Don’t lose Candidates to Competitors: How to Hire for Accounting Jobs

Develop an Effective Recruitment Strategy

It’s a challenge to fill vacant accounting jobs. Attracting quality candidates is difficult, or, when they are found, they accept an offer with a competitor. That’s not good for business.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that it will become easier to recruit skilled staff soon. According to the AICPA, CPA exam candidate numbers have been falling for at least a decade. Coupled to this, the boomers are retiring. There’s a widening gap between supply and demand.Yet other companies ─ competitors ─ are hiring the most talented candidates.

Reasons for not Attracting Accounting Talent

It can be a challenge to attract talent to a company. Some of the most common reasons that other employers are offering better benefits, more money, or better work-life balance. Reasons candidates decline job offers:

1.              Uncompetitive salaries and benefits

Offer competitive salaries and benefits to attract talent. If  competitors are paying more,employees will feel undervalued and leave for a competitor who offers more money or better benefits ─ and it will be hard to  attract skilled candidates to replace them.

2.              A lack of opportunities for personal growth

Employees should feel like they have the opportunity for personal growth.. They shouldn’t feel like they’re stagnating in their job and not getting any opportunities to advance their skillset or increase their earning potential.

3.              Poor work/life balance

The pandemic has encouraged people to focus on what they really want from a job, and work/life balance has risen the agenda. Many candidates are now seeking remote or hybrid work, allowing them greater flexibility to build their professional life around their personal life, rather than the other way round.

4.              Unappealing Workplace Culture

Poor workplace culture is another major reason accounting professionals may not be attracted to a  company. If there are outdated policies and procedures; lack diversity in the workplace; have a reputation for all work and no play; fail to recognize employee achievements; and suffer from poor employee engagement, these are red flags to potential candidates.

5.              Hiring Process Is Not Realistic

Candidates don’t enjoy long, clunky hiring processes. It’s a poor reflection on a company, too. The most talented candidates are probably interviewing with competitors ─ a faster, smoother journey to the job offer is likely to win.

It’s crucial to allocate resource of time and people to the recruitment process.Bring the hiring team onboard with resume reviews, interview techniques, and candidate scoring systems, as well as provide candidates with adequate feedback that maintains their interest and enthusiasm.

Successful Hiring of Talented Candidates for Accounting Jobs Starts Here

It is not uncommon to hear of companies struggling to find the right talent for their company. The process of recruiting and hiring people can be time-consuming, costly, and stressful.

Understanding the reasons why companies are finding it so challenging to attract the best talent to for accounting jobs is the starting point for developing a strategy to hire more effectively.

The next step? Compose a job description that sells a company and the role to candidates. Describe the positive culture. Demonstrate that there is a defined career pathway. Ensure that  employees are treated with respect for their work/life balance. Make certain to maintain competitive salaries and compensation packages.

Perfecting the hiring process is challenging, but not recruiting the best people can be even more difficult.. Start the journey to efficient and effective hiring of accounting talent today: contact 6 Degrees Group.

Take the next step in your job search today