How to hire an accountant/consultant

How to hire an accountant/consultant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step accountant/consultant 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/consultant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new accountant/consultant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an accountant/consultant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your accountant/consultant 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/consultant 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an accountant/consultant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an accountant/consultant that fits the bill.

   This list presents accountant/consultant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Accountant/Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Accountant/Consultant	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	$22-41
   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:

   • Account Management
   • Product Knowledge
   • Strong Analytical
   • Leveraged
   • Customer Service
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Client Relationships
   • PowerPoint
   • CPA
   • Project Management
   • Medicare
   • CRM
   • Customer Relationships
   • Payroll

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a staff of five to ensure their compliance with GAAP as well as best practices.
   • Manage company responsibilities for budgets, forecasting, payroll and accounts receivable.
   • Manage personnel financial matters including salaries, taxation procedures and other relate issues.
   • Select and run weekly check run, ACH payments, and foreign payments.
   • Process bi-weekly ACH and EFT payment to vendors, reimbursement and rush check payments.
   • Coordinate with external CPA on financial tax filings i.e. , 990 for IRS regulations and maintain of IRS 501C status.

   More accountant/consultant duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, accountant/consultants' average salary in north dakota is 41% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level accountant/consultants earn 45% less than senior-level accountant/consultants.
   • Certifications. An accountant/consultant 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/consultant's salary.

   Average accountant/consultant salary

   $64,298yearly

   $30.91 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level accountant/consultant salary

   $47,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average accountant/consultant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$88,204	$42
   2	District of Columbia	$82,635	$40
   3	Massachusetts	$76,704	$37
   4	Connecticut	$76,152	$37
   5	New Jersey	$74,606	$36
   6	New York	$73,275	$35
   7	Georgia	$70,544	$34
   8	Virginia	$69,730	$34
   9	Maryland	$68,946	$33
   10	North Carolina	$68,226	$33
   11	Florida	$68,055	$33
   12	Pennsylvania	$68,009	$33
   13	Oregon	$67,436	$32
   14	Delaware	$66,765	$32
   15	Ohio	$64,412	$31
   16	New Mexico	$63,391	$30
   17	Illinois	$63,096	$30
   18	Texas	$61,396	$30
   19	Utah	$60,731	$29
   20	Colorado	$60,323	$29

   Average accountant/consultant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	IBM	$84,982	$40.86	8
   2	BNY Mellon	$72,649	$34.93
   3	East-West Center	$71,279	$34.27
   4	MTS Allstream	$70,682	$33.98
   5	Sedgwick LLP	$70,645	$33.96	7
   6	Edward Jones	$68,941	$33.14
   7	AmeriFleet	$67,585	$32.49	2
   8	HCSC	$67,416	$32.41
   9	Kforce	$66,910	$32.17	108
   10	Cargill	$66,547	$31.99
   11	Armanino	$66,341	$31.89	38
   12	Pearl Meyer	$66,251	$31.85
   13	Deloitte	$66,200	$31.83	194
   14	ACERTUS	$65,941	$31.70	1
   15	CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield	$65,921	$31.69	15
   16	INDUS Technology	$65,839	$31.65
   17	Marsh & McLennan Companies	$65,723	$31.60	6
   18	Orly International Inc	$65,711	$31.59
   19	Blue Cross & Blue Shield	$65,711	$31.59	2
   20	STANDARD HOLDING INC.	$65,711	$31.59

4. Writing an accountant/consultant job description

   An accountant/consultant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an accountant/consultant job description:

   Accountant/consultant job description example

   About the Company
   Community Link Consulting is a rapidly growing consulting firm serving the niche industry of Federally Qualified Health Care Centers (clinics that provide care to under-served populations throughout the United States). CLC serves over 100 clinics and PCAs in 40 states in a broad range of capacities; from billing services to Interim CFO and everything in between. Our clients depend on us to guide them through the confusing, uncertain world of government compliance.
   CLC is known for excellent work-life balance and office culture. We are a company committed to our Core Values; Respect, Leadership, SMEE, Solution-Focused, Flexibility, Curiosity, Giving More than You Get. Voted as one of the Best Places to Work in the Inland Northwest multiple times, CLC proudly offers our team members not only competitive wages and benefits, but a flexible, collaborative, and supportive working environment as well. Our team members feel great about supporting our clients --which are health clinics providing health services to under served people throughout the U.S. – knowing that our work makes a real difference in people’s lives.
   About the Position
   The right candidate will be an individual with advanced accounting skills and experience, proficient Excel skills, excellent communication skills, a curious mind, and ability to think like an owner. You will be able to broaden your personal leadership skills and be customer facing while building a network of executives across the country. You will work in a collaborative team atmosphere while developing your skills and advancing your career. Weekly company training provides rapid growth and development of your accounting skills and FQHC knowledge. At Community Link Consulting, you will have the satisfaction of knowing the work you do allows these clinics to continue providing health care to individuals who would otherwise go without.
   Schedules for employees hired in the Greater Spokane area will remain a hybrid of in office and remote work from home. This is also an opportunity for fully and permanently remote work from home in select states across the United States.
   Responsibilities Ability to execute all aspects of the accounting cycle including but not limited to AP, AR, depreciation, JEs and completing month end and year end closing procedures and preparation of month-end financial statements and dashboards
   General Ledger and other reconciliations
   Budget preparation Cost reports and other financial reports Specialized compliance reporting Special projects Report on multi organization financial health Comply with financial policies and regulations Travel 5% - 10%
   Skills Bachelor's degree in accounting 7+ years Accounting Experience required Health Care and FQHC experience a plus Public Accounting Experience a plus Hands-on experience with accounting software like FreshBooks and QuickBooks Advanced MS Excel skills including Vlookups, Xlookups, and Pivot Tables Experience with general ledger functions Strong attention to detail and good analytical skills Strong written and oral communication skills
   Verification of Employment Eligibility to work in the U.S. is conducted using E-Verify.
   Statement of Equal Employment Opportunities Community Link Consulting provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find accountant/consultants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any accountant/consultants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level accountant/consultants with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your accountant/consultant job on Zippia to find and recruit accountant/consultant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit accountant/consultants, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   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/consultant

   Once you've decided on a perfect accountant/consultant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new accountant/consultant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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