Traits of a Great Bookkeeper and Where to Find Them

In business, proper bookkeeping and accounting is an integral factor for success. But aside from employing the right people with the best qualities, few challenges to face are the limited pool of talent in the F&A market and the expensive labor cost in employing them. But we know that having a bookkeeper in a company is important because they sustain and keep the business’ financial records on track by enabling owners to make informed decisions on expenditure and investments, and controlling cash flow. This is why hiring the right bookkeeper in your team is important.

To help you out, here are some traits and qualities that you should look for in a good bookkeeper:

Professional Competence and Experience

For your company to avoid heavy losses and other complications, your bookkeeper should have a technical knowledge of the industry. This involves not only organising and maintaining your accounts but also being familiar with tax laws such as GAAP and Sarbanes Oxley and doing their utmost to keep your accounts compliant with them.

A title of Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is not required, although it would be better to hire a bookkeeper with one. It’s more important to thoroughly check on their accounting and bookkeeping knowledge as well as experience in working in the industry. Ideally, a bookkeeper who has expertise in your field of focus is a better choice since they can offer sharper services with a more informed approach. They can also provide reports on how your business is performing month-to-month, and have an idea of what success metrics look like in your industry.

Transparency

Bookkeepers make the financial side of the business much easier to handle, which saves you time to focus on more important things. However, in turbulent times, they should also be able to be honest and transparent in advising you of the consequences and opportunities in the situation at hand.

It is not the bookkeeper’s job to make decisions for business owners, but they can give them the complete details of the issue as well as the stakes and recommendations that can help them take the next steps moving forward.

Accessible and Client-Focused

This is not to say that only those who answer concerns and inquiries in the wee hours of the night are good bookkeepers; this only means that with the advanced technology in communication that we have today, a good bookkeeper should be visible to the client and prompt when it comes to responding to messages especially when these are deemed urgent. 

Being present shows that the bookkeeper is focused on the needs of their client, which is another trait that you should look for when hiring for the job. They should be attentive to the specific needs of the client and be proactive enough to advise them on the opportunities and risks that they are exposed to. Basically, more than just getting paid, a good bookkeeper values the success of their client.

Why Outsource?

Outsourcing your bookkeeping operations may be more beneficial for your company than you think. For one, it cuts on costs of both hiring full-time workers and investing in bookkeeping tools. 

It also provides you the ability to scale your operations depending on the work demand, and most importantly, it gives you access to F&A professionals and specialists that have the traits mentioned above and no longer need to be trained, saving you time and money.

When outsourcing, the right partner can build your dedicated team of well-trained F&A professionals, tailored to streamline simple to complex accounting functions. They can meet your goals, whether they be growth, improve productivity or simply bottom-line cost savings, and exceed your expectations. With access to highly-skilled experts who use cutting-edge technology, you will have more time and freedom to focus on your business’s core competencies.

The right outsourcing partner ensures:

• Access to talent through their A+ recruitment process
• Cost saving of up to 70%
• Adaptability in technological advancement
• Established Information Security

The major net results of partnering with the right company are:

• Operational excellence
• Having a great F&A team
• Operational cost savings of up to 70%
• Accuracy and quality
• Timeliness in submission
• Information and data security
• Sense of security and peace of mind

Partnership with Infinit-O
Infinit-O’s mission is to create endless opportunities for your company to realize your full potential.

Let’s work together to build a great Finance and Accounting Team.

Infinit-O is the trusted customer-centric and sustainable leader in Business Process Optimization to Small and Medium businesses in the Financial Services, Healthcare and Technology sectors by delivering continuous improvement through technology, data and people.