Top soft skills to look for when hiring an accountant
November 10, 2022

Top Soft Skills to Look for When Hiring an Accountant

Having the right technical skills is an important aspect for an accountant to possess. However, a portfolio of soft skills is often what sets candidates apart from others during the hiring process. 

These types of unique skills enable people to effectively communicate, resolve problems, and work with people in various professional settings. 

Identifying the essential soft skills required for your role will ensure that the best candidate is selected. Consider these top soft skills when completing your next round of hiring.

1. Professional writing skills

Regardless of whether or not you enjoyed English class growing up, knowing how to write effectively is crucial. Recognized as one of the most transferable skills across nearly all industries, any potential candidate needs to demonstrate their ability to intelligently convey the required technical materials.

Keep in mind, however, that the extent of their writing skills should align with the specific role’s expectations. While less is often more when it comes to words, you want to hire a candidate who can fulfill the necessary tasks. 

Emails can be shorter and more direct, whereas larger presentations or proposals are typically completed in longer form with higher engagement. 

Thus, before hiring a new candidate, take the time to ensure their writing skills match the ongoing requirements of the particular role.

Our recruiting experts at AHK Accounting Recruiters offer extensive accounting staffing services in Toronto. By completing a thorough referral process, we’re able to learn everything about the potential candidates through in-depth, personalized discussions and assessment, thus ensuring they meet the expectations of your role.

2. Communication skills

Hiring someone who is a good communicator involves determining whether or not they are capable of sharing their ideas efficiently, adapting to different audiences, and reacting effectively in changing situations. It’s not enough to simply be good with numbers. The potential candidate should also be able to tell the story behind the data and present it in a comprehensible manner for clients.

When screening various candidates, you must keep in mind the importance of proper communication. Being able to successfully disseminate information and create links between data points that will make them more accessible to others is essential for interacting with clients. 

Our team of experts takes the time to understand the values on which our clients operate and the type of employees they see fit. At AHK Accounting Recruiters, we have a great understanding of what accounting staffing requires. 

This makes it easier to work with clients across different industries and connect them with great candidates.

3. Business acumen skills

A necessary part of any accounting role is the ability to think strategically in any given situation. When hiring a new candidate, you want to make sure they have a strong understanding of how your specific business operates. 

Without any prior knowledge of the industry, the candidate may be less likely to succeed in the given role, depending on the job classification. 

The person you hire should actively stay up to date on ongoing industry news and current management trends. Knowing how to identify opportunities for both your business and potential clients will ensure that the new hire will make long-term contributions to the role. 

At AHK Accounting Recruiters, we are confident that our accounting staffing services in Toronto can help you fill each role with the right candidate, and our results continue to go above and beyond our client’s expectations.

4. Leadership skills

No matter what level the position is at, hiring a candidate with leadership skills will guarantee the role is filled by a self-starter. Showing initiative is a crucial part of growth and ensures that the individual hired won’t become stagnant over time. 

Being a leader means they know how to guide others, create consensus, motivate fellow colleagues, and keep projects moving forward. 

Hiring candidates with leadership skills gives you an advantage over the competition, thus ensuring your team has the drive and passion to succeed.

As part of our accounting staffing services in Toronto, we provide a thorough, detailed analysis highlighting candidate qualifications and achievements to help companies make a well-informed decision about a candidate before scheduling an interview.

5. Critical thinking skills

Whether the role involves spotting patterns and trends, testing information, or coming up with a coherent strategy to solve complex problems, the candidate you hire must have critical thinking skills. Although considered a soft skill, critical thinking is essential to understanding how to complete tasks effectively. 

During the hiring process, you should seek candidates who can think outside the box when encountering a problem. 

Rather than doing the first thing that comes to mind, your goal needs to be finding an individual who will search for a creative solution whenever possible. 

Instead of a standard resume and cover letter, AHK Accounting Recruiters offers accounting staffing services in Toronto that come with a more detailed analysis that’s been vetted and built around the needs of your specific roles and company.

6. Planning and organization skills

Today, multitasking is an incredibly high-demand skill for many roles. Although you don’t want to put a candidate in a position where they take on too many tasks, it is still important for them to understand how to plan tasks by optimizing their schedule. 

Knowing how to plan and organize their assignments properly will allow the selected candidate to be more successful in the given role. 

Being able to anticipate delays, effectively budget time for each task, and utilize project management tools are some ways a candidate can demonstrate their skills. In addition, you should consider asking the candidate their thoughts on how a standard methodology could be implemented to improve the role’s organizational platforms better. 

Rather than focusing on the number of candidates alone, which can often take more time and resources from an employer without payoff, at AHK Accounting Recruiters, our accounting staffing services in Toronto focus on quality employees with the qualifications and personality to fit your role and organizational culture.

Where to Find a Recruiter

To connect with one of our re1723510501cruitment experts at AHK Accounting Recruiters, call us at 855-630-0383 or contact us online.

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