Hire an Accounting Clerk in the US

The accounting profession faces a historic talent shortage. Over 300,000 accountants left their positions in just two years, and accounting graduates decreased by 6.6% in 2023-24, according to AICPA data. Meanwhile, 76% of firms are expected to hire the same number or more candidates in 2025. This creates intense competition when you need to hire an accounting clerk. Unemployment rates for accounts receivable clerks sit at just 1.4%, for bookkeepers at 1.7%, and for accountants at 2.0%, per Bureau of Labor Statistics data. When virtually everyone who wants a job already has one, finding available talent becomes extraordinarily challenging.

Traditional hiring processes average over 40 days from job posting to start date. This includes posting the position, screening resumes, conducting multiple interview rounds, making an offer, and waiting through notice periods. Some organizations stretch this timeline to 60 or 90 days when they struggle to find qualified candidates. However, when you hire an accounting clerk through a specialized recruiting partner, this timeframe compresses dramatically. Pre-screened candidates can often start within days rather than weeks.

Think of temporary arrangements as a test drive. You bring someone in for a specific project, busy season coverage, or unexpected staff absence. No long-term commitment required. Permanent hires join your team indefinitely with full benefits and integration into your company culture. Many organizations now prefer temporary-to-permanent arrangements. This approach lets you evaluate an accounting clerk’s actual performance before making a permanent commitment. You reduce hiring risk while the candidate proves their fit with your team and processes.

The best accounting clerk candidates aren’t actively browsing job boards. They’re already employed, making passive candidate recruitment essential. Specialized finance recruiting firms maintain relationships with these professionals before positions even open. They know who might consider new opportunities and can reach candidates your job postings never will. General job boards attract hundreds of unqualified applicants who waste your team’s time. Meanwhile, finance-focused recruiters deliver pre-screened candidates who match your specific requirements. Connect with our recruiting specialists to access this hidden talent pool.

Technical skills matter, but they’re just the starting point. The best accounting clerks combine technical proficiency with attention to detail, deadline orientation, and communication abilities. Major companies like Lyft, Planet Fitness, and Rivian have all made costly earnings report errors traced to understaffed accounting departments. During interviews, ask candidates to walk through their reconciliation process or explain how they’ve caught errors in the past. Request specific examples of when they’ve prevented financial mistakes. Check references thoroughly, focusing on accuracy and reliability rather than just technical knowledge. Consider starting with a temporary arrangement to observe their work quality firsthand. Quality vetting takes time, which is why many organizations partner with recruiters who’ve already completed this screening.

Most accounting clerk positions require a high school diploma or associate degree in accounting or a related field. However, experience often matters more than education. Look for candidates with 1-3 years of hands-on experience in accounts payable, accounts receivable, or general ledger work. Proficiency in accounting software (QuickBooks, NetSuite, SAP) is increasingly non-negotiable. Microsoft Excel skills should extend beyond basic data entry to include formulas, pivot tables, and VLOOKUP functions. Some specialized roles may require knowledge of industry-specific regulations or compliance requirements.

Remote work has become standard for many accounting clerk positions. The role’s digital nature—processing invoices, reconciling accounts, managing electronic payments—translates well to remote arrangements. However, some organizations prefer on-site or hybrid schedules for training purposes, document access, or team collaboration. Your decision should reflect your actual business needs rather than assumptions. Many companies have successfully transitioned accounting functions to fully remote operations. Others maintain hybrid schedules where clerks work on-site during month-end close periods but remotely otherwise.

Direct costs when you hire an accounting clerk include salary, benefits, payroll taxes, and recruiting expenses. The average accounting clerk salary varies by location and experience but generally falls between $40,000 and $55,000 annually. However, the true cost of hiring includes time spent by your team reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, and training new employees. A bad hire multiplies these costs significantly. Financial misstatements from unqualified staff have cost companies 2-5% of pretax earnings. When you factor in the risk of errors, delays, and potential compliance issues, partnering with a specialized recruiter often proves more cost-effective than managing the entire process internally.

Speed requires preparation meeting opportunity. With unemployment rates below 2% for many accounting clerk positions, the fastest placements happen when you work with recruiters who maintain pre-screened talent pools. These professionals have already interviewed candidates, verified references, and confirmed technical skills. When you need someone immediately, they can present qualified candidates within 24-48 hours. Some agencies specialize in rapid placement and maintain bench strength specifically for urgent situations. However, “fast” shouldn’t mean “careless.” Even expedited hiring should include proper vetting to ensure quality matches your urgency.

This depends on your timeline and resources. Training someone from another department works when you have months to invest in their development and can tolerate initial mistakes. It fails when you need immediate competency or lack the bandwidth to provide extensive training. Accounting requires specific knowledge that takes time to develop. Someone unfamiliar with debits and credits, reconciliation processes, or financial software will need substantial support. Hiring an experienced accounting clerk delivers immediate productivity and accuracy. They hit the ground running while your internal candidate would still be learning fundamentals.

Pay attention to employment gaps without reasonable explanations. Frequent job changes (multiple positions lasting less than a year) often signal problems. Vague responses about past responsibilities or inability to provide specific examples of their work raise concerns. During interviews, watch for candidates who blame others for mistakes or show defensive behavior when discussing challenges. When you hire an accounting clerk, technical red flags include unfamiliarity with standard accounting software or inability to explain basic processes like reconciliation or accounts payable workflows. Reference checks that reveal accuracy issues, missed deadlines, or communication problems should give you pause.

Practical assessments reveal more than interviews alone. Ask candidates to complete a sample reconciliation or identify errors in a mock bank statement. Test their Excel proficiency with real-world tasks like creating pivot tables or using formulas. If you use specific accounting software, have them demonstrate basic functions. However, skills testing requires expertise to evaluate effectively. Many hiring managers lack the time or technical knowledge to create and assess these tests properly. This is where specialized recruiters add value—they’ve already tested candidates and can provide detailed skill assessments. Talk to our finance recruiting specialists about our comprehensive screening process.

Well-structured onboarding typically spans 30-90 days. The first week covers company policies, system access, and basic processes. Weeks two through four introduce specific responsibilities with close supervision. By month two, most clerks handle routine tasks independently while learning more complex functions. Month three focuses on refinement and integration with broader team workflows. However, experienced clerks from staffing agencies often compress this timeline significantly. They’ve seen multiple systems and processes, allowing them to adapt faster than entry-level hires. Some hit full productivity within two weeks.

Contract clerks provide flexibility without long-term commitment. They’re perfect for covering parental leave, extended absences, or seasonal workload spikes. You get immediate help without increasing permanent headcount or benefits costs. Permanent employees offer continuity and deep institutional knowledge. They invest in your company’s long-term success and develop expertise in your specific processes. Many organizations now use a blended approach—maintaining a core permanent team supplemented by contract professionals during peak periods. This strategy controls costs while ensuring adequate coverage year-round.

Our accounting clerk placements span manufacturing, healthcare, technology, professional services, retail, hospitality, and non-profit sectors. We understand that an accounting clerk for a construction company needs different skills than one supporting a law firm or medical practice. Industry-specific knowledge about billing cycles, revenue recognition, or compliance requirements matters. Our recruiters maintain expertise across multiple sectors, allowing us to match candidates whose background aligns with your industry’s unique demands. We don’t just find accounting clerks—we find accounting clerks who understand your business.

Getting started takes minutes. Connect with VALiNTRY’s accounting recruiters to discuss your immediate and future hiring needs. We’ll ask about your required skills, preferred experience level, work arrangement, and timeline. Then we’ll present pre-screened candidates who match your specifications. You interview only the candidates you want to meet. Once you select your preferred candidate, we handle all onboarding logistics. Most clients receive their first candidate profiles within 48 hours of initial contact. The entire process from first conversation to candidate start date typically takes one week.