Provisional Accounting Blog

After spending countless hours writing a great job description, pouring over resumes and interviewing candidates, you’re probably thrilled to have found the perfect person for your team. However, you’re work is far from being done. Properly onboarding employees is the key to getting the most from their talent and ensuring lasting job satisfaction.

5 Effective Onboarding Strategies

Preparing for your new hire’s first day? Incorporate the following five tactics into your onboarding plan to successfully integrate them into your company:

Make People Feel Welcome

Show new hires how much they’re appreciated from day one, to make a great first impression. Set their desk up, seek access to systems they’ll be using, greet them at reception, schedule a team lunch and personally introduce them to their new colleagues.

Involve the Whole Team

During their first few days on the job, new hires are often faced with a plethora of information, making it difficult to remember everything. Personalize their experience by asking each member of your team to schedule a one-on-one meeting with them, to explain their role on the team, giving them a clear idea of how everyone fits together.

Create a 30-60-90 Day Plan

Make your expectations clear by creating a 30-60-90 day plan, so the person knows exactly what you envision for their development. This is a great way to ensure everyone is on the same page during the first few months of employment.

Assign a Mentor

Getting acclimated to a new company takes time. Many people feel uncomfortable asking questions, which makes it hard to properly get settled. Ease the transition by assigning each new hire a mentor to offer guidance, monitor their progress and serve as support system.

Provide Continuous Training

Most of an employee’s first few days on the job are typically spent in training, but that’s not enough. Follow up with regular training for at least the first few months, to fully equip the new hire with the knowledge needed to succeed at your company for the long-term.

Want to make sure you hire the absolute best person for the job?

Partner with Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. Each of our temporary/contract and direct-hire candidates go through an extensive background screening process, which is why we deliver nothing but the best new hires!

Hiring managers are well aware that it’s difficult to really get to know candidates during a job interview, which is why there’s a good chance you’ll be asked to provide a list of references. These people will be called on during the selection process, to help the hiring manager learn more about you and gauge your fit for the position.

If you choose your references wisely, they’ll sing your praises and help increase your chances of getting the job. However, selecting the wrong person can essentially write your rejection letter. Therefore, the importance of carefully cultivating a list of approximately three outstanding references cannot be emphasized enough.

4 Characteristics of a Great Reference

Busy compiling your reference list? Make sure each person you choose fits the following criteria.

You’re Sure They’ll Speak Highly of You

Just because your last supervisor agreed to be your reference doesn’t mean they’ll give you a glowing review. If you had a bit of tumultuous relationship with the person or left on bad terms, it’s not a good idea to ask them to help you get a new job.

They Know Your Strengths

Choose someone who knows your work, so they can really sell you for the job. A former manager, colleague, client or teacher can be a great choice because they’ve worked closely with you and can provide the interviewer with thorough answers to their questions.

They’re Reliable

Don’t offer up someone as a reference if they have a tendency to flake or are difficult to get ahold of. The hiring manager won’t be amused if you provide a reference that requires a great deal of time and effort to track down.

You Have a Professional Relationship with Them

Sure, your friends and family will provide you with a glowing character reference, but this might not get you as far as you think. The hiring manager wants an unbiased opinion of you, so they don’t want to talk to your mother or best friend. Unless you’re specifically asked to provide personal references, doing so will make you look like an amateur.

Ready to find the accounting job of your dreams?

Contact Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. As the Northwest’s premier specialized accounting and finance recruiting and staffing service, you can count on us to provide you with access to more professional job opportunities than any other agency in the area.

It’s only natural to want to be as thorough as possible when vetting candidates for a position on your team. You want to leave no stone unturned, to ensure you hire the very best person for the job. However, it’s important to know that some topics are simply off limits. Not only do you run the risk of offending people, you may also be in violation of employment laws.

Don’t Address These 11 Topics

Never ask questions related to any of the following 11 subject matters:

• Race/Color
• Veteran Status
• Gender
• Citizenship
• Familial Status
• Disability
• Genetic Information
• Age
• National Origin
• Pregnancy
• Religion

Additionally, some states also have laws in place prohibiting potential employers from inquiring on the subjects of a candidate’s sexual orientation and marital status.

If you think you can find the information you’re looking for by simply being evasive, you are mistaken. Discussing or even indirectly hinting at the topics listed above could place you in violation of employment law. Completely avoid all of these issues to ensure you don’t inadvertently cross the line.

Safe Issues to Focus On

Don’t get discouraged, as you have free reign to cover plenty of ground to find the best person for the job. Typically, you’re permitted to ask applicable questions to ensure the person has the ability to fulfill specific duties associated with the position. For example, if the job involves heavy lifting, it’s certainly okay to ask the candidate if they have the ability to meet these obligations — just don’t ask if they have a disability.

Of course, you’re also permitted to ask questions to determine how well the person would fit into your company culture, gauge their work ethic and identify their relevant job skills. If you’re not sure about a question, run it by your human resources department first, to make sure it won’t get you in trouble. The same goes for questions posed by candidates themselves. If someone asks a question that so much as borders on a topic that’s off-limits, simply direct them to human resources.

Searching for top accounting talent to join your team?

Partner with Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. Our talented recruiters are committed to finding the best person for the job, by taking a personalized, relationship-based approach to the entire staffing process.

Ready to start over in a brand new area? Move to the Emerald City! Seattle is a great place to live, offering a plethora of career options and an outstanding quality of life. Enjoy being surrounded by water, going to Pike Place Market whenever you want, friendly neighbors, a great cultural scene and so much more.

Grow Your Career in Seattle

Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing currently has these eight great job opportunities in Seattle:

• Accounts Receivable Coordinator: Assist the AR team of an established company in the leisure & hospitality industry, by overseeing all of the accounts in the collections process. The ideal candidate has excellent customer service skills, can work well under pressure and is extremely organized. Learn more.
• Financial Analyst: If you’re passionate about financial information, driven by growth within a company, have the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and are willing to pitch in wherever needed, you may be the ideal fit for this leading technology company. Find more information.
• Junior Accountant: Trying to break into the accounting field? An established manufacturing company is looking for an entry-level associate to assist with the day-to-day operations of their accounting and finance departments and help with other projects as needed. Apply here.
• Part-time Bookkeeper: A rapidly growing company downtown seeks an experienced accounting professional looking for a high volume of work in a fun work environment, with great perks! Job duties include order entries, AR/AP accounting and assisting the controller with projects. Learn more.
• Regional Sales: If you’re a people person with an interest in marketing and human resources, this job is for you! The company is looking for a sales and marketing professional to lead the strategy and tactics for acquisition focused campaigns as the Regional Sales Manager for the Pudget Sound area. Submit your application.
• Senior Accountant: Join an office of financial advisors downtown. You’ll lead the accounting and financial reporting department for both the company and their clients. Responsibilities of the job include month-end and year-end processes, account reconciliations, assisting with GL maintenance when needed and special projects. Find out more about this opportunity.
• Senior Billing Specialist: Become part of an established financial planning team in the downtown area. The company is looking for candidates with strong analytical skills, a good work ethic and outstanding customer service skills. You’ll be responsible for preparing monthly client bills, researching expenses to provide supporting documentation, invoice modification and proofing and assisting in other areas as needed. Apply here.
• Staff Accountant: Put your talents to work for a successful commercial construction company in Belltown. The ideal candidate is someone with efficient computer skills, a commitment to providing outstanding customer service and an excellent communicator. Learn more.

Searching for work in Seattle?

Contact Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. We’re proud to be the leaders at matching specialized accounting talent with top local companies offering temporary/contract, temp-to-hire and direct-hire opportunities.