As a Contractor or small business in the pharmaceutical industry a good accountant is potentially one of the most valuable relationships you have. If your account is taking care of your back office systems efficiently, you are far more likely to be able to concentrate on your core business.

Here are some simple tips to help you choose an accountant for your small business:

• Choose an accountant before you start your business.
• The best way to find an accountant is through a referral. Speak to other contractors or your solicitor to see if they can recommend anybody.
• Make sure your accountant is fully qualified.
• As a small business it is important that your accountant understands your business. Make sure that they specialise in working with companies like yours so that they can give you more tailored advice.
• Check how much the accountant plans to charge you. Some charge a fixed fee and others charge hourly rates and some charge a combination of the two.
• Try to choose an accountant that will keep in touch with you throughout the whole year to advise you on developments and not just when your Tax return is due.
• If you aren’t able to find a suitable accountant through a referral you may like to search online at either the Institute of Chartered Accountant in England and Wales (ICAEW) or the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).