and escalation judgment heavily.
Internal Controls and Compliance Questions
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER INTERVIEW: INTERNAL CONTROLS AND COMPLIANCE
Candidate: __
Interviewer: __
Date: _
HOW TO USE THIS KIT
An assistant controller protects the integrity of the numbers. These
questions test whether the candidate thinks in terms of controls,
segregation of duties, and audit readiness, not just bookkeeping.
Score each answer 1 to 5 and capture a specific example.
QUESTIONS
1. Describe an internal control you designed or improved. What risk
did it address, and how did you know it was working?
[Look for: risk-first thinking, a real control, evidence it worked.]
2. How do you handle segregation of duties on a small accounting
team where there are not enough people to fully separate roles?
[Look for: compensating controls, practical judgment, owner or
controller review as a mitigating step.]
3. Walk me through how you prepare for and support an external audit.
Developing and reviewing staff accountants, running the team when the controller is out, and professional disagreement. Test this separately from technical skill.
Leadership and Team Management Questions
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER INTERVIEW: LEADERSHIP AND TEAM MANAGEMENT
Candidate: __
Interviewer: __
Date: _
HOW TO USE THIS KIT
An assistant controller usually supervises staff accountants and is
the controller's right hand. These questions test people leadership,
review discipline, and the ability to run the team when the
controller is out. Score each answer 1 to 5 with a noted example.
QUESTIONS
1. Tell me about a staff accountant you developed. What did they
struggle with, and what did you do to help them improve?
[Look for: real coaching, patience, measurable growth.]
2. How do you review your team's work without becoming a bottleneck
yourself? Where do you draw the line on what you re-check?
[Look for: risk-based review, trust calibrated to the person.]
3. The controller is out for two weeks during close. How do you keep
the team on schedule and make decisions in their absence?
[Look for: ownership, judgment on what to decide vs escalate.]
4. Describe a disagreement you had with your controller or CFO about
an accounting treatment. How did you handle it?
[Look for: backbone with professionalism, disagree-and-commit.]
5. How do you keep a small accounting team motivated through a long,
Score 1-5 per question (see rubric). For a role that backstops the
controller, weight the "controller is out" answer (question 3) and
the disagreement answer (question 4) most.
Total ____ / 25 Notes: __
Kit 4: Behavioral and Situational Questions
STAR-format questions on stressful closes, explaining finance to non-finance leaders, automation, and deadline pressure. Look for specific, first-person examples.
Behavioral and Situational Questions
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER INTERVIEW: BEHAVIORAL AND SITUATIONAL
Candidate: __
Interviewer: __
Date: _
HOW TO USE THIS KIT
Behavioral questions surface how a candidate actually works under
pressure, on deadlines, and across departments. Use the STAR
approach: ask for the Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Score each
answer 1 to 5 and note the specific example given.
QUESTIONS
1. Tell me about the most stressful close you have managed. What
went wrong, and how did you bring it in?
[Look for: composure, prioritization, a real result.]
2. Describe a time you had to explain a financial issue to a
non-finance leader, like an owner or operations head. How did you
make it land?
[Look for: translation skill, clarity, business partnering.]
3. Tell me about a process you automated or streamlined in accounting.
What was the before and after?
[Look for: initiative, tools, measurable time or error savings.]
4. Give me an example of a deadline you were going to miss. What did
you do?
[Look for: early warning, problem-solving, communication.]
5. Why an assistant controller role, and where do you want to be in
Kit 5: Small Finance Team / First Assistant Controller Questions
For a smaller or growing company: breadth, a builder mindset, partnering with an owner or CFO, and comfort being hands-on as well as reviewing the team.
Small Finance Team / First Assistant Controller Questions
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER INTERVIEW: SMALL FINANCE TEAM / FIRST HIRE
Candidate: __
Interviewer: __
Date: _
HOW TO USE THIS KIT
In a smaller or fast-growing company, an assistant controller wears
more hats than in a large finance department. They may own systems,
build process from scratch, and partner directly with the owner or
CFO. These questions test breadth, scrappiness, and fit for a lean
team. Score each answer 1 to 5 with an example.
QUESTIONS
1. You would be one of a few people in finance here. Are you
comfortable both reviewing the team and rolling up your sleeves on
the detail yourself? Give me an example.
[Look for: genuine comfort with hands-on work, no title ego.]
2. We do not have every accounting system fully built out yet. Tell
me about a time you built or fixed a process or system, not just
ran one someone else designed.
[Look for: builder mindset, ownership of ambiguity.]
3. How would you partner with an owner or CFO who is strong on the
business but not deep in accounting? What do they need from you?
4. With a small team, you cannot fully separate every duty. How would
you keep our controls sound at our size?
[Look for: practical compensating controls, honesty about limits.]
5. What would you want to understand about our business in your first
30 days to be effective here?
[Look for: curiosity about the business, not just the ledger.]
SCORING
Score 1-5 per question (see rubric). For a lean team, weight breadth
and the builder mindset (questions 1 and 2); a great big-company
specialist is not always a great small-team fit.
Total ____ / 25 Notes: __
Kit 6: Weighted Interview Scorecard
A weighted 1-to-5 scorecard across six competencies, so every interviewer scores the same way and the debrief compares evidence rather than first impressions.
Score each competency 1 to 5 using the rating scale below, multiply
by the weight, and total. Have every interviewer complete the
scorecard independently before you discuss, so the debrief compares
evidence rather than first impressions. The weights reflect what
matters most for this role; adjust them to your business.
Rating scale:
5 = Outstanding, clear evidence and strong examples
4 = Above expectations
3 = Meets expectations
2 = Below expectations, some concerns
1 = Poor, clear gap
WEIGHTED COMPETENCIES
Technical accounting and close (GAAP, reconciliations) x3
Score ____ x3 = ____
Internal controls, audit, and integrity x3
Score ____ x3 = ____
Leadership and review of staff accountants x2
Score ____ x2 = ____
Communication and business partnering x2
Score ____ x2 = ____
Systems, process improvement, and adaptability x1
Score ____ x1 = ____
Fit for our team size and stage x1
Score ____ x1 = ____
TOTAL
Total weighted score ____ / 60
Standout strengths: __
Concerns or follow-ups: __
Reference checks to confirm: __
How to Score Answers (1-to-5 Rubric)
A scorecard only works if everyone applies the same scale. Use this 1-to-5 rubric for each competency, and require interviewers to note the example behind every score so the debrief rests on evidence. The defining line is specificity: real, first-person examples score high, and textbook answers without a concrete example score low no matter how fluent.
5
Outstanding
Clear, specific evidence with strong first-person examples. The candidate owns the process, references real ledgers and deadlines, and shows judgment beyond the textbook answer.
4
Above expectations
Solid, concrete answers with a real example, slightly less depth or polish than a 5. Would handle the competency well with normal ramp-up.
3
Meets expectations
Adequate answer that covers the basics without standout depth. Can do the work, but does not yet signal range or initiative in this area.
2
Below expectations
Vague or generic answer, leans on theory over experience, or shows a gap. Some concern that the candidate has not actually owned this responsibility.
1
Poor
Clear gap. Cannot speak specifically to the competency, or the answer raises a real flag on integrity, judgment, or fit.
Apply the rubric live during the interview rather than from memory afterward, and have each interviewer complete the interview evaluation form independently before the group compares notes. That single discipline does more to improve a finance hire than any individual question.
How to Structure the Interview
An assistant controller hire is high-stakes and hard to reverse, so the process should be structured and consistent rather than a single conversation. These are the realities worth getting right before you start scheduling.
Lead with technical and controls evidence, because this role is the guardrail on your numbers
The assistant controller is the person who keeps the general ledger clean, owns the close, reviews the team's reconciliations, and protects the integrity of your financials. That means the interview cannot rest on rapport or a polished resume; it has to test technical depth and controls judgment directly. The strongest signal is specificity. A candidate who can walk you through their actual month-end close, name where it bottlenecks, and describe a reconciliation they chased to the dollar is showing you they have owned the work. A candidate who answers in textbook definitions has not. Weight the technical accounting and internal controls kits most heavily, and treat the integrity and escalation question (what they did when they found an error) as close to a pass-fail. A weak answer there is the one finding you cannot coach away after the hire.
Test leadership separately, because an assistant controller is the controller's backstop
Unlike a senior accountant, an assistant controller supervises staff accountants and is expected to run the close when the controller is out. That is a different skill from being a strong individual contributor, and plenty of excellent accountants have never managed or reviewed anyone. Ask directly: how do they develop a struggling staff accountant, how do they review work without becoming a bottleneck, and how do they make decisions in the controller's absence. The disagreement question matters here too. You want someone with the backbone to push back on an accounting treatment they believe is wrong, and the professionalism to disagree and commit once a decision is made. The leadership kit exists to surface this, so do not fold it into the technical conversation and assume it is covered.
Score every interviewer the same way, because consensus by impression favors the polished over the qualified
Finance hires are high-stakes and hard to reverse, and unstructured panels tend to converge on whoever interviewed best rather than whoever is most qualified. A weighted scorecard fixes that. Define the competencies that matter for your business, weight them so technical depth and controls outrank surface polish, and have each interviewer score independently before anyone compares notes. Then the debrief is a comparison of evidence, not a contest of first impressions. The weighted scorecard in this set does exactly that across six competencies. The point is not the precise math; it is forcing the conversation onto what each person actually demonstrated, which is where good finance hiring decisions get made.
Stage
Focus
Kits to use
Screening call
Experience, motivation, level fit
Behavioral (Q5), quick technical check
Technical round
Close, reconciliations, GAAP, controls
Technical, Internal Controls
Leadership round
Team supervision, judgment, pressure
Leadership, Behavioral
Final with controller/CFO
Fit, partnering, team and stage
Small Finance Team, scorecard review
Keep the timeline tight enough to stay competitive, since experienced assistant controllers move quickly, and use references to confirm the technical and integrity signals the interviews surfaced before you extend an offer.
Assistant Controller Salary
An assistant controller sits between a senior accountant and a controller in pay, so benchmark to both ends and set your range for your market and the role's scope. Knowing the band helps you screen for fit and avoid wasting a strong candidate's time.
Between Two Federal Proxies (BLS, May 2024)
There is no separate occupation for the title, so anchor between two. Accountants and auditors had a median of $81,680, with the top 10 percent above $141,420. Financial managers, where controllers sit, had a median of $161,700. An assistant controller typically falls between, commonly in the $90,000 to $130,000 range depending on market and scope.
Pay runs higher in major metros and in transaction-complex industries like manufacturing, construction, and multi-entity operations, and lower for a first assistant controller at a smaller company. Because the role is supervisory and judgment-intensive, it is almost always exempt and salaried under the exempt versus non-exempt tests, though classification depends on actual duties and some states set stricter thresholds. Benchmark to your specific market and publish a range.
After You Hire: Onboarding an Assistant Controller
Onboarding a finance hire at this level is about systems, your close, and clear ownership, because the role's value depends on plugging into your accounting workflow quickly and to your standard. The offer goes out in writing, then the ramp: scoped access to the general ledger and reporting tools aligned with your controls, a walkthrough of your close calendar and reconciliation standards, and a clear agreement on what they own by the first and second close.
Send the offer in writing
Confirm the level, salary, reporting line to the controller or CFO, and start date in a written offer, so a finance hire knows exactly what they accepted.
Provision systems and access
Grant scoped access to the general ledger, ERP, banking, and reporting tools the role needs, documented and aligned with your segregation-of-duties controls.
Train on your close and controls
Walk through your close calendar, chart of accounts, reconciliation standards, and control expectations, so the assistant controller works to your standard from week one.
Set first-close goals
Agree on what they own by the first and second month-end close and the review standards you expect, so they have concrete targets, not a vague mandate.
Once the candidate accepts, the documents and ramp follow a familiar sequence, and a structured first 30 to 60 days built around your close calendar gets a new assistant controller productive faster. FirstHR connects the hiring-to-onboarding side of this: e-signature for the offer letter, document storage for signed forms, training assignments for your close and controls process, and onboarding checklists with task assignments, in one place built for growing teams. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an accounting or ERP system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
Interview an assistant controller across four areas, weighting technical accounting and internal controls most, then leadership and behavioral.
The strongest answers are specific and first-person, referencing real ledgers, deadlines, and judgment, not textbook definitions.
Because the role supervises staff accountants and backstops the controller, test leadership directly rather than assuming the technical round covers it.
Treat the integrity and escalation question (what they did when they found an error) as close to pass-fail.
Score with a weighted 1-to-5 scorecard, completed independently before the debrief, so you compare evidence rather than first impressions.
The role is almost always exempt and salaried, and pay typically falls between accountant and controller benchmarks, commonly $90,000 to $130,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
What questions should I ask an assistant controller candidate?
Cover four areas and weight the first two most. Technical accounting and close: walk me through your month-end close and where it slows down, and how you approach a reconciliation that will not tie out. Internal controls and compliance: describe a control you designed, how you handle segregation of duties on a small team, and what you did when you found an error. Leadership: how you develop and review staff accountants, and how you run the team when the controller is out. Behavioral: the most stressful close you managed, and a time you explained a financial issue to a non-finance leader. The strongest answers are specific and first-person, referencing real ledgers, real deadlines, and real judgment rather than textbook definitions. Use a weighted scorecard so technical depth and controls integrity outweigh surface polish, and so every interviewer scores the same way before you compare notes.
What is the difference between a controller and an assistant controller?
They sit on the same finance ladder, one level apart. A controller owns the company's accounting function: the close, financial reporting, controls, the audit relationship, and the accounting team, usually reporting to a CFO or owner. An assistant controller is the controller's second-in-command, owning large parts of the close and reconciliations day to day, supervising staff accountants, and stepping in to run the function when the controller is out. The assistant controller role typically appears only once the accounting team is large enough to need a second management layer, which is why it signals a more developed finance department. In the interview, that distinction matters: you are testing not just whether the candidate is a strong accountant, but whether they can review others' work and act as a reliable backstop to the controller. A great individual contributor is not automatically ready for the supervisory and judgment demands of the assistant controller seat.
What technical skills should an assistant controller have?
An assistant controller needs deep, applied GAAP knowledge, full ownership of the month-end and year-end close, and strong reconciliation and review discipline. Day to day, that means closing the books accurately and on time, reviewing staff accountants' reconciliations and journal entries, applying real judgment on accruals and revenue recognition, and keeping the general ledger clean and audit-ready year-round rather than scrambling at year-end. They should be comfortable supporting an external audit, designing and improving internal controls, and working fluently in your ERP or accounting system. In smaller or growing companies, add systems and process-building skill, since the assistant controller often improves or builds process rather than just running what someone else designed. In the interview, test these with specifics: ask the candidate to walk through their actual close and a reconciliation they chased down, because a candidate who can only speak in definitions has likely not owned the work.
How do you assess leadership in an assistant controller interview?
Test it directly and separately from technical skill, because supervising and reviewing a team is a different competency from being a strong individual contributor. Ask the candidate to describe a staff accountant they developed and what they did to help that person improve, which surfaces real coaching rather than just delegation. Ask how they review work without becoming a bottleneck, which reveals whether they calibrate review to risk and trust. Ask how they would keep the team on schedule and make decisions if the controller were out for two weeks during close, which tests their readiness to act as a backstop. Finally, ask about a disagreement with a controller or CFO over an accounting treatment, looking for the backbone to push back professionally and the maturity to commit once a decision is made. Many excellent accountants have never managed anyone, so do not assume leadership is covered by a strong technical conversation.
What is a good interview scorecard for an assistant controller?
A good scorecard lists the competencies that matter for the role, weights them, and has every interviewer score independently on a consistent scale before anyone compares notes. For an assistant controller, weight technical accounting and close and internal controls and integrity most heavily, since they are the core of the role, then leadership and review of staff accountants, communication and business partnering, systems and process improvement, and fit for your team size and stage. Use a 1-to-5 scale where 5 is clear, specific evidence with strong examples and 1 is a clear gap, and require interviewers to note the example behind each score. The value is not the precise math; it is forcing the debrief to compare what each candidate actually demonstrated rather than who interviewed most smoothly. The weighted scorecard in this set does this across six competencies and can be adjusted to your business.
Do small businesses hire assistant controllers?
Less often than they hire a single controller or a bookkeeper, because the assistant controller is a second finance-management layer that usually appears once the accounting team is large enough to need it. A very small company typically runs finance with a bookkeeper plus outsourced or fractional accounting, and adds a single controller as it grows and transaction complexity increases. The assistant controller seat tends to emerge in larger or more complex operations, such as multi-entity manufacturers, construction firms, healthcare groups, or fast-scaling investor-backed companies, where the controller needs a deputy and someone to supervise staff accountants. If you are a smaller or growing business hiring your first assistant controller, weight breadth and a builder mindset in the interview, since the role will wear more hats and often build process rather than just run it. The small finance team kit in this set is written for exactly that situation.
Is an assistant controller exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
An assistant controller is almost always exempt and salaried. The role is a supervisory, judgment-intensive finance position whose primary duties involve managing the close, exercising discretion and independent judgment on accounting matters of significance, and typically supervising staff accountants, which fits the executive or administrative exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act, provided the salary basis test is met at or above the federal threshold. Because the role pays well above that threshold in practice, classification is rarely a close call. Still, classification depends on actual duties rather than the job title, and some states set their own salary thresholds and tests that are stricter than the federal floor. Confirm the classification against the real duties and your state's rules rather than assuming the title settles it. This is general information, not legal advice.
How long should an assistant controller interview process take?
Plan for a structured, multi-stage process rather than a single conversation, because a finance hire at this level is high-stakes and hard to reverse. A common shape is a screening call to confirm experience and motivation, a technical interview focused on the close, reconciliations, and GAAP judgment, a leadership and behavioral interview covering team supervision and how the candidate works under pressure, and a final conversation with the controller or CFO and any cross-functional partners. Use a consistent set of question kits and a weighted scorecard across stages so every interviewer evaluates the same competencies and you can compare evidence rather than impressions. Keep the overall timeline tight enough to stay competitive for strong candidates, since experienced assistant controllers move quickly, while still leaving room for reference checks that confirm the technical and integrity signals the interviews surfaced. This is general guidance; tailor the stages to your team and stage.
