A Short Guide To Hiring The Right Bookkeeper For Your Business

The accountancy side of your business isn’t easy, and it’s completely understandable if you want to outsource it. But many have fallen victim to hiring a bookkeeper that ends up being just as much bother as it would have been without them.

To save you from this scenario, we’ve put together a short guide on what to look for when hiring a bookkeeper, ensuring you’ll choose the right one for your business.

Great communication skills

Unless you’re an accountancy expert, the likelihood is you won’t understand complex terminology. Your bookkeeper should recognise this, and explain things in a way that makes sense, rather than causing confusion.

They’ll also need to be effective communicators, responding in good time to any queries. They should keep you up-to-date with your accounts via an agreed channel, ensuring you don’t miss any deadlines.

Expert knowledge

Hiring a bookkeeper isn’t just a case of having someone available to calculate the figures. You’ll want someone who does much more than this; someone who excels in their field.

The right person will be in the loop with the latest accountancy happenings, and will have broader commercial expertise. In doing so, they’ll be able to assist with the financial planning involved in running and growing your business.

Specialist experience

There’s all types of businesses that require a bookkeeper, and you’ll want one that has experience within your area. Some only deal with limited companies, for example, so this wouldn’t be ideal if you’re a sole trader.

There’s certain regulations around specific industries and sectors, like construction and the public sector. Hiring a bookkeeper whose dealt with your speciality previously will prove invaluable in maintaining efficient bookkeeping for your business.

Excellent reputation

Hiring a bookkeeper with a great standing will give you confidence in their ability to sort out your accounts effectively and compliantly. There’s a few things that will demonstrate this, such as their accreditations.
You can also take a look at their testimonials. These will often be displayed on their website, as well as social media platforms. If you can’t find any, then you might want to err on the side of caution…

Familiarity with tax return software

The risk of paying the incorrect amount of tax is massively reduced when using professional tax software. If your bookkeeper doesn’t already use this, or is unwilling to explore this technology, you’ll be much more likely to make mistakes on your tax return.

When Making Tax Digital comes into play, this will be more important than ever; hiring a bookkeeper with digital skills will save you time and ensure compliance.

On top of this, tax return software provides full visibility of your accounts so you’ll always be in the loop. It makes communication between you and your bookkeeper easier, especially if the software is available on all devices, like GoSimpleTax.

GoSimpleTax allows you to manage your accounts on-the-go, including submitting your Self Assessment tax return. It calculates the figures for you to avoid manual errors, providing instant adjustments to your tax liability, as well tax-saving suggestions.

To discover how GoSimpleTax could help your business, register for a free 14-day trial today.

Blog content is for information purposes and over time may become outdated, although we do strive to keep it current. It's written to help you understand your Tax's and is not to be relied upon as professional accounting, tax and legal advice due to differences in everyone's circumstances. For additional help please contact our support team or HMRC.