Last Updated on September 13, 2023
Introduction
As a business owner, it can be difficult to find time for every aspect of your business. However, you have to make sure that the bookkeeping is being done correctly and on time. Hiring a virtual assistant bookkeeper is an excellent way of handling much of this work and freeing up your time so you can focus on growing your company. There are many factors to consider when hiring a virtual assistant bookkeeper. Here are some tips to help make sure you find the right person for your business:
Tip #1: Hire a virtual assistant bookkeeper
If you’re looking to hire a virtual assistant bookkeeper, make use of a trusted outsourcing service. This will save you time and money. The outsourcing company will be able to source you the right candidate for your virtual bookkeeping and accounting support needs.
Tip #2: Make sure the person is an expert bookkeeper
When hiring a bookkeeper, it is important to make sure that they have the right experience. This means they should have experience of your type of business and industry. It also helps if they are familiar with your accounting software and procedures.
Accounting regulations can vary from country to country; therefore do make sure you hire someone familiar with the regulations specific to you and your business. For example, in the United States of America, GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) is used. In other countries this might not be the case—your virtual assistant may need additional training or education before they can start working for you.
Tip #3: They must have experience of your type of business
Whether you’re an accountant or a plumber, every business has its own unique accounting processes and requirements. For this reason, it is important that your virtual assistant bookkeeper has experience with your type of business. You may be running a small construction company, and wanting to hire someone to manage the company finances. Such an assistant should have experience in construction: they must understand the industry well enough to run the books correctly for your operation.
Tip #4: Location doesn’t matter
The location of your virtual assistant is not as important as you might think. Today’s business world is becoming increasingly international: many of the trends that allow for remote working also apply to the hiring of a virtual assistant.
For example, if you want to hire someone from another country who speaks English well, a native-English speaker is the correct choice. You would not want someone who needs their native language translated into English so they can use your company’s accounting software. As long as they are a native-English speaker, it matters not whether they are working from home in Arkansas or Hong Kong—the final result will be the same. The only difference is how much money is saved on relocation fees!
If this sounds like something that would work for you and your budget, keep reading.
Tip #5: Use the currency of your choice
When you’re hiring a virtual assistant bookkeeper, you may use the currency of your choice. Your virtual assistant bookkeeper must be familiar with this currency so that there are no mistakes when converting back and forth between currencies.
Tip #6: Keep good records – and know what to look for
When you hire a virtual assistant bookkeeper, it’s important to keep good records. When you have the right documentation and information, it will be easier for your VA to do their job.
As part of the hiring process, make sure that you ask how well-organized the person is in terms of record keeping. If they aren’t sufficiently organized to keep their own finances in order (or if they haven’t done so before), then they might not be able to help with yours either.
Tip #7: Have good references and check them out!
Before you hire someone, examine their references. Be sure that they answer your questions honestly and in detail. If a reference says something like “they did a great job for me but I can’t vouch for them personally because I don’t know them well enough,” then that isn’t good enough—you need more information!
After you hire someone, ask their referees how things are going. Ask whether they can recommend anyone else who might be able to help with your bookkeeping needs.
Keep checking up on their work once you’ve hired them! Check-in regularly so you know what tasks they’ve completed. Check up on any problems or issues that may arise during the process of working together.
Tip #8: Shop around for the right virtual assistant
Now that you have a better idea of what to look for in a virtual assistant bookkeeper, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty and start searching for the right person or company.
There are a number of ways you can go about finding your perfect match. Do some research online and read reviews from other clients who’ve hired their own VAs. Ask for references from previous clients and check their websites. If they have one, see what kind of work they do (and whether this aligns with the type of business you’re running. You could also ask them if they will provide samples of their work—this is a great way of gauging how well-versed they are in whatever field it is that yours falls under (in your case, bookkeeping).
Another option is asking potential candidates whether they offer proposals. You will then know exactly the costs that will be involved before making any commitments. If possible, try setting up interviews with two or three different people, so that when it comes closer to actually hiring someone, there won’t be any surprises along those lines either: no hidden fees! Finally—and most importantly—make sure both parties sign an agreement outlining terms; such as how much money should be paid upfront versus later on; how long this arrangement must last; who owns all intellectual property created during this time period, inter alia.
Using a virtual assistant bookkeeper allows you to focus on the necessary tasks that will make your business grow
It is important to focus on what you do best in order to grow your business. If your business is growing, it needs someone who can perform tasks that are not related to bookkeeping and accounting. This frees them up for other duties such as customer service, marketing, human resources management, payroll administration, and more.
This is also important for the person who provides services for their customers or clients. When they have more time on their hands, they can focus on providing better service to their customers through their improved customer communication and relationships.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many benefits to hiring a virtual assistant bookkeeper. In hiring one, you can focus on growing your business and not worrying about managing the finances. We hope that this article has helped answer some questions about the process of hiring a virtual assistant bookkeeper.
