How to hire an accountant assistant

How to hire an accountant assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step accountant assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an accountant assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new accountant assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an accountant assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your accountant assistant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an accountant assistant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An accountant assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, accountant assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of accountant assistants.

   Type of Accountant Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Accountant Assistant	Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records. They ensure that financial records are accurate and that taxes are paid properly and on time... Show more	$13-27
   Certified Public Accountant	A certified public accountant (CPA) acts as an advisor to small businesses and chief financial officers to Fortune 500 companies. They typically work for both small and large public accounting firms... Show more	$23-57
   Finance Analyst/Accountant	In a company setting, a finance analyst/accountant is in charge of handling and monitoring financial activities, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. Their responsibilities revolve around preparing financial reports, performing audits and risk assessments, and identifying any errors and inconsistencies, resolving them promptly and efficiently... Show more	$22-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Payroll Taxes
   • Purchase Orders
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Credit Card
   • QuickBooks
   • Individual Tax Returns
   • Balance Sheet
   • Bank Statements
   • Accounts Receivables
   • Bank Reconciliations
   • Bank Deposits
   • Office Equipment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage international client's accounts by contacting leads and entering contacts into SalesForce database.
   • Monitor daily competitors blogs, twitter handles, Facebook pages.
   • Create wire frame and conceive design of home page call-out and Facebook page.
   • Publish content regularly on Instagram and YouTube as a part of the social media strategy.
   • Maintain internal pricing standards by using tariffs, customer contracts and regulations from ACH and IATA.
   • Develop innovative PowerPoint presentation used by the agent as marketing tools as well as spreads sheets for larger risk.

   More accountant assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your accountant assistant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An accountant assistant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, accountant assistants' average salary in north dakota is 50% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level accountant assistants earn 52% less than senior-level accountant assistants.
   • Certifications. An accountant assistant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an accountant assistant's salary.

   Average accountant assistant salary

   $40,537yearly

   $19.49 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level accountant assistant salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average accountant assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$64,688	$31
   2	New Jersey	$57,058	$27
   3	California	$53,947	$26
   4	New York	$49,200	$24
   5	Virginia	$48,009	$23
   6	Maryland	$46,196	$22
   7	Washington	$43,546	$21
   8	Ohio	$43,006	$21
   9	Arizona	$42,476	$20
   10	Texas	$41,979	$20
   11	Colorado	$41,346	$20
   12	Georgia	$41,113	$20
   13	Illinois	$39,370	$19
   14	Massachusetts	$39,267	$19
   15	North Carolina	$38,982	$19
   16	Wisconsin	$38,953	$19
   17	Missouri	$37,846	$18
   18	Pennsylvania	$37,810	$18
   19	Florida	$37,228	$18
   20	Arkansas	$36,465	$18

   Average accountant assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Rodeo Realty	$64,416	$30.97
   2	Intuit	$61,846	$29.73	5
   3	Avid	$56,248	$27.04
   4	LP Insurance	$55,997	$26.92
   5	MUFG EMEA	$54,930	$26.41
   6	Advent Software	$54,138	$26.03
   7	Aditi Consulting	$52,963	$25.46
   8	China Construction America	$52,793	$25.38
   9	Systemax	$52,419	$25.20
   10	Olsson	$50,816	$24.43	1
   11	University of California-Berkeley	$50,357	$24.21	1
   12	HUB International	$49,703	$23.90	23
   13	CentiMark	$48,553	$23.34	1
   14	The George Washington University	$48,060	$23.11
   15	SS&C Technologies	$47,905	$23.03	2
   16	The City University of New York	$47,116	$22.65	5
   17	Broome Delaware Tioga BOCES - Practical Nursing Program	$46,843	$22.52
   18	McKesson	$45,989	$22.11	14
   19	National Financial Network	$45,629	$21.94	5
   20	Buffalo Wild Wings	$45,597	$21.92

4. Writing an accountant assistant job description

   A job description for an accountant assistant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an accountant assistant job description:

   Accountant assistant job description example

   Vendor Account Setup Assistant - Corporate - 2204559 Description D.R. Horton, Inc., the largest homebuilder in the U.S., was founded in 1978 and is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. It is engaged in the construction and sale of high quality homes designed principally for the entry-level and first time move-up markets. The Company also provides mortgage financing and title services for homebuyers through its mortgage and title subsidiaries. Please visit our website at www.drhorton.com for more information.
   
   D.R. Horton, Inc. is currently looking for a Vendor Account Setup Assistant for their Corporate Accounting Department. The right candidate will perform various clerical level vendor account set up and maintenance functions with supervision from the Accounting Manager or Assistant Controller.
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities
   
   Prepare vendor accounts for payment
   Identify vendor by type and scope of work
   Follow system controls including IRS reporting guidelines, insurance compliance and vendor eligibility
   Review source information for completeness
   Prevent duplication and adhere to standardized naming conventions
   Ensure real-time ongoing data integrity
   Process high volumes of information
   Work well within a team environment
   Assist corporate accounting management with related special projects as directed
   Must be detail oriented, have strong analytical skills and be a self-starter
   
   Qualifications Education and/or Experience
   
   High School Degree required, Associates Degree or higher preferred
   Six months to one year related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
   Strong PC skills, including Excel and MS office; sound logic and reasoning skills; excellent written and verbal presentation skills, ability to handle multiple concurrent assignments, work well under pressure in a rapidly changing environment, clear communication and effective interpersonal skills, highly motivated; basic accounting knowledge required.
   AS400, JDEdwards, EMC Documentum (ECM) and/or Lansa experience preferred.
   
   Come join a winning team with a Fortune 500 company! We are growing fast and are looking for enthusiastic attitudes and team players to join our success. We offer an excellent benefits package including vision, medical and dental. Build YOUR future with D.R. Horton, America's Builder. #WeBuildPeople2
   Job: Accounting Primary Location: TX-Arlington Organization: Corporate Schedule: Full-time Job Posting: Jul 22, 2022, 7:11:37 PM

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find accountant assistants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your accountant assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit accountant assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit accountant assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new accountant assistant

   Once you've found the accountant assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new accountant assistant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an accountant assistant?