Finding new finance staffers is rarely a CFO’s favorite task. But the way you approach the process can take a significant amount of pain out.

True enough — fewer companies are hanging up the Help Wanted sign in these dicey economic times. But if it’s time for you to find a new face or two for your finance department, you certainly want to minimize your risk of expensive mistakes.

A little forethought can go a long way to getting the right person on the first try (and keeping him or her there).

The key: Don’t be afraid to be as specific as possible.

You’ve seen all the generic ads in classifieds and online. It’s one of the top mistakes companies make when recruiting: They’re too general in describing what they’re looking for.

Paint ‘em a picture

Knowing their way around Excel isn’t enough. Spell out exactly what that staffer would do on a day-to-day basis: auditing expense reports, matching P.O.s to invoices, returning vendor calls, etc.

Of course, the more you say, the more you pay. 

But remind people not to be pennywise and pound foolish. The increased price of a longer classified ad is a drop in the bucket compared to the thousands of dollars you’d spend having to recruit and train yet another candidate because the first one wasn’t the right fit. 

Tags: Finance, Help wanted, Recruits, Staff