Tips For Hiring The Most Qualified Accountant Toronto Businesses Will Find Helpful

By Enid Hinton


Each business, as it grows, will eventually need to turn their financial matters over to a professional with the necessary expertise to ensure that the company's records are in order and that annual costs and taxes can be reduced as much as possible. When hiring an accountant Toronto companies can choose between delegating these duties to either an in-house employee or an outside firm. The following points can help identify those who are best qualified for the position in both cases.

The Canadian accounting profession has undergone some major changes recently in terms of its industry designations. A common title of CPA, which stands for Chartered Professional Accountant is given to all accountants in Canada, replacing the former CA, CMA, and CGA designations. These individuals must earn an undergraduate degree and pass a national exam to have this title bestowed upon them. Additional training in areas of specialization can be an asset to certain types of businesses.

There are some accountants whose experience is focused primarily in one sector, which can appeal to other similar companies, as such professionals should be very familiar with those accounting issues pertaining to this industry and have effective strategies for them. On the other hand, people who have been employed by multiple types of businesses, bring a wider breadth of knowledge to the table.

Some leaders prefer the more personal directness of hiring one person to handle all accounting matters, but this is not always feasible for very large corporations who may need the service of an accounting team and are better served by a firm. Larger firms are not necessarily superior to smaller ones, and in some cases the former hires the latter to manage their clients.

When a company's accounting calls for more than just the basics like tax returns and year-end financial statements, it's normally best to consider hiring someone who has training and expertise in the particular area in question to produce the most favorable outcome. Standard accounting practices can be handled by just about any accountant.

When the word gets out that a company is looking to hire a new accounting professional, they may find that a colleague will recommend someone or they can also turn to such credible sources as the trade association for their industry or a corporate attorney for a referral."Head-hunter" agencies can also help devise a list of promising candidates for the position, however they will incur a finder's fee in the event that one of these people gets hired.

Given the fact that accountants have access to confidential information, a considerable amount of screening must be done prior to hiring them, this includes both an interview and contacting references. It's important to gain a clear picture of the firm or person's experience, which software programs they implement, and in the case of a large firm, it is necessary to personally meet and evaluate the individuals assigned to the company's accounts.

References from past employers must be contacted to verify that this person or firm is one who works and communicates in a timely and clear manner and will get the job done right. Selecting an accountant is a major step for any developing business and in some respects it can make or break the company, so hiring only the best is imperative.




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