How to Find a Company to Financially Organize Your Life

• 1). Identify what type of assistance you need and which type of firm you'll need to hire: accounting, banking, insurance, financial planning or investment advice.
  
  
• 2). Speak to your friends who have had similar needs and ask them to give you their best (up to three) recommendations.
  
  
• 3). Skim the yellow pages and select up to three additional firms you might consider doing business with.
  
  
• 4). Create an agenda for your interviews of each of these candidate companies. The following steps give you a brief outline for the agenda.
  
  
• 5). Call each candidate and schedule an interview at a time most convenient for you.
  
  
• 6). Ask each candidate to describe their firm's experience, including any relevant credentials, published papers and years of service.
  
  
• 7). Ask each candidate to state their firm's unique value added in one short sentence.
  
  
• 8). Ask each candidate to describe their firm's typical client. Compare this typical client with your situation.
  
  
• 9). Explain your needs to each candidate and ask each candidate how their firm might address your needs.
  
  
• 10
  
  Ask each to explain how their firm gets paid.
  
  
• 11
  
  Thank each candidate for their time and tell them you will call them within a specified time.
  
  
• 12
  
  Compare all candidates and select the one you're most comfortable with.