The hardest service provider I’ve had to hire is one I only need once a year – an accountant to file my taxes. There are tons of accountants and you would think this would be a relatively easy skill to hire for, but it has been very frustrating for me. 

In the 15 years I’ve been in business, I have been through four accountants and am on number five. (If you’re thinking I am the client from hell, I don’t think that’s the problem.)

My first accountant had health issues and needed to scale back her practice. She referred me to someone. That woman was young and bright and we were fine for a few years. Then she fired me as her client. I am still not sure what I did. I probably missed her deadline to get her the information, if I had to take a guess.

Then, I found out a colleague I really liked was starting to take on tax clients and I was thrilled to give her my business. In a few years she stopped doing tax work, so I was out of luck again. 

After asking my network, I was referred to someone else who was probably the best of the accountants I had worked with up to that point. He truly tried to be a business partner and add value. He also put up with my whining and fear of forms. He was quite kind, actually. But after several years he raised his rates substantially and I couldn’t afford him. 

I went back to my network and was referred to my current accountant. I have been with him for four years, I think. So you can imagine my anxiety when I didn’t get my normal engagement letter in December to sign. I waited until January 15 and then reached out. I was honestly worried that he was going to fire me or stop doing taxes. As it turned out, he is recovering from a health issue, and while I am sorry for him, I am thrilled that I don’t have to look for another accountant. 

If you need to go through the process of finding an accountant, here is what I would suggest:

Get referrals 

Your accountant will have access to all of your personal information and potentially your bank account. They might know more about certain aspects of your business than you do. Finding someone who is trustworthy and competent is critical. 

Interview a few service providers

You’ll want to go with the first person you talk to if they seem good enough, but do yourself a favor and talk to a few accountants to get a better sense of what you should expect. Costs can vary and the way service providers work with clients will vary. 

My current accountant is very process and technology driven – way more so than I would have expected. It’s both comforting and annoying, as it is overly burdensome for a business the size of mine. 

Confirm they have experience with small businesses

The tax code applies to all businesses, but small businesses are their own animal. Ask questions about your prospective accountant’s current client base and make sure they specialize in working with businesses like yours. 

You may want to look for someone who specializes in your industry as well. 

Learn about their processes and technology

I didn’t ask about this when I signed up with my current accountant. I don’t think it would have changed my decision because I was in a time crunch with the filing deadline approaching, but the way my accountant’s technology works is always confusing and every year I have to get him to walk me through it. 

Establish a connection

During your initial consultation did you feel like they were respectful? Did you feel like they understood your business? Did you like their communication style?

If you had an easy and relaxed conversation, or a solid business discussion, this is a good indication that you will enjoy working with them. 

Check your gut

Did anything feel off at any point in this process? If it did, that’s a red flag and do not move forward. 

If you’ve gotten this far and there are no red flags, consider hiring them.

I hope you already have an accountant you love, but if you need to hire one, these suggestions will help you to hire the right one. 

Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash