The Rea Report Winter 2015 | Page 7

Why is it so important to find the right people to manage and oversee your company’s finances? Your business depends on it. Small Business Corner should be able to help you identify any red flags. Also, anyone in your business network might be able to shed light on your candidate’s professional past. Check out their Internet presence. Don’t discount the value that searching your candidate’s Internet presence could provide. Check out their LinkedIn account to see if their profile matches up with the information they gave on their résumé. Google their name (for more common names, you’ll probably need to use other search terms, such as the city they live in, in addition to their name, to ensure you’re searching for your candidate). Does anything suspicious appear? Conduct a background check or look at a candidate’s public records. Do your best to know the ins-and-outs of the person you’re considering for the position. Have they ever filed bankruptcy? Do they have any judgments or liens against them? Do they show up on any court dockets related to their prior employer? These are some key questions you’ll want to answer. If you don’t want to pay for a background check, you can always investigate public records. Look at your candidate’s respective County Clerk of Courts website. Public records can tell you a lot about a candidate’s past. Put the right hiring policies and procedures in place. If your company doesn’t have hiring policies and procedures in place, now is the time to do this. Hiring policies and procedures can provide guidelines, set expectations for you, other employees and for your job candidates, and ultimately keep everyone on the same page when hiring new employees. Following these steps should help you find the best person to manage and oversee your business’s finance function. Consult with your trusted business advisors on any concerns or questions you may have about your hiring process. 7