How to hire an accounting bookkeeper

How to hire an accounting bookkeeper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step accounting bookkeeper hiring guide:

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

What does an accounting bookkeeper do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your accounting bookkeeper 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 accounting bookkeeper 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 accounting bookkeeper's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, accounting bookkeepers 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of accounting bookkeepers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Accounting Bookkeeper	Description	Hourly rate
   Accounting Bookkeeper	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations. They record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy.	$18-31
   Night Auditor	A Night Auditor is responsible for handling late-night front-desk operations, mostly at hotels or other lodging establishments. Among the primary duties involve greeting guests and handling check-in and check-outs, responding to reservations, process and collect payments, preparing reports and necessary documentation, and attending to the guests' inquiries, requests, and concerns... Show more	$12-18
   Cargo Agent	A cargo agent is primarily in charge of facilitating cargo shipments, ensuring the cargo gets to their destination timely and accurately. They are responsible for preparing and processing the necessary documents and fees, routing shipments and arranging the shipping methods, weighing the parcels, and coordinating the logistics and transportation details... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Reconciliations
   • Payroll Taxes
   • Journal Entries
   • Vendor Invoices
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Credit Card Statements
   • Bank Reconciliations
   • Purchase Orders
   • Tax Returns
   • AP
   • Ar
   • Sales Tax
   • Accounts Payables

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Process bi-weekly payroll through ADP on-line system; manage distribution of live checks.
   • Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
   • General ledger entries for AR and AP, parts and sales of power equipment.
   • Prepare and print AP checks.
   • Report payroll to ADP system and reconcile payroll account.
   • Work with client's CPA firm for reporting and tax preparation.

   More accounting bookkeeper duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, accounting bookkeepers' average salary in west virginia is 41% less than in delaware.
   • Seniority. Entry-level accounting bookkeepers earn 41% less than senior-level accounting bookkeepers.
   • Certifications. An accounting bookkeeper 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 accounting bookkeeper's salary.

   Average accounting bookkeeper salary

   $51,406yearly

   $24.71 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level accounting bookkeeper salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average accounting bookkeeper salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$58,942	$28
   2	New Jersey	$58,852	$28
   3	District of Columbia	$56,805	$27
   4	Massachusetts	$55,994	$27
   5	Maryland	$55,188	$27
   6	Connecticut	$54,212	$26
   7	New York	$52,597	$25
   8	Virginia	$52,141	$25
   9	Florida	$50,541	$24
   10	Texas	$47,831	$23
   11	Minnesota	$47,465	$23
   12	Michigan	$47,029	$23
   13	Georgia	$46,580	$22
   14	North Carolina	$45,933	$22
   15	Louisiana	$45,215	$22
   16	Utah	$44,935	$22
   17	Nevada	$44,029	$21
   18	Ohio	$43,637	$21
   19	Illinois	$41,985	$20
   20	South Carolina	$39,913	$19

   Average accounting bookkeeper salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	GrowthForce	$57,792	$27.78
   2	Andersen	$57,041	$27.42	2
   3	Fidelity National Financial	$56,547	$27.19	1
   4	Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities	$55,940	$26.89
   5	IT Partners	$52,211	$25.10
   6	United Water Restoration Group	$52,207	$25.10
   7	Servpro	$51,697	$24.85	17
   8	Diamond Resorts Management Inc	$51,609	$24.81
   9	Business Communications, Inc.	$51,579	$24.80
   10	Randstad North America, Inc.	$50,866	$24.45	28
   11	Prager Metis	$50,483	$24.27
   12	Robert Half	$49,249	$23.68	1,367
   13	Northpoint	$48,536	$23.33	5
   14	20-20 Technologies	$47,303	$22.74	1
   15	University of Rochester	$46,579	$22.39	5
   16	F45 Training	$46,272	$22.25	1
   17	NRI	$45,127	$21.70
   18	Troon	$45,093	$21.68	4
   19	Adecco	$40,738	$19.59	20
   20	HANAC	$40,387	$19.42	2

4. Writing an accounting bookkeeper job description

   An accounting bookkeeper 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. Below, you can find an example of an accounting bookkeeper job description:

   Accounting bookkeeper job description example

   SERVPRO of Media/Central Delaware County Bookkeeper Do you love working with numbers? Do you want to be the driving force behind increasing profits of a growing company? Do you love working in Accounting? Then, don’t miss your chance to join our Franchise as a new Bookkeeper. In this position, you will be making a difference each and every day. We have a sincere drive toward the goal of helping make fire and water damage “Like it never even happened”!Our franchise is seeking someone who is great on the phone, has excellent accounting skills, and is a serious multi-tasker. If you are self-motivated and have superb interpersonal skills, then you’ll thrive in this work environment. Our idea of the ultimate candidate is one who is proactive, is experienced, truly enjoys providing superior service, and loves taking ownership. Are you highly dependable and excited about routinely exceeding expectations? Then, you may be our perfect hero! As a valued SERVPRO® Franchise employee, you will receive a competitive pay rate, with an opportunity to learn and grow. Primary Responsibilities

   • Maintain accurate records, create financial reports and perform analysis using QuickBooks®
   • Monitor and maintain inventory and fixed assets
   • Maintain tax, insurance, and financial and HR compliance requirements
   • Maintain vendors, resources, and subcontractors
   • Complete accounts payable and accounts receivable activities, to include collections
   • Perform technology setup, backups, protection, and tracking
   • Gather and coordinate hardware and software requirements

   Position Requirements

   • 3+ year(s) of experience with QuickBooks Pro® (most recent versions) and Microsoft Office Suite
   • 2+ years of experience with bookkeeping and collection activities
   • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including proper pronunciation and grammar, and a consistently courteous and professional tone of voice at all times
   • Polite, confident, and excellent customer service skills, including listening and questioning skills
   • Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail
   • Very self-motivated and goal-oriented multi-tasker
   • Capability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented office environment
   • Ability to learn new software, including Xactimate® and proprietary software
   • Ability to successfully complete a background check subject to applicable law

   Hours

   • 40 hours/week, flexible to work overtime when required, varying between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

   Pay Rate Competitive pay based on experience. Please visit our website, www.servpromedia.com , for additional information. SERVPRO of Media/Central Delaware County is an EOE M/F/D/V employer Each SERVPRO® Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated

   All employees of a SERVPRO® Franchise are hired by, employed by, and under the sole supervision and control of an independently owned and operated SERVPRO® Franchise. SERVPRO® Franchise employees are not employed by, jointly employed by, agents of, or under the supervision or control of Servpro Franchisor, LLC, in any manner whatsoever.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right accounting bookkeeper for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with accounting bookkeepers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit accounting bookkeepers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   To find accounting bookkeeper candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit accounting bookkeepers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 accounting bookkeeper

   Once you've selected the best accounting bookkeeper candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the 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 accounting bookkeeper. 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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