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How to Find the Best Bookkeepers for Hire 

Introduction

That extra difference between an average and a great bookkeeper may set you apart from knowing how to handle your business’s finances. They will keep a record, ensure the finance department pays its bills on time, and provide you with major data for making sound decisions. This very post is going to help you understand why you should consider hiring, hire the roles and responsibilities of a bookkeeper, where to find bookkeeping services, the features of a good bookkeeper, how to create a job description, and steps to hire remote bookkeeping jobs the best out of all the bookkeepers who offer bookkeeping services.

Why One Should Look to Hire a Bookkeeper

Handling finance is always problematic. More often than not, finance being something one owns may be cumbersome to handle everything at go. 

Below are even more reasons why you should consider taking a bookkeeper’s services:

Accuracy: They make sure that there are records for all of the finances available and accurate.

Time-saving: It saves time to outsource the bookkeeper’s job to enable you to do other important things in the business.

Financial Health: A good bookkeeper will bring insight into your business’s financial health through detailed reports and insight. 

Compliance: They ensure that your business is in line with any kind of financial regulations and tax laws. 

Roles and Responsibilities

They are the backbone for the financial stability of your business. Some of the important functions of a bookkeeper are: 

  • Recording all Financial Transactions: Record every financial transaction like sales, purchases, receipts, and payments.
  • Reconciliation: They help in reconciling your bank statements with the financial records to ensure that there are no errors or discrepancies.
  • Invoicing: They prepare invoices to be sent out to clients. This way, they will monitor those invoices paid.
  • Payroll: They maintain payroll, making sure that every employee has been paid correctly and on time
  • Financial reporting: He will assist in preparing a report for a Balance sheet, Income statement, and Cash flow statement.
  • Budgeting: They will help prepare budgets and forecast your financial performance.

Where to Get Bookkeepers for Hire

The answer lies in where exactly one might find the most suitable bookkeeper. Here are some options:

  • Online Job Boards: Indeed, LinkedIn and Glassdoor take the cake when it comes to finding a bookkeeper for hire.
  • Freelance Websites: Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, etc. hold within themselves freelance bookkeepers who can be hired long or short-term.
  • Professional Networks: A little networking within industry-specific groups using social media sites will enable you to find one highly qualified bookkeeper.
  • Referrals: Ask for referrals from other business owners or your accountant.
  • Local Colleges: Call any local colleges that may have accounting programs. They tend to have job placement services able to connect you with recent graduates looking for a bookkeeping position.

Characteristics of a Good Bookkeeper

All bookkeepers are created equal. Some characteristics of a good bookkeeper include the following:

  • Attention to Detail: The good bookkeeper shall keep extreme care regarding the accuracy of your financial records.
  • Organizational Skills: Well-organized, able to keep on track with multiple projects promptly.
  • Communication Skills: An ability to understand your needs, communicate them, and explain financial information clearly.
  • Technical Proficiency: This indeed means having some experience or familiarity with accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, or Sage.
  • Integrity: The bookkeeper deals with sensitive information of a financial nature; thus, he needs to be a man of integrity.
  • Problem-solving skills: A good bookkeeper should be able to find and correct errors in books of account.

Create a Job Description 

Top candidates are going to be looking for a clear and concise job description, so here is a very basic outline you can use to create one for your bookkeeper:

  • Job Summary: Briefly describe the position and how it is going to work within your business.
  • Responsibilities: This includes the recordings of transactions, reconciliation of accounts, and preparation of financial reports.
  • Requirements: It shall include educational and experience qualifications and technical qualifications.
  • Preferred Skills: Any other skills that can further enhance such capability shall be added.
  • Working Conditions: Explain if it’s Work from home, Office, or Hybrid.
  • Salary and Benefits: This is the pay limit that is to be paid and the benefits the company can offer to their candidate.

Steps to Hire

There are steps to follow to make sure that one hires the best bookkeeper.

  • Determine Your Needs:  Clearly define specifically what type and level of bookkeeping you are looking for from your bookkeeper.
  • Job Definition: Define the job so that you know whom to look for.
  • Advertisement:  Advertise the position on online job sites, freelance sites, and through related professional organizations.
  • Filter Applications: Start reading the incoming resumes and filter out those that don’t meet your basic criteria.
  • Conduct Interview: Interview the shortlisted candidates, probing their skills and experiences. Check whether they will suit your business.
  • Check for References: Verify the candidate’s work record and dependability from their given references.
  • Test Their Skills: If feasible, then offer them some small tasks to understand whether they will be able to perform their duties up to par.
  • Make an Offer: In case you are convinced about some particular candidate, then make a formal offer mentioning the terms and conditions.
  • Onboard the New Bookkeeper: Ensure that you provide the training and tools that will help your new bookkeeper learn the business processes. 

Conclusion 

To find out the most worthy bookkeeper to hire requires some thinking and structuring. Equipped with this guide on why you need to hire a bookkeeper and ideas on their roles, and duties, along with the working procedures, you’ll easily pick the right one who will keep your business healthy financially. You will have just the right bookkeeper, so equip yourself with confidence to go for the next steps in growing your business, knowing your financials are in good hands.

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