How to hire an administrative assistant/accountant

How to hire an administrative assistant/accountant, step by step

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

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your administrative assistant/accountant 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 administrative assistant/accountant 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 administrative assistant/accountant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, administrative assistant/accountants 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 administrative assistant/accountants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Administrative Assistant/Accountant	Description	Hourly rate
   Administrative Assistant/Accountant	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$12-20
   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

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Financial Statements
   • Data Entry
   • Travel Arrangements
   • Purchase Orders
   • QuickBooks
   • Expense Reports
   • General Ledger
   • Vendor Invoices
   • Tax Returns
   • Credit Card
   • Provides Administrative Support
   • Bank Reconciliations
   • Front Desk

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage accounts payable/receivable through QuickBooks.
   • Support medical doctors, manage sensitive and confidential records pertaining to high risk patients with emphasis on accuracy.
   • Perform accounting functions on QuickBooks for a completely paperless company.
   • Create PowerPoint presentations on company sales/profits for shareholders and sales team
   • Design and present PowerPoint presentations to garner customer loyalty by showing them exciting, cutting-edge industry developments.
   • Implement a solution for staffing restructure that reduce overall salary expense while maintaining productivity for a rehabilitation inpatient nursing unit.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your administrative assistant/accountant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An administrative assistant/accountant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, administrative assistant/accountants' average salary in kentucky is 43% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level administrative assistant/accountants 36% less than senior-level administrative assistant/accountants.
   • Certifications. An administrative assistant/accountant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an administrative assistant/accountant's salary.

   Average administrative assistant/accountant salary

   $16.30hourly

   $33,912 yearly

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   Entry-level administrative assistant/accountant salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing an administrative assistant/accountant job description

   An administrative assistant/accountant 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 administrative assistant/accountant job description:

   Administrative assistant/accountant job description example

   CentiMark Corporation is the world leader in the commercial and industrial roofing industry. Founded in 1968, we have grown to 95 offices in North America with over 3,500 employees, and $1 Billion in Revenue.
   We are currently seeking an enthusiastic, detailed oriented Strategic Account Administrative Assistant based out of our Denver, CO office to work in an administrative and sales support function with an existing Senior Global Account Manager.
   
   Job Summary:
   Assist the Global Account Manager with a book of approximately 12 National Account Customers (Fortune 500 Companies) Assist in account development and growth planning, onboarding of new accounts and divisions Perform account research and identify underperforming business units and help create strategies to increase market share Work with Global Account Manager to initiate marketing materials and campaigns to promote and increase sales volume, promote greater customer awareness of CentiMark and our roofing services Assist in various other processes and activities to promote sales and ensure smooth construction project execution Schedule and organize meetings logistics: Calendar and WebEx invites, customer and bid presentations, meeting follow up, etc. Screen and direct emails, bid requests, telephone calls, etc. Coordinate communications, track & follow up on requests, prioritize those that require immediate attention Compose confidential correspondence both internal and customer facing to support the existing customer base Create customer files, spreadsheets and presentations to support the Global Account Manager and the customer base Manage external contacts and keep track of periodic communication needed to meet customer needs
   
   Candidate Qualifications:
   Previous work experience in Sales Administration, Sales Support or Inside Sales experience required Exceptional verbal and written communication skills Experience in Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Power Point Experience with CRM Software a plus! (i.e. Salesforce) Possess a positive attitude with a hands-on, get-it-done spirit Strong telephone & email communication skills Associate Degree in Business, Marketing or related degree preferred
   
   Premier Benefits:
   2 Health Insurance Plans: Free "Core Plan" - Free Medical & Dental "Buy Up Plan" - Features a lower deductible for Medical Vision Plan Free Life Insurance 401K with Company Match Free Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) Paid Holidays and Vacation
   
   CentiMark provides a great work environment with challenging career opportunities.
   
   Drug Free Workplace - EOE (M/F/V/D) - E-Verify Employer
   
   For more information, please visit our website www.CentiMark.com/jobs

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting administrative assistant/accountants 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 administrative assistant/accountant

   Once you've found the administrative assistant/accountant 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new administrative assistant/accountant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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