It can be quite tough and confusing when hiring a
new bookkeeper. Without you having bookkeeping knowledge, knowing the right
person to hire will certainly be challenging. Firstly, you must know that the
industry is not regulated. Therefore, anybody can claim to be an expert as
there isn’t any particular skill set to qualify for the title. To safeguard
yourself, ask the following questions to know you are hiring the correct
bookkeeper.
Certification
There are several professional agencies that serve
to establish a bookkeeper’s credibility as well as make sure he has the correct
knowledge. Ask your potential bookkeeper if he is certified by any professional
agency.
Professional
and personal development
Accountants join organizations that ask members to
always keep updated certification. Bookkeepers are no different. Reliable firms
that offer accounting
& bookkeeping services in California always ensure that their
employees belong to such organizations. Professional and personal development
should be compulsory, and your prospective bookkeeper should be able to offer
you a list of education he takes on a consistent basis.
An
accountant’s referral
Accountants are the ones that seek the
bookkeeper’s service the most. So, they are the ones to testify if the bookkeeper
does it well. Other clients’ referrals are OK, but nothing is as convincing as
a referral from an accountant who has used the bookkeeper’s services. Every
accountant will have one to two bookkeepers in the list of those he loved
working with.
Omissions
and errors insurance
Ask your prospective bookkeeper for a ‘certificate
of insurance’. This is to ensure that you are considering a professional who
takes his profession quite seriously.
Lastly, understand that
bookkeeping is way more than data entry, and accounting is complex. So, just
like trusted firms that offer accounting & bookkeeping services in Irvine
always do, ask your prospective bookkeeper for his proof of education from the
post secondary school he attended. This way, you will certainly get the best
possible bookkeeping services.
