Where to Look for a Good Bookkeeper?

Wow! It’s that time again and as promised I want to discuss what you should be looking for in a good bookkeeper.  The first thing you should do when seeking a bookkeeper is ask for a referral. Who to ask?  You could ask a fellow business owner you know is happy with their bookkeeper. Another good source for a referral is your accountant.  Accountants see a lot of work from different bookkeepers and have some bookkeepers they would recommend and others they steer away from.  A referral from your accountant is always a good bet. One thing is for sure when looking to retain a good bookkeeper: don’t go to the yellow pages or Kijiji and pick the first one you see. You must be very careful who you allow access to this most important part of your business.

What Else to Look for in a Good Bookkeeper?

Well, experience is important. A self-employed bookkeeper should have years of experience behind them if you are to feel comfortable sharing your business information with them. New graduates of accounting and bookkeeping programs may have tremendous skills but are better suited to work for someone else until they have a few years in their pocket. There are many different businesses, business owners and ways of keeping various records and experience is needed to be able to navigate all of that.

Is That It?

Another important thing to look for is education. Does the bookkeeper you are considering have the appropriate education? Bookkeeping is an unregulated industry where anyone can set up and practice. And that is exactly what happens. There are accounts receivable or accounts payable clerks or others who assume that because they are familiar with accounting programs that they can be freelance bookkeepers. Not true. A good bookkeeper needs a sound understanding of the full accounting cycle and that is only attained through education (or, in rare cases, decades of experience) and, of course, experience.

Certification

The last thing I want to mention is certification.  There are a few organizations in Canada that certify bookkeepers even though it is not required.  They include Certified Professional Bookkeepers of Canada who certify Professional Bookkeepers and the Canadian Institute of Bookkeeping who certify Certified Bookkeepers. Bookkeepers who carry a designation have been trained and passed exams to prove their qualifications. They are required to participate in continuing education every year so you can be sure they are competent and up to date. Again, this is not required and just because a bookkeeper does not have a certification does not mean they are not qualified. I just wanted to throw that out there.

Why Does it Matter if I Hire a Good Bookkeeper?

Because it’s your business! Your baby! You put your blood sweat and tears into building it and it deserves a good bookkeeper! The bookkeeping is, arguably, the most important aspect of the business. Without it, there simply is no business. You owe it to yourself and to your business to find a good bookkeeper to work with you as a team. For more on why you need to outsource your bookkeeping, please check another article here.

There are so many factors you can consider when looking for a good bookkeeper but these are just a few. The ultimate factor in deciding on a bookkeeper is fit. Do you get a good gut feeling about this person? Trust your instincts; they are usually bang on.