Guest post from Raine
Parker
It doesn't
matter in what type of business you're in – a small mom and pop shop or a big
oil and gas company – you probably need some professional help when it comes to
growing and managing your business' finances. Accountants are great resources
to seek out when it comes to preparing year-end taxes and revising company
expenditures. Should you be in the market to hire an accountant at your
company, it's important to know what characteristics and qualifications you're
looking for. Here are three characteristics you definitely should be on the
lookout for during the process of hiring a new accountant employee.
Expertise
One thing to remember when hiring an accountant is that there are
different types of accountants (bookkeeping accountant, tax accountant, CPA,
etc.). Whenever you're interviewing candidates, find out what expertise they
have. If you want your accountant to do more than just basic HR work and
payroll preparation, then you're definitely going to want a tax accountant or
CPA. Furthermore,
it's also wise to find an accountant with experience in your field, whether it
is retail, law, manufacturing, etc. That way, they'll be versed in all the
different laws and requirements related to your industry. Furthermore, it's
also important to look for someone that has dealt with a business size similar
to yours. If they've been employed at a huge accounting firm for the past few
years, it's unlikely they'll have the attention to detail that a small-business
accountant will have (and vice versa).
Training
As
emphasized before, not all accountants are the same. Some accountants obtain
their college degrees and learn extra bookkeeping skills through years of work
experience. Do some research and determine whether or not your company needs a
CPA (certified public accountant), CMA (certified management accountant), and
so forth. Believe me, there is a huge difference between accountants who have
solely have a college degree compared to those who have also obtained a CPA,
CMA, and other certifications. Licensing and continued education help
accountants stay on top of any changes in law and reporting requirements, so
it's definitely an asset to have. Should you find an employee candidate you
really like, but they don't have enough licensing or continued education under
their belt, see if they would be willing to obtain those things while working
for you. If your business has the funds to provide them with those resources,
then that might something to look into.
Abilities
Last but
not least, an accountant should be able to perform a myriad of work tasks,
including basic bookkeeping, tax planning, financial advising, problem solving,
etc. There's no sense in hiring someone who can't handle a number of work tasks
at once, so be on the lookout for someone that possesses the ability to setup
an efficient bookkeeping system for your company, manage the company cash flow,
make wise business decisions, and advise on any financial changes that need to
be made. An accountant should be adaptable to different situations and tasks,
so make sure to also present potential scenarios and conflicts during your
interviews and see how the candidates explain how they would handle them. It’s
also useful to have candidates describe different situations they've
experienced where they've had to utilize specific skills and expertise.
Accountants
are an asset to successful businesses and companies. If you're looking to hire
an accountant for your company in the coming months, be sure to keep these
three key points in mind.
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Raine
Parker, former accountant and financial advisor, now spends the better part of
the day writing for www.Accountingdegree.com
to spread awareness and information on all things accounting. Please submit any
comments or feedback in the section below!
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