Entry-level tax season assistant needed. We hire at least a receptionist, but if someone has an interest in tax-prep data entry please apply and we’ll add duties and compensation to match.
Duties include:
Seasonal Tax Prep Assistant duties:
- Answering phones using a flowchart to respond
- Receiving and scanning paperwork that comes in to a pre-set scanned file location
- Updating project workflows to report things you know happened
- Cover reception desk in person to keep people from interrupting the professional staff
- Preparing outgoing envelopes/packages, including weighing the package and applying appropriate postage and logging when things are mailed.
- Receiving payment from clients
- Monitoring email for last minute documents that need printing for meetings
Software includes:
- The firm’s web-based CRM (we’ll train you on Insightly)
- Google Chrome
- Google Gmail
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive
- Electronic filing cabinet software (we’ll train you on Sharefile)
- The big brother version of Turbotax (not the whole return, just data entry)
Keeping the office humming:
- Using postage scale
- Using scanner
- Stocking printers with paper and toner
- Assisting the dog in greeting the clients
- Serving tea and coffee to the clients and/or firm professionals
- Going to the post office and/or bank once in a while if needed (weekly or less)
- Perhaps sweeping if it’s needed
The work environment:
- The practice is focused on taxes during tax season, but it is a financial planning and investment advising firm as well. You’ll get a semester’s worth of personal financial training on the job if you keep your ears open.
- You’d have a semi-flexible schedule for December and January as you come in for training and pre-season projects, mostly getting about 20 hours a week.
- Starting February 5th through April 13th your schedule will be 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM Monday-Friday and also some Saturdays as you’re available. If you need to leave a bit earlier than 6 please let us know; it’s possible but just not what we’re hoping for.
- Your training pay rate is $18/hr, increasing in February to $21/hr.
- Although there’s no permitted vacation weeks from 2/5 to 4/13, we accrue 5% of your hours to add to your final paycheck as paid time off.
- The office is in an old but beautiful Victorian home. Most of the first floor is devoted to the business and the owners live upstairs.
- There is a well-behaved Labrador Retriever dog who will happily steal your lunch if you leave it where she can reach it.
- The firm is small, with no more than five other people.
- The firm principal is a perfectionist but she appreciates and needs your help. If you have excellent attention to detail that will be enough.
What we need from you:
- Resume uploaded to Sharefile. Click this link to open up a secure envelope to send it.
- Personal reference attesting to your discretion and trustworthiness
An outstanding candidate will demonstrate:
- Trustworthiness: nothing in a background check or credit report that would leave our clients feeling uneasy
- Accuracy and detail-oriented is important
- Ability to handle moments with flurries of activity without panic
- Comfort working in Windows environment, and with Google Apps
- Reliable about working during the season, including able to get to work in Greenfield in the winter.
- Initiative and the ability to solve basic problems that arise in the ordinary course of business (like paper jams).
- Physical ability to sand sidewalks (and discern when it is needed) and carry a tray of tea and file papers in a filing cabinet
- Able to work semi-independently when given an example of the task or a checklist to follow, after brief training.
- Discretion and poise in direct client interface: you’ll be representing a professional services firm
Nice to know if you have experience in (but not required; for second tier tax/operations assistant):
- Quickbooks
- Excel
- Tax software (including Turbotax)
- Mailmerging in Microsoft Word
After you’ve uploaded your resume to Sharefile, expect a call back from Ann at (413) 829-4832 to arrange a time to meet with her.
We’d like to hire in late November/early December for training. We hire for a seasonal person every year and would love to find someone who’s interested in coming back regularly, but usually we end up finding someone fabulous who happens to be available this winter. Either way is great.