How to hire an accounts payable/administrative assistant

How to hire an accounts payable/administrative assistant, step by step

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

What does an accounts payable/administrative assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The accounts payable/administrative assistant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect accounts payable/administrative assistant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of accounts payable/administrative assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Accounts Payable/Administrative Assistant	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$14-26
   Administrative Support	Administrative support specialists provide different types of governmental assistance. They carry out varied clerical duties in almost all industries... Show more	$12-25
   Accounts Payable Clerk	An accounts payable clerk is responsible for supporting the accounting department by performing clerical duties to file financial reports timely and accurately. Accounts payable clerks manage and verify invoices documents, reconcile balance spreadsheets, process payments for suppliers and vendors, resolve billing discrepancies, confirm and post account statements, record outstanding credits, and maintain an organized record of transactions... Show more	$14-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Purchase Orders
   • Data Entry
   • Vendor Invoices
   • Customer Service
   • Financial Reports
   • Credit Card
   • Expense Reports
   • Accounts Payables
   • Office Equipment
   • General Ledger
   • Travel Arrangements
   • QuickBooks
   • Front Desk
   • Vendor Statements

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create invoices, manage, reconcile and pay ACH payments or record receive payments while working closely with customers and vendors.
   • Manage FEDEX delivery requirements ensuring compliance with company policy.
   • Post ACH, journal entries efficiently, timely, and accurately into the accounting system.
   • Create and maintain PowerPoint presentation.
   • Generate monthly report utilizing QuickBooks to determine outstanding payments.
   • Generate weekly reports and perform monthly reconciliation utilizing QuickBooks.

   More accounts payable/administrative assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the accounts payable/administrative assistant job description is a good way to get more applicants. An accounts payable/administrative assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an accounts payable/administrative assistant in Idaho may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level accounts payable/administrative assistant. Additionally, an accounts payable/administrative assistant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average accounts payable/administrative assistant salary

   $41,382yearly

   $19.90 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level accounts payable/administrative assistant salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average accounts payable/administrative assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Rhode Island	$53,560	$26
   2	Oregon	$47,061	$23
   3	California	$46,836	$23
   4	New York	$46,425	$22
   5	Maryland	$45,328	$22
   6	Maine	$43,035	$21
   7	Louisiana	$41,239	$20
   8	Texas	$38,269	$18
   9	South Dakota	$38,269	$18
   10	Michigan	$36,151	$17
   11	Idaho	$33,479	$16
   12	Arkansas	$33,235	$16

   Average accounts payable/administrative assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Gypsum Management and Supply	$42,775	$20.56
   2	Live Nation Entertainment	$42,178	$20.28	4
   3	Creative Financial Staffing	$41,204	$19.81
   4	BlueSun	$40,869	$19.65
   5	Kelly Services	$39,705	$19.09	39
   6	Rex	$39,568	$19.02
   7	Randstad North America, Inc.	$39,488	$18.98	18
   8	Robert Half	$38,938	$18.72	816
   9	Alta Equipment	$37,487	$18.02	6
   10	Staffmark	$36,279	$17.44

4. Writing an accounts payable/administrative assistant job description

   An accounts payable/administrative assistant 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 accounts payable/administrative assistant job description:

   Accounts payable/administrative assistant job description example

   Founded in 1999, MHS is a full-service provider of innovative material handling systems that solve the challenges of distribution and fulfillment operations. We build, engineer and maintain systems for some of the biggest companies in the world, including UPS, FedEx, Walmart, Amazon and others. MHS is already one of the 10 largest material handling system suppliers worldwide, and we only expect to continue growing. We're looking for top talent to be part of the journey.
   
   Material Handling Systems, Inc is currently seeking an Accounts Payable Administrator to help assist our Shared Services administration needs as we continue to expand the department with multiple entities.This position requires experience with accounts payable and accounts receivable administrative duties.This position will also need basic ERP experience.
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
   New Supplier and Customer management in ERP system.This will require working with A/R and A/P team as well as other departments within the organization to ensure accuracy. Help manage exemption requirements and ACH verification Manage A/P invoice approvals Sending clear and concise emails; reading emails thoroughly to fully comprehend what is needed Perform miscellaneous accounts payable and accounts receivable projects Work independently and as a team Gather information for Audits Manage Accounts Payable shared email Assist with reviewing statements and payment inquiries Assist with month end close procedures Record direct debits Experience working within an A/P department who handles multiple countries and entities A/P.
   QUALIFICATIONS:
   High School Diploma ERP Software Experience Good communication and people skills Being able to pay attention to detail and accuracy Data management Excellent organization of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word Ability to consistently meet deadlines under pressure
   This job description describes the general nature and level of work expected of a person assigned to this position. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. Employees may be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor.
   
   It is the policy of Material Handling Systems, Inc (MHS) and its affiliated companies to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, citizenship status (if authorized to work in the U.S.), or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, MHS will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
   
   #LI-CC1

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5. Post your job

   To find accounts payable/administrative assistants 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 accounts payable/administrative assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level accounts payable/administrative assistants 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 accounts payable/administrative assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit accounts payable/administrative assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting accounts payable/administrative assistants requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 accounts payable/administrative assistant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the accounts payable/administrative assistant position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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