Bookkeeping and accounting are essential functions for any company or organization. Apart from helping decision-makers in the organization come up with informed ideas, accounting also measures the financial status of the organization. In other words, working with an honest and competent accountant will help your business’s operations run smoothly. Here are ten crucial qualities to consider when hiring the right accountant.
Detail-oriented
Hire an accountant who is capable of carefully analyzing the financial health of your business without making any random mistakes. The accountant should be able to discern whether your business strategies and practices are cost-effective or not. Therefore, the professional should have a keen eye for detail to avoid making costly mistakes regardless of your business model.
Chances are, an accountant who is not detail-oriented will make small innocent mistakes that may end up derailing critical business processes. The accountant should be able to keep a sharp eye on all paperwork, statistics, and other figures. A good accountant should also be quick to develop systems for analyzing data in order to help business executives make relevant, informed decisions.
Qualified and Certified
A credible accountant should have all the necessary certifications and be an individual who loves updating himself/herself in the field by undergoing continuous education and training programs. For instance, an accountant who is a certified QuickBooks user could be a valuable addition to your organization. The accountant you choose to work with should also be proficient in using various modern accounting platforms and solutions such as Gusto, Xero, Bill.com, Dear Systems, and Cin7 that are specifically designed to streamline accounting processes.
It’s also wise to work with a certified accountant who belongs to a reputable association for accountants. The United CPA association is a popular association aimed at bringing together experienced accountants and potential clients. Such associations have contributed a lot to the success stories of multiple businesses and established CPA firms and contractors. Going for an accountant who is a certified member of such a reputable community is one way of playing it safe when vetting candidates.
Professional/Ethical
Any expert in the field of accountancy as a whole should possess excellent organizational skills. A successful accountant knows how to operate under a strict code of conduct. Hence, before you sign any contract with a new accountant, ensure that he/she has a strong sense of integrity and honors all the rules and regulations associated with the profession. The accountant should also be a law-abiding citizen who operates within the existing laws and legal boundaries of your country.
This means that the accountant should be capable of paying attention to details at all times. A professional who is not capable of maintaining that level of integrity could be a bad hire.
Excellent Mathematical Skills
Hire an accountant who is not only passionate about the profession but also good at crunching numbers. Although basic accounting is all about dealing with money, a great accountant should also handle complex accounting problems. Regardless of the size of your business, you’ll need an accountant whose math is accurate and impeccable.
Flexible/Adaptable
An adaptable accountant is capable of observing new trends, analyzing different types of data sets, and handling new challenges seamlessly. After all, the field of accounting is quite challenging and dynamic. Therefore, you should work with an expert who has the potential of coming up with solutions for challenging situations without too much hassle. In other words, the accountant should respond to changing environments quickly and effectively.
Since office work and workplace dynamics can change quickly and unpredictably, the accountant should also have the ability to adjust to these changes. Quality accounting service is possible when alterations in your industry in terms of regulations are responded to and handled as soon as they occur. Thus, the right accountant should adapt to shifting landscapes in time by staying on top of new market demands and emerging trends.
Time Management
An excellent accountant should effortlessly manage a wide range of tasks and complete them on time. The accountant will be providing you with the right financial information that you need to make key strategic decisions for your organization. In addition, if this sensitive information is not provided at the right time, you may end up dealing with penalties or making ill-informed decisions. Hence, the accountant you hire should be able to set up effective structures for doing everything accurately and submitting accurate reports on time.
Trustworthy
A good accountant should maintain a high degree of confidentiality and transparency. He/she should be an individual who you can trust to handle all financial needs genuinely. A trustworthy accountant can help your organization maintain a good reputation, which goes a long way in building healthy business relationships with your customers and business associates.
The accountant should carefully analyze and predict the outcomes of his/her actions before making any major moves. All these processes should be handled transparently without ill-intent or malice.
Good Communication Skills
An accountant with good communication skills is capable of interpreting complex accounting concepts and coming up with simpler ways of communicating this information to clients who don’t understand the financial jargon and figure. It’s through these communication skills that the accountant will pass across his/her ideas to all your shareholders and business partners in an effective manner. Furthermore, an accountant with good communication can express financial matters on behalf of the company in the particular style relevant to the audience in question.
Creative
In the world of accounting, businesses often face several challenging financial situations. So, working with a certified public accountant who is capable of creatively coming with unique solutions to these financial challenges is very important. Moreover, some of the challenges your business may face as it grows don’t come close to textbook cases.
This is often the case in every business landscape that is unpredictable and dynamic. To put it simply, the complicated process of crunching numbers requires a high degree of creativity. The accountant must come up with fresh strategies and ideas for solving complex issues, regardless of how unique they may seem.
Client-oriented
In order to help shape different types of business models, an accountant needs to be as dynamic as the businesses themselves. A client-oriented accountant is capable of designing active accounting structures based on the specific needs of a particular client. So, if you want to maximize profits and broaden your investments (at least financially), you need to work with an accountant who is not only knowledgeable but also has your best interests at heart.
To perform his/her duties effectively, every accountant should possess certain crucial qualities. Being able to identify these key qualities will enable you to build a strong foundation for your business that will contribute towards its growth. Aside from the professional skills, you should also work with an experienced accountant who exhibits trustworthiness, creativity, and flexibility in the field.
Leave a Reply