If you already know you’ll need another bookkeeper for tax season, October is the time to start planning. Beginning early gives you more time to define the role, evaluate candidates carefully, verify practical bookkeeping skills, and onboard the right person before the busy season begins. This reflects BookkeepingIQ’s emphasis on practical skill validation before the offer is made.

When your firm is understaffed, getting someone in the seat can feel like the priority. But urgency can make it easier to overlook unanswered questions about a candidate’s actual skills. Here’s how to slow down strategically, verify what matters, and avoid turning one staffing problem into another.

Hiring the right bookkeeper takes more than reviewing resumes and conducting interviews. Drawing from 17 years of hiring experience, this article shares five practical lessons on evaluating candidates, identifying long-term potential, and building a hiring process that leads to better decisions.