The role of an accountant in any organization cannot be underestimated. Not only do accountants help organizations to maneuver the coiled routes of tax laws, but are also at the center of the money exchange chain around the organization. When hiring an accountant for your restaurant, a number of considerations come to mind. Besides compliance with government legal policies on tax, the accountant has to balance the daily demands of the enterprise. Given this, choosing an efficient, qualified and reliable accountant is central to the successful running of a restaurant. Here are some filters to use when choosing an account for your business.
Professional Qualifications
Accounting work requires essential skills acquired through learning. Institutions that teach accounts have various levels of grading where one moves from one level to the other only after passing prerequisite tests. This method of filtering ensures that those who perform satisfactorily meet certain standard requirements by the time an accountant is accepted by a professional body to be verified as “chartered” or “certified”. When hiring an accountant look out for such qualifications. This can simply be reflected on their resume.
1- Short listing from an accounting firm.
To choose an accountant who is familiar with your kind of task, engage an accounting firm with some professionals. Once you explain your type of business, the firm will assign you an accountant who is familiar with your field. The best thing is to have a list of five to seven people who will be subjected to an interview to gauge competence. This way, you will efficiently hire an accountant with the right set of skills and experience to handle the demands of a restaurant.
2- Define your accounting needs.
Understanding your accounting needs helps you to decide whether you need an in-house accountant or you should outsource accounting services. The day-to-day demands of a restaurant would nevertheless be handled best by an in-house accountant as this puts them in a position to interact with the daily operations of the business.
One of the reasons why you want to hire an account is that you believe they will add value to your business. From this perspective, it is vital that you start by understanding whether hiring an accountant positively or negatively affects the bottom line of your restaurant.
3- Enquire within your networks.
Personal and business networks can be a great source of valuable information. Inquiring from operators in the same business helps you to get an insight of what to expect. It also helps you to understand the challenges you might face while hiring an accountant.
You can also ask friends and family to make recommendations. Quite often ,the recommendations you get will be informed by the association of the individual with the referee. Also, get advice from professionals to make sure that you make the right choice for an accountant.
The Interview Process
For some business executives, hiring an accountant is a personal process and marks a critical milestone. After all, the accountant will be responsible for your financial books. Conducting a one-on-one interview gives you the opportunity to interact with individuals and have them express their abilities in detail. Aspects such as honesty and reliability can arise through such interactions. The individual/s will also have an opportunity to assert how his work will contribute to the growth of the restaurant.
1- Advertise on social media and other platforms.
Social media platforms have become valuable sources of information of virtually any kind. Using the social media pages of your organization to advertise for a job may attract a huge number of potential candidates. While placing a vacancy advert, ensure that you are specific on the scope of work that the accountant is expected to handle so that you eliminate the risk of bulky unnecessary applications. For instance, the mentioning the size of the restaurant helps an applicant to weigh their skills and competence before applying.
The accounts department of any organization is key to the growth of the organization. Placing the right people on the job gives an entrepreneur the chance to concentrate on other aspects of the business. Professional training and experience are a central part of the competency test of an accountant.
