How to hire an assistant to the controller

How to hire an assistant to the controller, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant to the controller hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   Here's a comparison of assistant to the controller salaries for various roles:

   Type of Assistant To The Controller	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant To The Controller	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	$12-27
   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
   Accounting Supervisor	Account supervisors are in charge of the accounting and financial operations within an organization's accounting department. They supervise the account team and provide feedback about their performance and recommend improvements when necessary... Show more	$24-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Account Reconciliations
   • Purchase Orders
   • Windows
   • External Auditors
   • Bank Reconciliations
   • Credit Card
   • Vendor Invoices
   • Accounts Payables
   • Financial Reports
   • Bank Deposits
   • Bank Statements
   • Bank Accounts
   • Inventory Control

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage financial reporting, monthly close, GAAP accruals and supervision of the accounting department.
   • Manage general ledger and coordinate annual internal audit, interacting with CPA firm and auditing staff.
   • Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
   • Reconcile accounts receivable between A2000 systems and QuickBooks for monthly reporting and closing.
   • Prepare wire transfer, ACH transactions and verify accuracy and follow up transactions until completion.
   • Process weekly check runs and send checks to appropriate companies or post ACH payments online.

   More assistant to the controller duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the assistant to the controller job description is a good way to get more applicants. An assistant to the controller 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 assistant to the controller in Indiana may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level assistant to the controller. Additionally, an assistant to the controller with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average assistant to the controller salary

   $38,409yearly

   $18.47 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level assistant to the controller salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average assistant to the controller salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$43,134	$21
   2	Connecticut	$42,531	$20
   3	Massachusetts	$40,774	$20
   4	Pennsylvania	$40,451	$19
   5	Virginia	$37,170	$18
   6	Texas	$36,002	$17
   7	Illinois	$33,908	$16
   8	Georgia	$33,045	$16
   9	Minnesota	$30,937	$15
   10	Florida	$29,766	$14
   11	Arkansas	$29,096	$14
   12	Mississippi	$25,650	$12

   Average assistant to the controller salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Solectron Corp	$88,873	$42.73	2
   2	Halliburton	$60,512	$29.09	1
   3	Catholic Health East	$59,044	$28.39
   4	Cudd Energy Services	$52,460	$25.22
   5	Magna International	$43,563	$20.94	7
   6	Domtar	$40,332	$19.39	2
   7	Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego	$39,508	$18.99
   8	Flex Construction	$37,916	$18.23	3
   9	ABM Industries	$37,306	$17.94
   10	UT Southwestern Medical Center	$37,209	$17.89
   11	Masco	$36,526	$17.56	1
   12	Randstad North America, Inc.	$35,881	$17.25	8
   13	HealthTrust	$35,351	$17.00
   14	Sonic Automotive	$35,303	$16.97
   15	Robert Half	$34,985	$16.82	374
   16	Sweetwater Union High School District	$33,610	$16.16
   17	Irvine Unified School District	$33,535	$16.12
   18	Prince William County	$33,136	$15.93
   19	Community Medical Center	$31,611	$15.20
   20	Hershey Jobs	$28,025	$13.47

4. Writing an assistant to the controller job description

   A good assistant to the controller job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an assistant to the controller job description:

   Assistant to the controller job description example

   Save Job Saved
   
   Partnering with you to live your best life. At Centra, we want to listen carefully and get to know you well. We want to understand your hopes, goals and dreams. We want to do our part so you can be your very best - as you define it. This remains true whether you are a patient, a Centra Caregiver, or a member of the communities we serve. As a candidate considering employment with our organization, we want you to understand that it is our mission to help partner with you throughout each stage of your career.
   COVID Vaccination Requirement
   
   Consistent with long-standing practices requiring health care workers to be vaccinated against serious infectious diseases for the safety of patients and staff, Centra will require COVID-19 vaccinations for all new and current employees and those who work in Centra facilities as a condition of their employment. If hired to work at Centra, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination or be willing to receive the vaccination. Medical and religions exemptions may be requested.
   Job Description
   
   Overview
   
   Job Description:
   
   Materials Management: The Materials Control Assistant participates in a variety of material control duties including receiving, verifying, storing, issuing, shipping of supplies/materials, mail movement and distribution of material to point of use locations.
   
   Cardiovascular Group: The Materials Control Assistant participates in a variety of material control duties involving receiving, verifying, storing, issuing and shipping of supplies, materials and equipment. This position also processes incoming and outgoing mail and may make deliveries as needed.
   
   Qualification:
   
   High school diploma or equivalent. A valid Virginia driver's license.
   
   Our care givers at Centra are the most valuable asset we have and it is our mission and commitment to build and sustain a diverse and inclusive environment.
   
   When recruiting and retaining talent at Centra, our hiring needs are based on matching a candidates job qualifications with our job requirements and department needs without regard to race, color, age, religion or belief, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Centra is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind.
   
   Be yourself. Be a partner with Centra.
   
   Share: mail

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right assistant to the controller 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 assistants to the controller they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit assistants to the controller 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 assistant to the controller 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

   Your first interview with assistant to the controller candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 assistant to the controller

   Once you've selected the best assistant to the controller 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new assistant to the controller. 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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