How to Hire a Bookkeeper: Job Description + Interview Questions (Free Templates)
Hire With Confidence in 60 Minutes or Less
Use these copy-ready job descriptions, interview questions, and a hands-on skills test to separate real bookkeepers from résumé fluff.
Job Description (copy-paste)
Title: Bookkeeper (Remote / Hybrid)
About the Role: Own monthly reconciliations, month-end close, and standard financials (P&L/BS/CF). Work with the CPA at year-end.
Responsibilities:
- Categorize transactions; reconcile bank/CC monthly
- Prepare P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow with variance notes
- Maintain AR/AP postings and aging reports
- Post payroll journals; record sales tax liabilities
- Maintain chart of accounts; document the close checklist
- Coordinate with CPA for tax prep
Requirements:
- 2-4 yrs bookkeeping (QuickBooks Online/Xero)
- Proven month-end close; examples required
- Understanding of accruals/deferrals, COGS, and basic GAAP
- Security hygiene: MFA, least-privilege access
Nice to Have: multi-entity consolidation; job costing; eCommerce settlements
Compensation: $XX-$YY/hr (PT) or $ZZ–$KK salary (FT) + benefits
How to Apply: Submit sample close notes + anonymized P&L/BS.
Want to Hire a Bookkeeper instead?
Interview Playbook (30 minutes)
A. Screening (10 min)
- “Walk me through your month-end close-day by day.”
- “Show me a reconciliation report you’ve produced.”
- “How do you handle unmatched deposits or suspense accounts?”
- “Explain one tricky cleanup you solved and how long it took.”
B. Deep Dive (10 min)
- “How do you post payroll journals vs. payroll filings?”
- “Map Amazon or Shopify settlements from gross → fees → net.”
- “What’s your approach to sales tax mapping?”
- “Give me 3 common miscodings that inflate profit.”
C. Scenario (10 min)
- Hand them 10 transactions: mixed vendors, two transfers, one refund.
- Ask for categorization + a one-paragraph variance note.
Pass/Fail: Clear checklist, reconciles to zero, explains exceptions succinctly.
Skills Test (hands-on)
What’s inside:
- 25-line bank feed + statement snippet
- 5 miscodings seeded (find & fix)
- One settlement (Stripe) with fee mapping
- Instructions + expected answers tab
Grading rubric (fast):
- Reconciliation variance = $0 (mandatory)
- Correct fee mapping (gross → fee → net)
- Variance note explains 3 anomalies in plain English
- Close checklist is complete and ordered
Outsourced Bookkeeping vs In-House
Cost & Model: In-House vs Flat-Rate
- If you have <600 txns/mo, flat-rate monthly is usually cheaper and faster.
- If you need daily on-site tasks, hire PT/FT-but keep a monthly close SLA.
Compare: Monthly vs Quarterly Bookkeeping and Outsourced Bookkeeping.
Red Flags During Hiring
- Won’t provide a sample reconciliation or anonymized reports
- Treats sales tax and payroll journals like “tax filings”
- Avoids written checklists (“I keep it in my head”)
- Promises cleanup “after tax season” (permanent backlog)
- Refuses MFA or shared portal usage
Amazon & Shopify bookkeeping (deep guide) →
FAQs
Should I hire part-time or full-time first?
Start part-time unless you need daily onsite work. For most SMBs, flat-rate monthly covers the core.
Can I test candidates without giving bank access?
Yes-use anonymized CSVs and statement screenshots in the skills test.
What if I only need help during tax season?
You think you do, but monthly closes all year cost less than year-end cleanup + CPA overages.
How do I protect access and data?
MFA, least-privilege roles, and a portal for document exchange. Remove access on departure day.
What about eCommerce settlements?
Make sure they can map gross → fees → net for Amazon/Shopify/Stripe and reconcile to the bank.
Hire confidently-or skip the hire and go flat-rate.
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