How to hire a corporate accountant

How to hire a corporate accountant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step corporate accountant hiring guide:

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

What does a corporate accountant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a corporate accountant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A corporate accountant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, corporate 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of corporate accountants.

   Type of Corporate Accountant	Description	Hourly rate
   Corporate Accountant	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	$22-42
   Account Auditor	The account auditor is the person tasked to conduct audits in sales accounts handled by the company. As with an auditor, this person checks all financial statements, investigates each entry, making sure everything is accounted for correctly... Show more	$25-52
   Accountant Internship	An accounting intern is responsible for assisting an organization's accounting department, observing practical applications and processes, and performing accounting duties under the supervision of tenured accounting staff. Accounting interns support the accounting operations by preparing and organizing financial reports, helping with accounts reconciliation, researching financial and stock market trends, utilizing various accounting software, and managing feedback from their mentors... Show more	$11-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Reconciliations
   • GAAP
   • Account Reconciliations
   • CPA
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • External Auditors
   • Close Process
   • Internal Controls
   • Accruals
   • Fixed Assets
   • Real Estate
   • Strong Analytical
   • Balance Sheet Reconciliations
   • Balance Sheet Accounts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead successful implementation of PeopleSoft fix asset software module.
   • Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
   • Perform month-end closing responsibilities, month-end accruals, expense allocations across business units and legal entities, and account reconciliations.
   • Perform general accounting assignments including accruals, profit and loss reports and reconciliations.
   • Prepare monthly journal entries and variance reconciliations primarily relating to compensation, operational accruals, investments, and partnerships.
   • Perform detailed and extensive schedules and analysis for annual audits by an outside CPA firm as required by law.

   More corporate accountant duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average corporate accountant salary

   $64,300yearly

   $30.91 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level corporate accountant salary

   $46,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average corporate accountant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$79,953	$38
   2	New York	$78,696	$38
   3	New Jersey	$72,308	$35
   4	California	$70,246	$34
   5	Virginia	$69,260	$33
   6	Massachusetts	$68,604	$33
   7	Maryland	$66,207	$32
   8	North Carolina	$66,063	$32
   9	Washington	$64,754	$31
   10	Illinois	$62,868	$30
   11	Pennsylvania	$61,117	$29
   12	Wisconsin	$60,422	$29
   13	Georgia	$60,246	$29
   14	Texas	$60,180	$29
   15	Colorado	$59,003	$28
   16	South Carolina	$58,046	$28
   17	Arizona	$56,539	$27
   18	Missouri	$56,267	$27
   19	Florida	$54,241	$26
   20	Kansas	$50,658	$24

   Average corporate accountant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Putnam Investments	$101,318	$48.71
   2	Edelman Financial Engines	$95,954	$46.13
   3	Tallgrass Energy	$95,709	$46.01
   4	Clarion Partners	$85,711	$41.21	2
   5	CVR Energy	$85,245	$40.98	2
   6	Macy's	$84,025	$40.40	2
   7	Stripe	$81,405	$39.14	1
   8	Square	$81,354	$39.11
   9	Parsons	$80,834	$38.86	3
   10	HarbourVest	$78,445	$37.71	2
   11	Sherpa	$78,374	$37.68	8
   12	Madison Capital Funding	$77,996	$37.50
   13	Sun Communities	$74,552	$35.84	3
   14	GATX	$73,570	$35.37	11
   15	Wall Street On Demand	$72,843	$35.02
   16	GCM Grosvenor	$72,679	$34.94
   17	Janus Henderson U.S.	$72,272	$34.75	2
   18	Control4	$71,680	$34.46
   19	Comrise	$71,671	$34.46
   20	Shearer's Foods	$71,246	$34.25

4. Writing a corporate accountant job description

   A job description for a corporate accountant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a corporate accountant job description:

   Corporate accountant job description example

   As a Corporate Accounts Payable Associate at Crescent Electric, you will be responsible for reviewing all invoices from vendors and ensuring they are paid in a timely manner.
   
   Receives and reviews payables invoices after ascertaining their accuracy.Performs data entry of payables information and work queues to complete payment of invoices.Contacts vendors and branches to resolve billing discrepancies and other problems related to the delivery of goods.Audits incomplete purchase orders.
   QUALIFICATIONS:
   High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.Ability to use a computer, ability to work as part of a team, accuracy, computer literacy, and organizational skills are essential in this position.Knowledge of basic mathematics. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide mathematical figures.
   
   #LI - CEGO
   
   Total Rewards and Benefits
   Crescent Electric's compensation package includes an array of top-tier benefit options, including:
   Eligibility for health, and dental, vision coverage, 401(k) plan, and flexible spending accounts, subject to plan terms.Eligibility for company-paid benefits such as life insurance, short-term disability, long-term care, and Employee Assistance Program, subject to applicable waiting periods.Excused Absence time off and Paid Time Off (PTO).Company-paid holidays.Other benefits for which you may be eligible includes supplemental life insurance, hospital indemnity, and accident and critical illness benefits with cancer coverage.Eligibility: Employees are eligible for health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits on the first of the month following 30 days of employment. Employees who are 21 years of age or older will be automatically enrolled in the company's 401(k) plan once they achieve 90 days of employment.
   
   Family Owned. Culture of Quality. Opportunities to Advance.
   Crescent is transforming and we are on a mission to power the communities we serve through teamwork and relentless customer focus. We have a vision of uncompromising teamwork committed to becoming the industry leader for our employees, suppliers, and shareholders. At Crescent, you will have the opportunity to develop professionally, grow personally and have the flexibility to balance your life's priorities. Let's serve together. Let's power our communities together. Let's become THE industry leaders...together.
   
   Crescent Electric Supply is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates are subject to pre-employment assessments, Motor Vehicle Record review, criminal background checks, references check, and a post-offer drug screen.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right corporate accountant 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 corporate accountants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit corporate accountants 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.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your corporate accountant job on Zippia to find and recruit corporate accountant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit corporate accountants, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 corporate accountant

   Once you've found the corporate 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   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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How much does it cost to hire a corporate accountant?