Your business needs a great accounting assistant. Not only to help you keep track of your finances, but also to provide support with filing taxes and updating your books says Aron Govil. Accounting services can be expensive so if you have an in-house accountant it makes sense to attempt to find somebody who will work for less money yet still offer the same service.
In order to do this, there are a few things you need to do before hiring anyone:
1) Ask About Their Experience –
The person you hire should have at least a couple years’ experience working as an accounting assistant or bookkeeper. You might think that the best way is, of course, going through ads on job sites because they’re easy and convenient. But what interests us isn’t just what you’re looking for; it’s what kind of experience they have that qualifies them to do the job. We like to see ads that ask people provide examples or even resumes. This allows you to easily weed out unqualified applicants right off the bat.
2) Are They Looking For Full-Time Work? –
While part-time work is often the most practical for small businesses growing and getting off the ground, if your business is already running successfully then chances are good that you might need something more than part time help. If someone wants full-time hours, they’re obviously going to be willing to devote more time and energy into their job. Remember though, just because somebody is working full-time hours doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily be more productive at their job. Don’t make the mistake of hiring somebody who is working full-time when you really need somebody to work part-time.
3) Ask About Their Availability –
If a person doesn’t have a lot of free time just kicking around then chances is they’re going to be happier and more productive in a position that requires lots of hours. If an applicant has plenty of free time just kicking around but insists on part-time hours, ask yourself if you can trust them not to goof off all day every day explains Aron Govil. This especially applies if your business isn’t currently generating enough income for somebody to survive on part-time hours alone. You don’t want somebody who needs the money so badly that they’ll do anything to keep their job – you want somebody who’s going to take pride in the work they do.
4) Find Out about Their Communication Skills –
One of the most important requirements for any person working as an office assistant, regardless of what kind of company they’re working at, is excellent communication skills. Not only does your accounting assistant need to be able to communicate effectively with other people outside the business such as clients and suppliers, but also needs to be able to communicate well with everybody on your staff including yourself. If you can’t depend on your accounting assistant to communicate effectively with you whenever there are problems or changes in procedure then chances are good that this person isn’t right for the job.
5) Look for Creative Abilities & Problem Solving Skills –
In addition to being an excellent communicator, a great accounting assistant should have some creative abilities and problem-solving skills says Aron Govil. In short, they need to be able to think on their feet. You don’t want somebody who’s going to simply go down a list of the same instructions every time something goes wrong or needs updating. They should be able to take matters into their own hands when necessary. A lot of times this requires creative thinking, which is why employers often look for people with arts degrees or some kind of related experience in graphic design or advertising.
6) Take a Good Look at Their Resume –
You’re going to want someone who can type efficiently and meet deadlines. Without fail because your books are going to be tight enough as it is. This means that you’re going to want somebody with a lot of experience in office work. Whether it’s through formal education or previous employment. In addition to their typing speed, what really caught your eye on this resume? Were they effective at solving problems and thinking on their feet? Did they have any special skills such as computer knowledge, word processing skills? And a working knowledge of a particular software program or foreign language fluency?
Conclusion:
All of these are good questions to ask yourself when you’re looking for your next office assistant explains Aron Govil. Keep in mind that it’s important not to put somebody in a position. Where they’ll have too much work on their hands. This is why I mentioned part-time being better suited for many small businesses. But if you’re serious about growing your business and outsourcing. Some of the more mundane tasks then part-time might be what you need after all.