Tips for Hiring an Exceptional Accountant

by knave on November 19, 2012

Attitude.

Passion.

Accountant.

Hiring a great accountant is simple once you know what to look for. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that out of the three words above, the last one doesn’t belong.

You know that your small business needs more than a professional with good credentials and experience behind them.

You need a top performer who will add valuable momentum to your team. This person has to be passionate about their work and dedicated to the success of the business. 

Tip #1: Pay attention to the applicant’s attitude. How does the applicant approach tough challenges? What have they done in the past and what is their philosophy towards situations like this in the future?

Someone who gives up easily, makes excuses, shirks responsibility or ignores the problem won’t be the positive successful force you need. A person may interview well, but how do you know they have what it takes to pull through when time is short and the potential for error is great? 

Tip #2: Look for someone who is self-motivated. There's just no substitute for the energy and high-quality work that a self-motivated person brings to a small business. Look for someone who has shown this in the past. When things are going well, do they take a break or see how they can work even more efficiently? When put under pressure, are they trustworthy with heavy responsibilities?

Tip #3: Experience with IRS Audits. The real job of your accountant is to keep you out of the cross-hairs of the IRS. Has your accountant had clients that have been audited? What happened? How did he or she handle it?

Tip #4: Check references. Your accountant must be trustworthy. This sounds obvious, but you'd be shocked at how many small business owners trust all the details of their lives to people they hardly know. Your accountant knows almost everything about your personal and professional finances.  Calling at least four references will help manage the risk of hiring the wrong person.

Your small business deserves an accountant who is determined and experienced; someone will to do their job right no matter how tight the deadline. 

That’s the accountant you want for your team.

And that’s what you need to look for when you hire an exceptional accountant for your small business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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