​The role you need depends on your business needs, so let’s look at common business triggers that most likely require needing the next level of financial role, and what kind of activities and responsibilities each role typically includes. We’ll start with bookkeeper and work our way up to Chief Financial Officer (CFO). 

Bookkeeper
If you’re starting up your business or you’re tapped out on trying to do your own accounting for your small business, you likely need a Bookkeeper!

If you’re starting a new business or have an existing business and you’ve outgrown using your bank account and spreadsheets to track your financial transactions, then it’s time to hire a bookkeeper.  Most likely you would start with a fractional bookkeeper (not full time), paired with a CPA Firm that can advise on taxes and recording more complex transactions such as debt and equity. Your financial transactions should be reviewed by your CPA Firm, an owner, or a fractional Controller or CFO.  A bookkeeper often has an AA degree or less. 

A Bookkeeper will typically handle the following:

• Recording Day-to-Day Transactions: A bookkeeper focuses on recording daily routine financial transactions into the accounting system such as customer sales and receipts (accounts receivable), purchases and supplier and vendor payments (accounts payable), and employee payments (payroll) into the organization's accounting system. They ensure that all financial data is accurately entered and classified into appropriate accounts, typically using QuickBooks, Xero, or a similar basic accounting software system.
• Bank Reconciliation: They reconcile bank statements with the organization's financial records to identify any discrepancies.
• Running Reports: They may generate basic cash basis financial reports such as trial balances, income statements, and balance sheets.

Accountant
If your business is growing in size and complexity, and your bank or investors are asking for more than a P&L statement, you likely need a degreed Accountant, Staff to Senior Level.

When your business is growing and your bank or your investors want financial statements that are GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) compliant financials instead of cash basis financials, you will need an accountant. However, an Accountant still needs oversight and guidance, and their work needs to be reviewed by another qualified person if the financials are being sent to an external user. The qualified reviewer may be an owner, a fractional or full-time Controller or CFO depending on your size, or possibly a CPA Firm.  An Accountant has a BA degree in accounting and may have a CPA.

The difference between Staff and Senior accountants is typically the number of years of experience – often an accountant will move up from Staff to Senior accountant over time, or it may also mean a promotion to Senior accountant once a BA degree or CPA is earned. 

In addition to the above, an accountant can provide the following:

• Monthly GAAP Financials: Develop and follow monthly close processes including reconciliation of accounts from Cash to GAAP basis. 
• Complex Transactions: Accountants handle more complex financial transactions, such as adjustments, accruals, and depreciation.  Depending on their experience level, an accountant may be able to produce financial reports such as a Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement.
• Consolidation:  Consolidating multiple locations or entities requires knowledge of things such as intercompany transactions that need to be eliminated.  An Accountant will likely be able to assist with this, depending on their experience level.
• Mentoring: An Accountant may also provide guidance and mentorship to less experienced staff, including bookkeepers and beginner accountants.
• Process Documentation & Improvement:  They may be involved in identifying process improvements within the accounting department and helping to implement them.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Depending on the organization's size, they could collaborate with other departments or teams to provide financial insights and information.

Accounting Manager
If with your growth, you are hiring more people to process a high volume of transactions and need someone to oversee the team, then you likely need an Accounting Manager!

When you have more than two to three people in accounting processing your transactions, they likely need oversight and guidance. An Accounting manager oversees multiple accountants and bookkeepers.  There are two types of Accounting Managers:

1. The non-degreed, former bookkeeper who has good people-management skills and has worked their way up to a reviewing/managing role in a high-volume business.
2. The degreed Accounting Manager who is on a career path to Controller+ and excels in reviewing/managing but also handles more complex work than people below them.

An Accounting Manager is a go-to person for the business owner. They know more, at a higher level, than the other accountants on the team.

An Accounting Manager will typically handle the following:

• Day-to-Day Operations: Accounting Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of the accounting department. They manage accountants and bookkeepers and ensure tasks are completed accurately and on time.
• Task Delegation: They assign responsibilities to the accounting team, monitor progress, and ensure that deadlines are met.
• Staff Development: Accounting Managers provide coaching, training, and performance feedback to their team members, helping them grow professionally.
• Problem Resolution: They address issues that arise in day-to-day accounting operations and work to resolve discrepancies or errors.
• Reporting: While not as high-level as the Controller's financial reporting, Accounting Managers may prepare reports for internal use.

Controller
If your business is very complex, operating in multiple states, multiple entities, multiple lines of business and you need someone to oversee your growing accounting department and manage risk, then you likely need a Controller!

Because your business is becoming more complex, your accounting, reporting, tax and compliance needs are as well. The bank or investors may want more oversight of your accounting.  At this point, you should be working with a solid CPA firm on tax strategy and compliance, as well performing an audit or compliance review which may be required by your bank or investors. Internal controls as well as formalized processes and procedures become more important at this stage, which means you may need a Controller to supervise and lead your accounting team and help with these more complex needs.   

If you’re a very large company, you may need a Controller.  If you’re a smaller business that needs someone with a title higher than Controller, you might change the title to Director of Finance or Director of Accounting. Controllers often have a BA and CPA and may have started their career in a CPA firm. 
​
A Controller will typically handle the following:

• Financial Operations: The Controller is responsible for managing the day-to-day financial operations of the organization. They oversee accounting and financial reporting.
• Financial Reporting: Controllers ensure accurate and timely financial reporting in compliance with accounting standards and regulations. They prepare financial statements and provide them to internal and external stakeholders.
• Internal Controls: Controllers establish and maintain internal controls to safeguard assets, prevent fraud, and ensure the accuracy of financial data.
• Process Improvement: Controllers often identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiency within the accounting department.
• Audit and Tax Compliance: They work closely with a CPA firm to ensure the organization adheres to relevant financial regulations, tax laws, and reporting requirements, as well as managing financial audits to provide necessary documentation and address any audit findings.
• Budgeting: Controllers often play a role in the budgeting process, ensuring that budgets align with the organization's financial goals and constraints.
• Financial Analysis: While CFOs focus on strategic financial analysis, Controllers may also engage in financial analysis to support decision-making and provide insights to management.
• Collaboration: They collaborate with other departments, such as finance, treasury, and operations, to ensure accurate financial data exchange and reporting.

​Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
If your business is very complex, operating in multiple states, multiple entities, multiple lines of business and you need someone to help you strategize and plan for the future, then you likely need a CFO!

A CFO is integral when you have a solid accounting team that is handling everything, but you need someone in your court to bounce ideas off, strategize about the future of your business and operations, or maybe help you decide if merging, acquiring or selling your business is a good idea. Most often a CFO will have started their career in public accounting and moved into a Controller role, and then will have been mentored by a CFO who may be retiring or leaving and take over as a new CFO.  

A CFO will typically handle the following:

• Strategic Leadership: The CFO is a high-level executive responsible for leading the organization's overall financial strategy. They work closely with other executives to align financial goals with the organization's strategic objectives.
• Strategic Planning and Analysis: CFOs are heavily involved in financial forecasting, budgeting, and long-term financial planning. They provide insights and recommendations to the organization to guide financial decisions.
• Investor Relations: CFOs often interact with shareholders, investors, analysts, and the financial community to communicate the company's financial performance and future prospects.
• Capital Management: They manage the organization's capital structure, including decisions about raising funds through equity or debt, and assess the best ways to allocate resources for growth.
• Risk Management: CFOs play a role in identifying and managing financial risks, including market risks, regulatory compliance, and other factors that could impact the organization's financial health.
• Mergers and Acquisitions: CFOs may be involved in evaluating potential mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures, assessing the financial implications and potential synergies.
• Strategic Partnerships: They collaborate with external partners, such as banks and financial institutions, to secure funding, manage relationships, and negotiate favorable terms.
• Coaching & Mentoring: They provide guidance to the accounting team to help them grow, develop and learn. 

Keep in mind that with all these positions you can always start with someone fractionally or part time and develop that role into a full-time position as your business grows. If you need bookkeeping services or a part-time accountant, The ASP Team has a team of experienced accountants to help. On the management side of things, if you need a fractional controller or consulting CFO, the CFO Selections team has extensive experience to offer. Both companies offer the customized accounting and finance solutions needed to meet your business where it is at any stage and help it grow to the next level.

Originally published: 9/21/23
Updated: 4/13/26
 
About the Author
Jen Girard

​At CFO Selections, Jen focuses on helping businesses succeed and grow by matching each company’s unique financial needs with the right resources and solutions.
​
Jen has more than 25 years of professional services experience focused primarily on consulting, client service, engagement management, and talent acquisition.  She has served clients ranging from startups to those in extensive growth stages, and those experiencing M&A transactions. Her industry focus has included technology, real estate, construction, transportation, manufacturing, and distribution.  

What are we hearing from candidates?
"The culture has changed."
This past month we are hearing from more candidates who are looking for a new job because something significant at their current workplace has changed. Often this change is related to a merger and acquisition transaction where the leadership has changed, there are talks of layoffs, or the rules are changing, such as going to an in-person environment from a hybrid environment. It is clear is most people do not like uncertainty and change, and it seems to be in the air more so than usual.

What are we hearing from clients?
"I want to change the title and decrease the salary."
Many companies are struggling to grow. As a result, they have had to restructure teams. When people leave due to this circumstance, companies are often trying to hire someone at a lower salary and level of responsibility for essentially the same role. The reasons behind this are many. Some companies feel they built up their team the last few years, so there is less for the person coming in to do. Other are trying to alleviate financial business pressures. Others have said they have streamlined using AI and automation, so not as much work is required. This trend is causing the current state of job hugging to continue.

What are we feeling about the market?
“Neutral.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released their March job report on Friday, April 3rd. The results were better than expected with 178,000 jobs added vs a decline of 133,000 jobs in February (February jobs numbers were revised downwards by 41,000). Healthcare continues to be responsible for much of the growth. Manufacturing and construction also contributed. This is the first time in most of the past year manufacturing numbers have increased. The federal government continues to shed jobs. Unemployment decreased slightly to 4.3%, continuing this historically low period, while wages rose less than expected. Uncertainty looms on the horizon with rising energy prices and the unknown long-term impact of AI. As a result, forecasters expect weakening job creation in the months to come. This mixed bag has us feeling neutral about the market.

Recent Placements
Sr. Accounting Manager – Construction – Bellevue
Project Accountant – Construction – Kirkland 
Accounting Manager – Manufacturing – Fife

As fractional accountants, we have experience with a wide array of “less than full-time” accounting engagements ranging from ongoing part-time work and extra assistance during busy periods to short-term project work and interim roles while a new accountant is hired. Of these, interim work is notoriously underutilized, which is disappointing because it is an area where bringing in help expeditiously can have a huge impact.

​Why is interim accounting work usually overlooked? Typically, when a business owner loses their accountant, they simply opt to shoulder the burden of these duties while searching for a replacement. Whether this works depends on two factors: the owner’s financial skills and the length of the interim period. Business owners without hands-on financial skills will struggle to complete necessary bookkeeping tasks to keep the business running smoothly. Conversely, highly savvy owners may fare better taking over accounting functions until a new accountant can be hired – that is, if the gap is not very long. However, if the process drags on, even the most financially adept business owners will eventually get weighed down with the demands of doing two jobs, causing the business to suffer (not to mention resulting in professional burnout).

In today’s tight market this is an especially salient point because hiring is taking longer. Candidates are taking longer to move through the interview process because they are in no hurry to leave their existing roles and they are often evaluating multiple offers. As a result, employers are facing longer gaps these days when trying to bring in new accounting personnel, making interim help even more vital.

When business owners do bring in interim accountants, they are demonstrating that they understand how crucial these financial roles are to the overall success of the company. Every day we hope that business leaders will follow this path of bringing in accounting as a stopgap help right away when the need arises. However, just realizing that interim accounting help is available is only one piece of the puzzle. So, let’s also take a look at how to be successful when engaging in this type of professional relationship and how to work on hiring a replacement while you do so.  

Understanding the Challenges of an Accounting Gap
Interim accountants are a great solution when you have lost your accountant to a career change, better job offer, retirement, illness, injury, family leave, or even death. Some interim engagements are meant to provide support for a designated time period until your accountant returns, like after a medical or family leave has ended. Other interim engagements do not have a specified end date because they cover a gap period until a replacement can be found for an accountant who has left permanently.

Regardless of why your accountant has left and how long you plan to be without one, someone will need to take over these duties to ensure the business does not fall behind on critical activities like accounts payables, accounts receivables, payroll, reconciliations, and reporting. Depending on the time of the year, state/local and federal taxes may also need to be filed. Piling these added activities on leadership is a big ask for personnel that is likely already very busy. However, delegating them to existing personnel in other business functions is a dicey proposition because they may not have the skillset needed to do the work (and taking the time needed to train them into the role may not be feasible). This is where the challenge exists in filling an accounting gap – the personnel best suited to take on the role typically do not have time to do so, and the personnel that are available to take on the role may not have the experience needed to do so. A fractional accountant can serve in an interim role to overcome both of these obstacles.

Finding Success with an Interim Accountant
Hiring an interim accountant can be a shrewd move to keep business operations running normally despite accounting staff turnover or absence. However, the success of an interim engagement depends on how it is managed. Eric Moore, the Practice Manager here at ASP, recommends taking the following steps:

1. Clearly defining the scope of work
2. Hiring a provider that will deliver the right skillset
3. Setting a “clean cut off” for the role change
4. Providing adequate IT support
5. Communicating regularly
6. Establishing on deadlines
7. Understanding the difference between 1099 and W2 employees

Taking the time to deliberately plan for each of these aspects ensures that an interim accountant will thrive in the role for as long as you need them.

Tips for Hiring an Accountant
The end goal when hiring an interim accountant is to find a long-term solution, which means your organization should be continuously searching for a full-time accountant and evaluating candidates. Of course, this is often easier said than done. If the hiring process seems to be taking longer than it should, our team gives the following recommendations:

• Reevaluating Requirements – Focus on the requirements that are truly needed when screening and interviewing candidates instead of putting too much stock in the characteristics and qualifications that would be nice to have. For example, do you really need a CPA to do the job or could you do without that requirement?  
  
  
• Changing the Offer – Determine if your offer is competitive in today’s hiring landscape. If you are recycling an old offer, it almost certainly will need to be updated to attract top-quality candidates these days as salaries and benefits trend upward. Do not simply look at the compensation aspect of the offer. Evaluate the offer in its entirety, both on the monetary side (base salary, retention bonuses, 401K matching, profit sharing, etc.) and the non-monetary side (paid time off, work schedule, remote work options, insurance coverage, additional perks, etc.) of the equation.  
  
  
• Outsourcing the Work – Sometimes during the course of the interim engagement it becomes clear that outsourcing your accounting role moving forward is going to be a better move both financially and operationally. Outsourcing the role is a cost-effective way to get your ongoing accounting work done because you do not need to pay payroll taxes, accrue benefits costs, and provide raises to outsourced employees. In many cases, accounting companies that offer interim services can also provide full-time outsourced accounting services to companies as well so you can easily “upgrade” the engagement into a long-term arrangement.

Looking to hire an interim accountant? We have a team of highly experienced senior accountants, staff accountants, and bookkeepers to fill any sort of accounting gap you are facing. If your accountant has given their notice or indicated that they will be retiring, we can get someone into the role quickly while you look for their replacement. Reach out to us today for more information! 

Originally published: 6/8/22
Updated: 3/31/26

We work with companies every day that are hiring mid-to-management level accounting and finance positions and one question we hear a lot is, “How much do controllers make?”
​
Companies asking us about controller salaries are usually trying to do accounting salary benchmarking to determine what to offer for the role. In some cases, the controller role is a new position for their organization. In other cases, they are looking to replace a long-term employee, which means they have not listed a controller opening in many years and they need timely advice on what to offer these days.

So, what is an accounting controller’s average salary? Get ready to dive into the numbers!

Average Salary
According to Salary.com the average controller salary across the US is $234,641 to $286,404, with a median salary of $253,553. Those are pretty specific numbers, so let’s just round them to about $235K-$285K. Now, what is important to keep in mind is that these numbers represent the salaries of controllers across the entire nation regardless of factors like company size, company type (public or private), geographic location, and industry. And while many controllers are also CPAs, these numbers do not differentiate between controllers that have CPA licenses and those that do not.

It is also important to note that while this salary range represents all controller roles across the nation, there can be significant variations in what is included in this kind of position depending on the size of the company. For instance, a small to mid-sized business (SMB) listing a controller role may be looking for something more in line with what a large company would classify as a Senior Accounting Manager role. As such, the salary will be significantly lower. In fact, most SMBs list their controller roles in the $125K-$195K range to reflect this difference in definition.

So, let’s break down these wide ranges of controller salary averages even further.

Geography
Cost of living differences between geographic regions can account for really significant variations in controller salaries. This same data shows that states like Washington and California report a +8% and +10% premium on a controller’s salary respectively. In our regions, the average controller salary in Washington is around $275K, compared to around $257K in Oregon and $259K in Colorado.  

Titles & Credentials
Variations in the role can also have a big impact on the salary. For instance, "junior controllers" reportedly make 12% less than controllers, while "deputy controllers" make 36% less than controllers. These are more than just differences in titles though, they are noteworthy differences in job responsibilities as well.

Education and licensure differences may play into the salary levels as well. For instance, on average CPAs make 10-15% more than their non-CPA counterparts. This is not to say that accountants with CPA licenses will necessarily make more in the role, but their added credentials may give them more leverage in salary negotiations. Similarly, a candidate’s salary history will likely play a role in their bargaining position when negotiating an offer. Current and former controllers or CFOs will likely demand a premium over senior accountants and other adjacent roles because accepting the offer for them is a continuation of their existing professional level, not a step up in their career. To put it another way, they will not be learning on the job – they will be bringing real-world experience from similar roles to add value to yours.  

Company Size & Type
​A company’s size and type can affect compensation for all employees, especially the further up the organizational chart you go. Typically, larger companies will pay more than smaller companies, which is easy enough to understand. But what might surprise you is that private companies typically actually pay more than publicly traded companies. As Career Trend explains when discussing salary trends, 

​And while this may be true, every company is different, which means that the salary an organization pays their controller will need to fit within their existing compensation bands to keep things fair for their current employees.
 
Total Compensation
An important fact to note is that while the national average salary for a controller is approximately $254K, the average total compensation package is much higher: $316,616. This overall compensation package may include things like performance incentives, retention bonuses, equity, stock options, company-provided 401K contributions, and other types of financial compensation.

In addition to these ongoing earnings, a controller’s compensation package may include one-time payments that are offered at the time of hiring. For instance, you may want to offer relocation assistance to cover the costs of moving or a signing bonus to cover the cost of technology upgrades/home office improvements for remote employees.

Not included in the salary numbers are other benefits like paid time off, wellness offerings, and in-office perks, which should be considered when hiring a controller as well. While these will not make it into the number that a candidate sees in their offer letter, they should be included in detail to help round out the picture of what employees can expect when coming to work for your company.

If you need help hiring a controller, please reach out to us. We would be happy to help you conduct your search. Our experienced accounting recruiting team places mid-to-management level accounting and finance professionals at companies across Washington, Oregon, and Colorado. Contact our recruiting team today to find out more.

If you are an accounting professional looking for open controller jobs, please review our current openings and reach out to us if you would like to apply for any of the positions you see listed.

Originally published 6/24/22
Updated: 3/23/26

A resource offered in partnership between The ASP Team and CFO Selections

​One commonality among our businesses at The ASP Team and CFO Selections is that we often talk to business leaders that aren’t sure which kind of accounting role they need. They typically understand the duties they would like the person to perform and the deliverables they expect to receive, but they aren’t sure what to call the role exactly. Without the proper title it makes it difficult to hire into the role or find an accounting services company to provide exactly what they need.

Sometimes clients will come to us at The ASP Team saying that they need a “bookkeeper” as a catch-all phrase for someone doing any kind of accounting work but what they are really looking for is something more – an Accountant, Senior Accountant, or even Controller. Similarly, sometimes clients will come to us at CFO Selections saying that they need a “CFO” as a catch-all phrase for someone doing more advanced accounting work or leading an accounting team but what they actually need is something less – a Controller, Accounting Manager, or Senior Accountant. How do you know which you need? 

​This resource is meant to help you understand what the differences between accounting roles look like so you can name what you need better when looking for a provider or posting a job opening.

Answer the following questions and then count how many of each color you have. Where more than one answer is appropriate, count each color that applies.

1. Who will the person be responsible for overseeing?
Is an individual contributor.
Bookkeeper/accountant(s).
A team of bookkeepers/accountants.
An accounting manager and/or Controller.

2. What kind of duties will the role primarily have?
​Recording day-to-day transactions, balancing the books, handling A/P and A/R, record keeping, posting ledgers, reconciling accounts, and monthly closing.
Providing financial insights, implementing and maintaining internal controls, handling complex financial transactions, documenting processes and identifying areas for improvement, and preparing for an audit.
Accounting team oversight, setting up accounting infrastructure, monitoring and controlling cash flow, overseeing payroll and benefits, monitoring debt and pursuing collections, dealing with compliance requirements and regulatory matters, managing risk, handling an audit, and training accounting staff.
Overseeing overall financial strategy, developing financial policies and procedures, preparing budgets, scheduling expenditures, planning and forecasting, making strategic business growth decisions, watching market trends, advising on best practices, managing outsourced financial activities, and mentoring accounting and finance staff.

3. When it comes to reporting, which role will this person play?
Running basic monthly reports.
Providing detailed financial reporting.
Overseeing the production of financial reports.
Analyzing financial reports and KPIs to make strategic decisions.

4. Who will the person primarily interact with?
Other staff.
Lower-level bookkeeping/accounting staff.
Lower-level staff and other teams – HR, operations, sales, marketing, etc.
The executive leadership team and external audiences – investors, business partners, a board of directors, the public, etc.

5. How much verbal communication are you expecting from the person to supplement the work being done?
Very little – does the work and runs the reports.
Some – provides financial analysis.
More – provides financial analysis and strategic advice.
Extensive – rallies teams around the strategic vision internally and is the financial face of the organization externally.

6. What is the primary focus of the role?
Administrative and transactional.
Functional.
Tactical.
Strategic and forward-looking.

7. What kind of background should the person have to succeed in their role?
Bookkeeping.
Accounting or finance.
Accounting only.
Finance, accounting, commercial banking, investment banking, or treasury.

8. Which types of roles in you organization have a comparable salary to this role?
Entry-level roles.
Skilled or technical roles.
Director-level roles.
Executive-level roles.

9. If there was someone acting in this type of role before, what was their job title?
Bookkeeper, Treasurer, or Staff Accountant.
Accountant, Senior Accountant, Accounting Manager, or Assistant Controller.
Controller, Accounting Director, VP Accounting, Finance Director, VP Finance.
CFO, CEO, or COO.

If your answers were primarily blue, the role you need is a bookkeeper. At The ASP Team we offer bookkeeping services as well as accounting recruiting to help you hire a bookkeeper for a full-time role.

If your answers were primarily green, the role you need is an accountant. The ASP Team also offers outsourced accounting services as well as accounting recruiting to help you hire an accountant in-house.

If your answers were primarily orange, the role you need is a Controller. At CFO Selections, we offer outsourced Controller services to give you part-time access to the senior-level leadership you as well as financial recruiting to help you hire a Controller full-time.

If your answers were primarily red, the role you need is a CFO. At CFO Selections, we offer outsourced fractional CFO services to provide the forward-looking executive-level leadership you need on a part-time basis as well as executive recruiting in finance to help you hire a CFO in-house.

For more information on this topic, check out at these additional resources:

What are we hearing from candidates?
"Yes, I'm job-hugging."
Everyone should be familiar with the term "job hugging" by now. If you're not, it's the workplace trend where people, driven usually by fear of economic instability, cling to their current job rather than being open to making a move, especially turning down opportunities they would have been open to in a better job market. And no, nobody is actually saying to us "Yes, I'm job-hugging", rather we are discerning that from countless conversations and our metrics showing we're just not submitting as many highly qualified candidates as we have in prior years.

What are we hearing from clients?
"Figuring out what we need."
Last month we noted clients were being slow, steady and increasingly picky. While that hasn't changed much given no massive change in macroeconomic forces, this month's sentiment is coming from the perspective of potential clients. We are routinely introduced to talk with companies who express interest in our services to help them hire. More often than in the past number of years, once we dive into the details and learn about the hiring situation, these companies don't know exactly what they need and pause the process. There are still numerous complex external pressures that are causing them to do additional work to figure out what exactly they need to hire for, and at what level. It's not surprising that, in this interesting market, companies continue their cautious approach.

What are we feeling about the market?
"Needs revising."
In light of the newest BLS jobs report stating the loss nationwide of 92,000 jobs in February, we may need to revise our outlook on the hiring market from last month's "more of the same" where we noted the market had been in a slow but steady holding pattern for quite some time. However, we've also seen really large revisions to these numbers over the last year as noted in a recent article, so we're now left questioning the monthly job numbers. In all, the hiring market seems relatively unchanged over the past several months: necessary hiring is happening quickly, there's limited growth-based hiring and people on both sides are being cautious about making decisions. As we emerge from year-end audit and tax deadlines let's hope we can revise this to a more active market in the coming months.

Recent Placements
FP&A Manager – Manufacturing – Tukwila
Controller – Manufacturing – Tukwila 
Staff Accountant – Construction – Tacoma

It typically takes age and perspective to appreciate the true value of time and reorient ourselves to using our time more wisely.

In business, time measures efficiency, productivity, and the amount of human capital needed to operate a business. There seems to be a never-ending quest to find that next tool which will save and costs. From optimizing workflows, to new software solutions, and now how AI can be implemented, businesses are trying to free up time by removing mundane tasks from the workload. These tools aren’t really “time savers,” but instead seek to shift how time can be spent toward higher skill tasks that can add more value to the bottom line.

As businesses look to cut costs and streamline their operations, one area has often escaped the scrutiny it deserves - the time cost of meetings. 

​The Cost of Meetings
A common refrain among employees and managers is that they are stuck attending too many time-wasting meetings. Otter.ai partnered with Dr. Steven G. Rogelberg, Professor of Organizational Science, Management at UNC Charlotte to evaluate the cost of “unnecessary” meetings.

Their study had a lot of great takeaways, but maybe the most interesting insight is how much time is spent in meetings. On average 18 hours per week are spent in meetings, with managers spending over 22 hours a week! Of those meetings, attendees felt that 1/3 were unnecessary and could have been skipped if they were kept in the loop.

Reducing unnecessary meeting attendance would not only reduce strain on employees and increase organizational productivity, but it would also help companies drastically cut costs.

Most notably, the study found that:

• On average, organizations could save an estimated $25,000 per employee per year by reducing “unnecessary” meeting attendance. For companies of 100 people, cutting unnecessary meetings would save nearly $2.5M each year and for companies of 5,000 that savings rises to over $100M. 
• Employees report wanting to decline 31% of meetings, but they actually only decline 14% (likely due to following organization norms). Employees attending unnecessary meetings report feeling "annoyed" and "frustrated".
• Despite the profound amount of time wasted in meetings, nearly 80% of employees report that their managers have not talked about declining meetings.

In a similar vein, according to research by Microsoft on Microsoft 365 usage, the average employee spends 57% of their time communicating in meetings, email, and chat and only 43% creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. This is not a new phenomenon. The amount of time spent in meetings and communication has been steadily increasing over the years, leaving less time to complete focused productive work. With the rise of remote and hybrid work from the pandemic, the number of meetings accelerated as managers attempted to offset the loss of informal communication that was available when everyone shared the same office space.

There is still a struggle to find an equilibrium, but some organizations like Shopify have taken things a step further. Early in 2023, a Bloomberg article reported on how Shopify was telling employees to “just say no to meetings.” While an overstatement, since meetings weren’t completely eliminated, Shopify did report eliminating over 322,000 hours of meetings (the time equivalent of 150 employees) and set stricter guidelines around what meetings were acceptable and when they should happen.

If we are being honest, meetings are a necessity. They build team cohesion, disseminate information, provide a forum for input, and help solve problems. When it gets down to it, meetings aren’t really the problem – bad meetings are.

How to Turn Bad Meetings into Better Ones
1.Do The Pre-Work and Have A Facilitator
Meetings shouldn’t be mindlessly created. When someone says a meeting is a worthless, they usually don’t understand the purpose of the meeting. A properly structured meeting should be able to combat this problem and can be accomplished by using a meeting facilitator. The facilitator guides the process, engaging participation, and promoting desired outcomes. They will be responsible for ensuring the meeting purpose and objectives are clear. An agenda is a start and verbally stating the purpose and objectives at the beginning of a meeting will further reinforce the message. Any materials should be sent in advance and highlight the preparation needed by participants. The facilitator should also consider the best ways to engage the participants. Should it be a group discussion, white board exercise, or just presenting information? This requires a knowledge of who will be attending and what will work the best for the meeting objective.

2.Relevant Attendance Only
It is easy to invite anyone and everyone connected to a project, but that is lazy and leads to bloated meetings that waste time. Limit it to those that are truly necessary. Smaller meetings are more focused and productive. It also has the benefit of keeping the meeting from easily being pulled off topic. If there are employees where it is difficult to decide if they should attend, consider adding them as “optional” attendees with management guidance that they can self-select to opt in or out. Giving them agency means they can find a balance that allows them to accomplish their other responsibilities and avoid meetings that don’t benefit them. Often it is managers who tend to think they need to pull everyone into a meeting because it is convenient for them, instead of having smaller and more focused check-in sessions.

3.Limit Duration
There should be strict start and end times. This encourages everyone to stay on topic and avoid tangents. This tends to create a sense of urgency, shows that people’s time is to be respected, and encourages attendees to come prepared.

Condensing material to shorter time frame does take more preparation. As the entertaining saying goes, “if you want me to speak two minutes, give me two weeks notification. If you want me to speak five minutes, I will need a week. If you want me to talk all day, here I am.”

4.Maintain Control
“Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.” —Will Rogers

We’ve all had the meeting then went off the rails or used up the allotted time but didn’t accomplish the meeting objectives. In a recent presentation, I listened to Darrell Littleberry describe four meeting participants you need to watch out for:

• The Derailer brings in unrelated topics to steer the meeting off track.
  
• The Downer spews counterproductive energy that highlights only the negatives.
  
• The Pirate hijacks any meeting they’re in to take it in the direction they want to go.
  
• The Rambler starts talking and you can’t get them to stop.

Each of these nightmare participants are going to require some finesse to deal with. You are going to have to let them participate in the meeting and respectfully listen. However, there are limits. They will need to be reined in after an appropriate amount of time so that you don’t end up in meeting hell.

Here are a few commonsense tips from Darrell:

• The Derailer will need to be interrupted (politely) and redirected back on topic.
  
• The Downer is going to require verbal balancing. This requires acknowledging their point, but then pivots to highlighting the positives or solutions that need to be addressed.
  
• The Pirate likely requires a pre-meeting to figure out their objectives and concerns so that you can deal with them in advance and not during the meeting.
  
• The Rambler needs to be given some time to show that their participation is valued but will need to be reeled in by interrupting and redirecting after a reasonable amount of time.

5.Clarify Outcomes
You want participants to leave a meeting clear on what was decided, actions to take, and who is responsible. To do this you need to set clear objectives at the beginning of the meeting. You can do this by stating what the meeting’s purpose is at the outset of the meeting. Are you sharing information, listening to concerns, or brainstorming solutions. The desired outcomes will vary based on the purpose. Make sure you leave time at the end of the meeting to clarify the meeting outcomes and deliverables with participants. Post-meeting summary communication is helpful for participants to refer back to. Remember, you may need to loop in nonattenders on meeting outcomes.

6.Limit the Number and Cadence
Meetings can be exhausting, and many times are scheduled back-to-back with little time for breaks and recharging. They are also distracting and leave little time to accomplish other important tasks. This can lead to the feeling that nothing was accomplished during the day. Consider taking the Shopify approach and raise the standards on what necessitates a meeting. You’ll likely find that many meetings aren’t as necessary as they seem. Standing meetings should also be evaluated frequently for what is being accomplished. If the only purpose of the meeting is to help a manager keep up to date on what their team is doing, there may be better ways to accomplish it.

Following these meeting-related tips can save you and your team time and allow everyone to focus on getting the work done.

In the outsourced accounting field, we’ve found that while brief check-in meetings are necessary, many meetings that would have been on an employee’s plate end up being eliminated. This allows our consultants to focus on doing the work and can sometime cut in half the amount of time it takes to accomplish the same accounting deliverables.

When you need accounting services that are focused on your financial needs, reach out to us! We have a team of experienced accountants that can help your business get the work done. Whether you need to do more accurate reporting, upgrade your accounting system, or find additional support for daily accounting activities, we have the right team in place to meet your needs. Contact us today to find out more!

Originally published: 8/25/23
Updated: 2/26/26

About the Author
Jason McGill – ASP Oregon & Southwest Washington Practice Leader

Jason is a dynamic accounting and finance manager with strong nonprofit leadership and 15 years of experience. He started out in public accounting at a firm specializing in nonprofit work before transitioning to work directly with nonprofits. He is well versed in analyzing data, implementing internal controls, audit preparation, supporting complex accounting issues, and preparing financial statements.
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Jason holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting and Finance from Walla Walla University, and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from California State University San Bernardino. He also holds a CPA license in the state of Oregon.

What are we hearing from candidates?
"I’m concerned I might be laid off."
Although many candidates we speak with are satisfied in their current roles and aren’t actively looking for a change, they remain open to hearing about new opportunities as they are concerned about potential layoffs. The year started with a few high-profile layoff announcements including Seattle-based Amazon announcing its largest round ever with 16,000 workers affected after the company laid off 14,000 in October. Due to some anxiety about layoffs, candidates are open to a conversation. However, they get more serious and move past just listening if the opportunity provides salary growth, better work/life balance, or a hybrid work environment. Obtaining a higher salary or finding other growth in a cooling job market has been a major hurdle for many candidates.


What are we hearing from clients?
"We are continuing to take our time."
Clients are continuing to be somewhat slow, steady, and picky. Many are using interim help while waiting for candidates with specific skills to fill their roles. They are being more cautious and are focused on stabilization versus expansion. Many of the roles we are working are due to vacancies, including retirements, versus new positions from growth. Employers seem hesitate to add headcount due to economic fragility and increased inflation.
  
What are we feeling about the market?
“More of the same.”
The market seems to be continuing it’s holding pattern. 2025 was the slowest year for job growth in more than a decade outside of the 2020 pandemic year. January 2026 was another slow month for hiring as the private-sectors added just 22,000 jobs according to ADP, which is a slowdown of the previous month’s revised total of 37,000. The official Bureau of Labor Statistics January jobs report is coming out on Wednesday. The figures were to be released last Friday but are delayed due to the brief federal shutdown. The report is expected to show more of the same in terms of job adds and the unemployment rate (December was 4.4%).  

Recent Placements
CFO - Nonprofit - Eugene
Payroll Administrator - Construction - Kirkland
Regional Property Manager - Real Estate -  Bellevue

Hiring Smarter with The ASP Team
Check out the latest episode of our accounting and finance recruiting podcast!

What are we hearing from candidates?
"I had a feeling that was the case.” 
Candidates consistently show curiosity about the job market, even those who are satisfied in their current roles. The urgency behind this inquiry has recently intensified. Candidates, regardless of their job search status—from passive to actively seeking—are asking about the market with a noticeable weight on their shoulders. When we respond that, simply put, "it's been better," we often hear a sigh and the response, "that's what I thought." This reaction indicates that candidates across all levels are closely monitoring job market trends. The increasing seriousness with which they approach this question suggests a cautious attitude towards actively entering the job market at this time.

What are we hearing from clients?
"We're navigating complexity with a clear eye on 2026." 
Our clients are currently navigating a range of complex issues, including tariffs, interest rates, labor market pressures, market demand shifts, supply chain complexities, and regulatory changes. December is a time when many take extended breaks to unwind and spend time with loved ones. It also marks a period for companies to finalize budgets and prepare for the upcoming year. Despite these pressures, we have heard from our clients about their plans to unplug during the holiday season and their intent to hire and engage with us early in 2026. This commitment is a positive indicator, and we are looking forward to a successful year ahead with a dedicated group of clients ready to address any challenges that may arise.

What am I feeling about the market?
"Needs to do some good stretching." 
The current job market feels reminiscent of returning to running after a long break. Initially, your whole body is tight - calves, hamstrings, your breathing, but you're out there on the road moving forward. This is similar to our labor market today - tight but moving forward. Recent data from the BLS shows several positive indicators: unemployment is down and still historically pretty low, job gains were modest, GDP and productivity are solid and firings are low. However, the rate of hiring is still low and the long-term unemployed rate is high and trending up. Employers appear hesitant to hire and employees are "job hugging". Despite these hurdles, there is still hiring happening, and the broader economic signals remain positive. Just like a good stretch can improve your run, the job market needs some time to loosen up. We're out there on the road, making progress—let's keep moving forward.

Recent Placements
Controller - Seafood - Bellingham
VP Finance - Manufacturing - Snoqualmie
Staff Accountant - Construction -  Tacoma

​Research shows that bookkeepers and accountants are making more mistakes as their workload has increased over the last few years. The data also shows that the more capacity constrained accounting professionals are, the more likely they are to make data errors on manual work and miss issues when conducting regular reviews on accounting records.

And while this certainly does not mean accounting professionals across the board are doing poor work, even the best accountants are feeling the pressure. As their time continues to be squeezed and their responsibilities expanded, good accountants are finding that they need to work even harder to maintain the top-notch work that they are doing. The result is an environment more conducive to burnout and errors regardless of the integrity and work ethic that they bring to the role.
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If your books are messy due to overworked bookkeeping and accounting staff or turnover in those roles, you need to be able to figure out what needs to be fixed, understand how to fix it, and take a proactive approach to avoid future accounting issues!

​Recognize the Problem
While errors may be the most obvious sign of a problem, they are not the only indication that there is a problem at your organization! There are also environmental clues as well to keep an eye out for, including:

• Missed work and turnover among accounting staff.
• Late work resulting in missed deadlines.
• Compliance and regulatory issues.
• Reduced team morale and complaints to HR and management.

If you notice any of these occurring, your bookkeeping and accounting staff are likely overwhelmed and feeling burnt out. When you suspect that the quality of your in-house staff’s work is being compromised due to burnout, it’s time to start looking at your financial records to identify where unintentional errors may be occurring.

Audit Your Books
Systematically go through your books to look for issues. Audit your books for any of the common signs of accounting record issues, including

• General ledger errors or omissions.
• Petty cash discrepancies and/or unauthorized withdrawals of funds.
• Unusual business expenses.
• Underreported retained earnings.
• Incurred bank fees and penalties.
• Customer and/or vendor invoice inconsistencies.
• Unfavorable payment terms from suppliers.
• Current asset overestimation.
• Improper fixed asset depreciation.
• Unchanging or unreasonable inventory levels.
• Negative cash or credit account balances.
• Unrecorded interest on cash and credit accounts.

Once you know where the problems are, you’ll better understand how to fix them.

Clean Up Bookkeeping Issues
And yet, simply knowing where the problems are doesn’t magically mean that you’ll be able to fix them. If your existing staff is trustworthy and experienced enough to do good work, and yet they are so overworked that they are making mistakes, you will likely need to bring someone in from the outside to lend the time needed to fix your accounting problems effectively.

A part-time accountant (which goes by many names, including “fractional accountant,” “outsourced accountant,” “consulting accountant,” or “accounting consultant”) will have the objectivity needed to find the source of errors and the experience needed to correct them. The roadmap to cleaning up messy books that they will use includes activities like:

• Clarifying inventory numbers.
• Matching retained earnings with tax returns.
• Reconciling cash and credit accounts.
• Capitalizing fixed assets.
• Accounting for intangible assets.

As they audit your books, they will determine how far back you need to go to make corrections and use their breadth of experience to get your books in order once again. 

Maintain Clean Books
Once your books have been cleaned up, it’s time to put in the effort to keep them that way!

One of the best ways to reduce future errors is to implement the kind of automation that reduces the workload for your existing accounting staff. In fact, current data reveals that strategic technology usage in accounting can decrease errors by as much as 75% moving forward. By removing the “busywork” associated with the role, employers can not only lighten accountants’ workload, but also remove the kind of manual data entry that is most prone to human error.

 Additionally, creating an accounting policies and procedures manual is a great way to ensure that your books stay clean as staff turns over and business operations change. It might not be glamorous, but an accounting manual gives your accounting team the foundation it needs to onboard new employees, upskill existing staff, and align various teams within the organization to ensure ongoing bookkeeping accuracy.  
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When you need accurate outsourced accounting services, give us a call! We have a team of US-based accountants and bookkeepers ready to help your company get its books in order and provide any other accounting and bookkeeping services you need. We have been providing small and mid-sized companies as well as nonprofit organizations with top-rated accounting services since 2006. Find out why so many organizations trust us with their books – contact us today to find out more! 

Originally published: 4/2/24
Updated: 1/5/26