Bookkeeper: What is the cost of hiring?
2025-10-0134000.0070998.33124000.00YEARLY
Bookkeeper: What is the cost of hiring?
What is a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper is a financial professional who tracks and records the daily financial transactions of a business. Their main tasks include maintaining ledgers, reconciling bank statements, generating financial reports, processing invoices and receipts, and assisting with payroll and BAS submissions. Bookkeepers work closely with accountants to ensure an organisation’s financial data is well-organised and audit-ready.
Defining your hiring needs for a bookkeeper
Start by assessing your current bookkeeping needs. Are your financial tasks always completed accurately and on time? Consider whether you need someone to manage your financial records or to support your accountant. Think about the working arrangement that suits your business, which could be a remote, part-time role or a full-time, in-house presence.
Be specific about the size and complexity of your financial transactions and whether your business requires a registered BAS Agent to meet its compliance obligations. Also outline which software or platforms you currently use, and clarify how independently you expect the person to work.
If you are unsure whether a bookkeeper or an accountant is the right fit, keep in mind that bookkeepers typically handle routine, day-to-day financial tasks, while accountants focus more on strategic planning and high-level financial advice. Finance officers may also be worth considering, depending on your business’s specific structure and needs.
Why hire a bookkeeper?
Whether you are a sole trader, small business owner or managing a larger corporation, a bookkeeper can help you stay on top of your finances and maintain compliance with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Hiring a bookkeeper frees up your time and reduces the risk of costly errors.
You may need a bookkeeper if you are spending more time on invoicing and payroll than on business operations, if you want to prepare for a financial audit or if you need help lodging your Activity Statements or understanding compliance obligations.
Contributions of a great bookkeeper:
- Efficiently manages accounts payable and receivable
- Maintains organised, accurate and up-to-date financial records
- Supports compliance with GST, BAS, superannuation and payroll requirements
What are the types of bookkeepers?
Bookkeepers can be categorised based on their area of focus, level of experience and professional registration status. Depending on your business needs, you may consider hiring one of the following:
- Junior Bookkeeper: Provides entry-level support for data entry and basic reconciliations
- Senior Bookkeeper: Manages more complex transactions, oversees reporting and may supervise junior staff
- Freelance/Contract Bookkeeper: Ideal for businesses needing flexible, temporary or project-based support
- Payroll Bookkeeper: Specialises in managing employee wages, leave entitlements, superannuation and payroll tax
- Registered BAS Agent: Authorised to prepare and lodge BAS statements with the ATO on your behalf
When writing your bookkeeper job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on bookkeeper jobs, according to Indeed data:
- Bookkeeper
- Accounts payable
- Accounts receivable
- BAS agent
- Xero bookkeeper
- Payroll officer
- MYOB
- Reconciliation
- Accounts officer
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Where to find bookkeepers
Bookkeepers work across a wide range of industries and often engage with specialised training programs, professional bodies and software-specific communities. You may find suitable candidates by networking through events, getting in touch with training institutions or connecting with professionals who are already familiar with your systems. Combining targeted industry channels with broader hiring platforms can help you attract qualified applicants from anywhere in the country.
To find the right bookkeeper for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Professional associations: Organisations such as the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) and the Australian Bookkeepers Network maintain member directories and support compliance-trained professionals.
- Vocational and tertiary institutions: To recruit trained graduates, partner with TAFEs and business colleges offering a Certificate IV in Bookkeeping or a Diploma of Accounting.
- Industry events and webinars: Bookkeepers frequently attend sessions hosted by major financial software providers, which offer a great place to meet professionals open to new opportunities.
- Internal candidates: If an employee in admin or accounts is already familiar with your systems, consider offering additional training or professional development for a bookkeeping transition.
- Job boards and hiring platforms: Post your job on Indeed to attract applicants actively seeking bookkeeping roles in your location.
Post your job online: Try posting your bookkeeper job on Indeed to find and attract quality bookkeeper candidates.
Skills to look for in a bookkeeper
A successful bookkeeper candidate will typically have the following skills and competencies, which may be gained through a variety of experiences, training or education:
- Proficiency in commonly used accounting software
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy in data entry and financial reconciliation
- Knowledge of BAS, GST, PAYG and superannuation requirements
- Ability to prepare and interpret financial reports such as profit and loss and cash flow statements
- Understanding of compliance obligations and the need for confidentiality
- Sound time management skills to meet reporting deadlines and manage multiple tasks
Writing a bookkeeper job description
Now that you know the key skills, salary expectations, popular job seeker search terms and hiring insights for a bookkeeper, you’re ready to write a job description.
A bookkeeper job description typically includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities, and the required and preferred skills for the position. You may also want to include information about your company culture, benefits and perks to attract candidates to your vacant role.
Ready to get started? See our full guide for writing bookkeeper job descriptions.
Interviewing bookkeeper candidates
Strong candidates for bookkeeper positions will be confident answering questions regarding:
- Experience using accounting platforms and migrating data between systems
- Handling discrepancies in financial reconciliation and correcting errors
- Managing BAS submissions and preparing for end-of-financial-year reporting
- Prioritising workload during high-volume financial periods such as tax time
- Liaising with external accountants, the ATO or suppliers on financial matters
Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of bookkeeper 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.
