Your business may be growing and you are ready to reach new heights. This means that if you’ve been doing the accounting and bookkeeping for your business, it’s time to hire someone else so that you can focus on what’s going to bring your desired results to fruition. Whether you’re hiring in-house, or getting an outsourced bookkeeping service such as Remote Quality Bookkeeping, this saves time, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. This guide will provide you with a list of questions to ask a bookkeeper prior to hiring them.
Questions to Ask a Bookkeeper Before Hiring
Here’s a list of important questions to ask a bookkeeper before you make the choice to hire them for your business.
What credentials do you have?
It is easy for any person to consider themselves a bookkeeper. However, you should only consider hiring one who can actually prove their professionalism with certification, degrees, and possible experience. If your business utilizes Quickbooks, you will want to ensure that the person is certified to use the software.
Do you have any experience relevant to my industry?
Bookkeeping varies depending on the industry. This means that one bookkeeper may have experience performing in one industry but not another. Be sure to inquire about their specific industry expertise. Also, make sure to ask about the type of companies they have worked with, including the size and structure.
Do you work individually or as part of a team?
Many bookkeepers work for a company, while others work independently. While working for one is not better than the other, it is still important that you have an understanding of their background.
What type of accounting style do you have?
This is an important question to ask, because some companies prefer bookkeepers who are detail-oriented, while other companies may want to hire someone who thinks strategically instead of ‘by-the-book’ style accountants. Many candidates may just go along with whatever style you request if they have enough experience, but it is still worth digging a little bit deeper into their qualities to gain a better understanding.
What type of technical background do you have?
Well-qualified bookkeepers are familiar with technology and accounting equally. Try to find a bookkeeper who can prove to you that they have a strong technical background. You’ll also want to make sure that they are experienced with your particular accounting software and solutions.
Can we reach out to your past clients?
While actually speaking with a candidate in person is the most critical part of the hiring process, checking their references comes second. Bookkeepers that have solid backgrounds will not be afraid to pass on contact information from past clients they’ve worked for. If they refuse to give you this information, this is a definite red flag.
What type of services do you offer?
There are many bookkeepers that only offer a small number of services. There are other bookkeepers that can offer almost any service for any industry. Before you ask this question, you will first need to decide the type of assistance you’ll need. That could be someone who can help with tax preparation or someone that has a forensic background to track down past errors. Once you have determined this information, you can start getting quotes for a bookkeeper that meets your exact needs.
