Building a successful business is tough. You have to wear many hats – from CEO to janitor depending on what the situation requires.
But what if the situation requires better accounting? Sure, you may have a real passion for numbers. But if you’re running a business or trying to grow it, you can’t spend all your time balancing your company’s books.
Now, if you’ve decided to hire an accountant to keep your tasks more manageable, great. Here, we’ll talk about how to find a good accountant if you don’t know where to start looking.
How to Find a Good Accountant: Assess Your Needs
Since your main concern is how to find an accountant for a small business, you should take a look at what your company needs. Do you need an in-house accountant? Or would you be okay with collaborating online?
You also have to decide if you’re going to turn over everything to your accountant or if you’ll still handle some aspects of bookkeeping. Remember, most accountants charge by the hour. Doing some tasks using accounting software and handing over the rest of the work to your accountant may help you stretch your budget.
Prepare to Do Some Research
Ask for referrals from your relatives and friends. Go online.
You don’t have to be a Google master to type ‘best accountants near me.’ And the perfect candidate could be a friend request away.
If you have a LinkedIn account, better. It’s easier to search within a business-oriented network. Plus, you’ll see from their profiles, who has the most impressive credentials, as well as those who received recommendations from other clients.
Make Time for Interviews
An accountant’s qualifications are good to know. But you can’t just give your books to someone you haven’t interviewed.
That person has to be a good fit for your company. One way to make the process less tedious is to have a third-party who can do the pre-vetting for you. For example, this page helps you compare accountants for startups.
You can request free quotes, and you’re under no obligation to hire an accountant if you don’t see anyone you like. Now, if you’re doing this the old-fashioned way, you can come up with a list of candidates and interview them over the phone (or Skype).
Don’t forget to request references. And of course, don’t just ask them for formality’s sake. Make sure to follow up on those references and ask them if they’re satisfied with the accountant’s work.
Ready to Hire an Accountant?
If you follow the tips we listed here, finding an accountant shouldn’t be a problem. But if you need more tips on how to find a good accountant or a payroll professional, you can browse our other articles.
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