Accountant: What is the cost of hiring?
2025-10-0135000.0079130.34141000.00YEARLY
Accountant: What is the cost of hiring?
As of April 2022, the average number of job seekers per accountant job in Australia is 12.
an accountant: What is the cost of hiring?
As of April 2022, the average number of job seekers per accountant job in Australia is 12.
Why hire an accountant?
Small business owners often handle most tasks themselves, but dealing with corporate finances can be challenging and time-consuming. Hiring an accountant means your financial records and processes are in good hands. A skilled accountant will give you peace of mind because you can rest assured your figures are flawless and you are in good shape if you ever get audited.
Contributions of a great accountant:
- Qualified and experienced in accounting and general business practices
- Knows how to use necessary accounting and tax software
- Pays attention to detail and keeps accurate records
Deciding between a full-time vs freelance accountant
Hiring a full-time accountant is a good solution if you have a lot of financials to deal with, or you are not confident in handling your figures yourself. An in-house accountant will gain in-depth knowledge of your business processes and is a great asset to any organisation. Bear in mind that you will need to pay your account the typical employee benefits such as superannuation in addition to their salary.
However, if you need only occasional help with your taxes or specific analyses, then hiring a contractor accountant may be the way to go. This way, you will only pay for financial services if and when you need them, which can be a cost-effective solution. A contractor may also be more specialised in certain areas than a general in-house accountant.
What are the different types of accountant?
When hiring an accountant, you need to understand exactly what type of finance expert your business needs. Here is a brief overview of some common types of accountant:
- Financial accountant: Analyses a company’s transactions and produces reports about the financial status of the business for external bodies.
- Management accountant: Creates in-depth financial reports for internal stakeholders to inform business decisions.
- Tax accountant: Assesses your company’s income and expenses, advises on tax-deductible items and completes your tax return.
- Auditor: Reviews your company’s financial records to ensure they are legally compliant and can advise on cost-cutting opportunities.
Where to find an accountant
To find the right accountant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Professional accountancy organisations: Accountancy bodies can often provide a list of their qualified members, or you can advertise in their membership journal. In Australia, the three main accountancy organisations are CPA Australia, the Institute of Public Accountants, and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
- Internal promotion: Advertise your accountant vacancy in-house, and you may find that the right candidate is already employed by your company.
- Local business associations: Most local business associations hold regular meetings in your town. These gatherings are typically well attended, and you’re very likely to meet some skilled and experienced accountants there, too, who may be looking for a new opportunity.
- Indeed Smart Sourcing: Type ‘accountant’ into the Indeed Smart Sourcing search bar, choose a location, select the desired skills and you’ll be shown the resumes of suitable accountants you can contact for an interview.
Post your job online: Try posting your accountant job on Indeed to find and attract quality accountant candidates.
Skills to look for in a great accountant
A great accountant candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:
- familiarity with Australian Accounting Standards Board guidelines and accounting practices
- strong critical thinking and analytical skills
- familiarity with accounting software and a high level of proficiency in the use of spreadsheets
- excellent communication skills for reporting their findings to internal or external stakeholders
- an ability to analyse data and prepare financial statements
Writing an accountant job description
A thoughtful description is important for finding qualified accountant candidates. An accountant job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.
When writing your job description for an accountant, consider including some or all of the following keywords to strengthen the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on accountant jobs, according to Indeed data:
- accountant
- accounting
- graduate accountant
- bookkeeper
- tax accountant
- financial accountant
- accounts
- assistant accountant
- junior accountant
Interviewing accountant candidates
Strong candidates for accountant positions will be confident answering questions regarding:
- accounting certifications or qualifications
- knowledge of accounting software and Office applications
- their track record of saving previous employers costs through financial analyses
- their approach to dealing with errors detected in the analysed data
- an ability to liaise with people from other departments or external customers
Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of accountant interview questions for examples (with sample answers).
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
