Hiring the right accounting candidates is all about balance. You need new employees with strong technical abilities along with the good communication skills.
How can you screen for both, so you make the best hiring decision possible for your organization? Here are a few tips to help you hire an accountant:
Know what skills and qualifications to lookout for.
To hire the best talent, you need to attract them with the right opportunity. This all begins with crafting a solid job description. But before you begin writing one, make sure you know what’s most important for the role you’re trying to fill.
For instance, the qualifications for a seasoned CPA are going to be different than for an entry-level accountancy recruitment position. So define what the role looks like, what skills and level of experience are essential, and what kind of personality would be a fit for your culture. When you start focusing more on the type of individual you need for the job, rather than just describing tasks and duties, you’ll have a better chance of identifying with potential talent who are a match.
Offer compensation that’s competitive and attractive.
Again, this is going to vary depending on the role you’re trying to fill. The compensation for a new graduate will be vastly different than a senior-level accountant.
In Washington State, for example, the average pay for an entry-level accountant is $43,995, while the average pay for an experienced CPA is $69,712. So whatever level of position you’re hiring for, you have to do your research for it and find out what’s appropriate and competitive.
Not only that, but consider other perks too. For instance, when you’re hiring younger workers or new graduates, benefits like telecommuting, flexible scheduling, and offering to pay off a portion of college debt in return for a certain number of years of service are all attractive for this age group.
In addition, when you want to hire the best accountants, they’re going to be looking for companies that offer advancement opportunities. In your job description and during interviews, focus on how they can potentially move ahead at your company if they choose to accept your offer.
Consider new graduates in addition to seasoned veterans.
If you’re looking to hire an accountant, you generally want someone with experience. However, don’t overlook those new graduates with freshly earned degrees. They can come with a host of skills that the existing candidate pool might not have, from the latest training on accounting laws to a more advanced skill set when it comes to technology. Not only that, but you’ll be able to save money with a new graduate salary versus hiring a more experienced candidate.
Get help from experts in recruiting accountants.
If you’d like to outsource your accountancy recruitment process instead, Provisional Recruiting can help. We can provide you with a robust source of qualified candidates whom we rigorously screen and vet for your accounting position. You’ll have total confidence in the quality of the candidates we send to you, while you also have more time and freedom to focus on other business priorities.
Whether you need to hiring an entry level bookkeeper or accountant, a CPA, an accounting manager, or a controller, Provisional Recruiting can help. Simply contact us today to get started with one of the best accounting recruiters around.
