If you don't have time to hire accounting employees, accounting temp agencies can come to your rescue. They can provide talented accounting professionals to help keep your accounting department on track and in compliance with all the agencies that monitor accounting practices. They can also save you and your staff valuable time when it comes to choosing the right employees with the right skills. Those are just some accounting temp agency basics you need to know.

There are some things to think about before you hire staff from accounting employment agencies. Your records are confidential, so you want to make sure your new temp employee is trustworthy and reliable. You should:

1. Make sure your temp accountant passes a thorough background check.
2. Discuss whether the accountant temp agency is bonded and insured, in case of any discrepancies.
3. Choose a reputable accounting temp agency to ensure the best results.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Ensure your firm's security with a thorough temp accountant background check

One of your first concerns when hiring accounting temps is to make sure they are trustworthy and honest. After all, they'll have access to your accounts, your employees' personal information, bank accounts, and much more. You have to know their background is impeccable, so make sure any accounting temporary agencies you use do a thorough background check, and they share that background check with their clients.

I recommend: A leader in temporary employment, Kelly Financial Resources offers accounting temps in a variety of fields, and they do thorough reference and background screening, as well. If you're a government agency, Aerotek offers security clearances on temp employees for government accounts. Check to see if they'll run a security clearance for your accounting temp jobs, too. If your accounting staffing agencies don't routinely run background checks, ask them if they will for an additional charge, or ask the temp employee to sign a clearance so you can run your own background check. EmployersChoiceOnline.com offers pre-employment background checks.

Ask about bonding and insurance for your accounting staffing agencies

Before you sign an accounting temp agency contract, make sure your temp employees are covered with bonding and insurance to cover any losses your business might incur as a result of their employment. If your temp agency doesn't offer these services, look for a temp agency that does.

I recommend: RemX uses a variety of selection tools, and will customize the hiring process to include bonding and insurance concerns if you have them. Cyber Coders deals in accounting and finance jobs, and offers a 90-day guarantee on all their placements.

Choose a reputable and well-established accounting staffing agency

Small accounting temporary agencies exist all around the country, but if you want the best results and temp employees, use reputable agencies that stand behind their work and offer the best in screening and testing services.

I recommend: Jacobson offers specialty accounting and finance professionals in a variety of fields and specialties. Pro Staff features financial and accounting professionals screened to fit your specific needs, including tax and state finance experts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider using an accountant temporary placement agency to hire a temp to permanent employee. They can screen, test, and check the applicants, and then they can work for a specified amount of time to make sure they are a good fit for your company. This ensures you'll have a long-term employee that fits into your organization and understands the ins and outs of your accounting needs.

Accounting temp agencies can save you time and money by finding the right accounting temp for your company, leaving you precious time to grow your business. Enjoy all the accounting benefits of an accountant without paying in-house insurance, taxes and wages.

The right temp accountant can help take your business to the next level by providing accuracy and organization to your accounting needs. A good accountant temp agency will find the perfect accounting temps for you. Take the time to outline the services you need, compare reliable temporary accounting agencies and protect your livelihood, and you will prosper.

1. Outline your staffing needs as it relates to temporary accounting work you have to offer.

2. Compare reliable accounting staffing agencies to determine which will best be able to help you find work for accounting temps.

3. Protect your livelihood through the wisest use of temporary accounting agencies.

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Outline the services you need when working with an accounting temp agency

List the accounting services your company needs as specifically as possible. This will likely include P&L, expense reports, invoices, billing, payroll, inventory, taxes, customer/vendor accounts and others. You need to know what your business needs are before you can shop for the right temp agency.

I recommend: Carefully examine your list of accounting temp jobs to make sure there isn't something you missed. Many agencies will go over a list of services that are available to you, so it is wise to look over the expectations of the temp to make sure you are looking for the right accounting temp for your specific industry and business. AccountPros has online listings you can view without joining. Also, check out Robert Half Finance & Accounting Services, a financial recruiting agency providing accounting solutions across the US and around the world.

Compare reliable accounting staffing agencies

Pick your top three accounting temporary agencies and grab your list of services. You should already have a general idea about the accounting agency and the services they offer. Ask for references to contact, too.

I recommend: Accountemps is nationally known and specializes in accounting and financial temps, whereas some temp agencies cross multiple industries. With offices all over the world, there is guaranteed to be an agent in your area. Financial Temps.com is a company specializing in financial temps according to industry.

Check out accounting employment agencies carefully

Ask about the contracts provided by the accounting temp agency to the accounting temp. If there are any gaps in the contract you feel may not protect your business from possible theft, extortion or the selling of trade secrets, create and use an additional contract with the temp.

I recommend: Purchase an employee confidentiality agreement from LawGuru to protect any industry information, patents, and other vital company advantages. Also, available at LawGuru are accounting forms, new hire forms and many, many other legal documents. Visit Standard Legal for great HR software to purchase and use for independent contractor contracts or other legal needs to use with your temp for hires.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  It is important to go over all aspects of the job before the a temp's first day. This should include payment, benefits, breaks/lunches and other on-site policies, as well as dress code and conduct.

Accounting agencies continue to hire auditors, accountants and other employees. During 2006, the Department of Labor reported that accountants and auditors held approximately 1.3 million jobs in the private and public sectors. Furthermore, jobs for accountants and auditors are expected to grow by 18% between 2006 and 2016.

While many accountants and auditors are employed full-time, there is a growing need for accounting professionals to fill accounting temp jobs across the United States. Consequently, people seeking accounting temp jobs, with an accounting temp agency should find training and educational opportunities that make them more marketable. Here are some things to consider as you pursue accounting training opportunities:

1. Accounting staffing agencies expect employees to have a certain skill set.

2. Professional organizations provide up-to-date training pertinent to various aspects of accounting.

3. Some accounting temps obtain training from the temporary agencies that hire them.

Action Steps
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Identify specific skills that accounting employment agencies expect from their employees

Before searching for temporary accounting work, you should identify accounting skills that make you more marketable. Once you have created a list of skills, you should you can target specific trainings that address your skill deficits.

I recommend: Accountemps provides a list of skills they look for in prospective employees, such as general principles of accounting, accounts payable, financial software applications, data entry, accounts receivable, bookkeeper and general ledger. Accounting Now provides information on particular certifications that may be valuable for a prospective temp accountant.

Impress accounting temporary agencies with documented training from professional organizations

Professional organizations devoted to promoting the field of accounting offer a variety of training opportunities for members.

I recommend: The American Institute of Public Accountants offers a variety of training opportunities including various annual conferences pertaining to specific areas of accounting. The American Accounting Association also offers an annual conference as well as local and regional training opportunities.

Obtain training directly from the accountant temp agency

Sometimes an accounting staffing agency offers professional development opportunities for temporary employees. These opportunities may include instruction in specific skill sets as well as training on how to write a winning resume and interview with a prospective employer.

I recommend: Robert Half offers free e-learning and continuing professional education programs for its contract employees. CPE-accredited courses are available online and in the classroom. Aerotek is a temporary staffing agency that places prospective employees in a broad range of fields including accountant temporary placements. They offer resume tips and interview tips as well as client profile training. Furthermore, they offer specific trainings to enhance current skills and develop new skills.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If the cost of temp accountant training seems to be too much, consider applying for scholarships. The National Society of Accountants awarded scholarships to 44 students for the 2008-2009 school year.

Accounting temp agencies can help you find the best accountant for your business. This specialized profession has many aspects that some small to medium-sized businesses may not understand. For that reason, enlisting a temp agency to find a qualified professional is a great way to ensure a quick placement. A temp agency will have an extensive database of qualified candidates, should be bonded and insured, and will have screened the most qualified person for your opening. Accounting professionals specialize in a number of financial areas of expertise and a temp agency can help you find just the right candidate for your opening.

Action Steps
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Public accounting

Public accounting is the term used to describe the profession of accounting. Public accountants provide a wide variety of services, including such things as auditing financial statements, providing advisory services, designing accounting systems and tax preparation. Accounting temp agencies recruit public accountants and can provide them to businesses.

I recommend: All Business.com defines this term for you.

Accounts payable

Accounts payable refers to the money that a business owes to its suppliers but has not yet paid and is a form of debt. Accounting temp agencies can provide accountants that are familiar with and can help manage a business's accounts payable.

I recommend: There is a good definition of this term at HJ Ventures International.

Treasury

Treasury is the term for one of the functions within a company's financial operations and is responsible for issuing new securities. Accounting temp agencies can furnish accountants that are able to work in the treasury department of a company.

I recommend: InvestorWords.com has a brief description.

Audit

Audit is a function or department within financial operations in a company that is responsible for assessing the financial statements of a company. Audits are performed by independent accountants, who can then issue an auditor's report. Accounting temp agencies can supply accountants who are capable of conducting audits for a company.

I recommend: Go to BusinessDictionary.com for more information.

Background check

Because of the nature of sensitive information that an accountant has access to, accounting temp agencies will do a background check on the accountant before recommending them for a position. The background check will include a review of the criminal records, commercial records and financial records of the individual.

I recommend: See this process described at EmployeeIssues.com.

Temp-to-hire

Temp-to-hire is the process of converting a temporary employee to permanent status. Sometimes referred to as 'try before you buy,' it allows the employer to convert the employee if they find them to be satisfactory. Many accounting temp agencies offer this and understand the need for doing so.

I recommend: Crain Communications discusses this process.

CPA, Certified Public Accountant

Accountants that have successfully passed several examinations and met their state's certification requirements earn the right to call themselves Certified Public Accountants.

I recommend: Learn the difference between a CPA and a public accountant at the New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions.