To hire a remote bookkeeper, define the work and reporting deadlines, choose a sourcing route, test candidates on a realistic bookkeeping task, and agree how they will access your systems. Compare the full cost of hiring, including recruitment, software and supervision, before making an offer.
Somewhere helps businesses recruit remote bookkeepers through its Direct Hire service. You choose the candidate and manage their work. This guide explains how to decide whether that model fits your business and how to assess a bookkeeper before hiring.
Define the work before you search
A clear brief should describe the accounts, transaction volume, software and deadlines the bookkeeper will handle. “Keep our books up to date” leaves too much open to interpretation.
| Area | What to include in the brief |
|---|---|
| Transactions | Monthly transaction volume, bank and card accounts, sales channels and payment processors |
| Reconciliation | Accounts to reconcile, frequency, treatment of discrepancies and who approves adjustments |
| Receivables and payables | Invoicing, collection reminders, supplier records and payment preparation |
| Reporting | Required reports, month-end close timetable and the person who reviews the work |
| Systems | QuickBooks, Xero or other software, plus any payroll, inventory or expense tools |
| Communication | Working hours, required overlap, response expectations and escalation process |
Separate bookkeeping from responsibilities that need an accountant or another qualified professional. The bookkeeper can prepare records for review; the brief should name who approves accounting judgments, tax work and payments.
For an accounting or CPA firm, add the number of client accounts, review workflow, client communication requirements and seasonal workload. Assess experience with that environment rather than assuming an internal small-business bookkeeper has managed a client portfolio.
Choose the right hiring route
You can recruit directly through referrals and job boards, use a freelancer for a defined assignment, engage a bookkeeping service, or work with a recruiter to find a dedicated team member.
Direct recruitment gives you control over sourcing but requires time to screen and assess applicants. A freelancer may suit a specific clean-up project or limited workload. A bookkeeping service may suit a business that wants an outsourced process with provider supervision. A recruitment service can help you find an individual whom your own team will manage.
Somewhere's Direct Hire model is designed for the last of these: recruitment for your team, with a one-time placement fee. It does not include ongoing payroll administration or day-to-day supervision. Compare those responsibilities before comparing prices.
Assess the work, not just the résumé
Use the same short, paid assessment for shortlisted candidates. Provide fictional or anonymised records, a bank statement and a small set of transactions containing a duplicate, a missing receipt and an unexplained difference.
Ask the candidate to:
- Categorise the transactions and reconcile the sample account.
- Identify items they cannot resolve from the information supplied.
- Explain what they would ask the owner or accountant before changing the records.
- Write a short month-end update covering completed work and outstanding issues.
Assess accuracy, the audit trail, use of the required software and clarity of communication. A candidate who flags an uncertainty appropriately may be a better fit than one who silently forces the account to balance.
In the interview, discuss how they organise recurring deadlines, manage missing documents and correct an error after a reporting period has closed. Check references against the responsibilities of this role.
Compare the complete cost
Budget for compensation, recruitment, relevant employer or contractor administration, software, equipment and the time required to review the work. The appropriate compensation depends on responsibilities, experience, location and working hours; obtain a quote for the actual role.
Somewhere's published Direct Hire fee is 25–35% of the hire's first-year salary. Its service page describes a refundable deposit credited towards the final invoice. Confirm the deposit amount, refund conditions, fee basis and payment dates in your written proposal.
The following is a calculation example, not a bookkeeper salary benchmark or a hiring quote. If the agreed monthly salary were US$2,000, the calculation would be:
| Item | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|
| Twelve months of salary | US$24,000 |
| One-time placement fee at 25–35% | US$6,000–US$8,400 |
| Salary plus placement fee in year one | US$30,000–US$32,400 |
Add applicable payroll or contractor administration, employer costs, tools and management. A deposit credited against the placement fee is part of that fee, not an additional recruitment charge. The one-time placement fee does not repeat annually; other costs continue and may change.
See Somewhere's pricing for the current service options.
Match the location to the role
Somewhere sources across markets including Latin America, the Philippines and South Africa. Ask which locations currently have suitable candidates for your software, sector and schedule.
State the hours of overlap you need and test communication during those hours. Location alone does not establish bookkeeping competence, familiarity with your reporting requirements or availability to work your schedule.
Understand the replacement guarantee
Somewhere publishes a six-month replacement guarantee for Direct Hire; its pricing comparison lists one free replacement. Confirm the eligibility, timing and process in your agreement. A replacement guarantee supports a hiring decision, but it does not replace assessment, onboarding or regular review.
Set up the first month
Before the start date, assign a reviewer and document the reconciliation and close process. Provide individual accounts with access appropriate to the role. Keep payment approval separate from payment preparation and agree how sensitive documents will be shared.
During the first week, review a small sample of work together. By the end of the first month, check reconciliations, unresolved items, report delivery and communication against the original brief. Give specific feedback and document any process changes.
Ready to hire a bookkeeper?
Bring your software list, transaction volume, working hours and budget to Somewhere's Direct Hire team. Ask for a search scoped to those requirements, a complete fee proposal and the replacement terms before proceeding.
Related reading: Compare the full cost of domestic and offshore hiring.
