CPA Recruitment in a Competitive Market

CPA Recruitment in a Competitive MarketCPA Recruitment in a Competitive MarketBusiness is booming for many firms with CPAs. Thats good news, right? Well, it depends on whether youre the partner or the HR manager. CPA recruitment is a top concern in a competitive market.With so many organizations in hiring mode, its a challenge to find skilled talent to keep up with client demands and help the business continue to grow. An American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) survey shows that finding qualified staff is the most pressing issue for respondents from firms with two to five and six to 10 practitioners. It was the second-most pressing issue for firms with 11 to 20 and 21 or more practitioners.Is your firm in the same boat? If so, here are five tips that may help make CPA recruitment a little easier in this competitive market.1. Ask your best employees who they knowIf youve already got a strong team in place, the task of attracting in-demand candidates can be much easier. Why? Because skilled workers tend to know others with similar qualifications.So when your firm is hiring, ask your staff for referrals. Employee referrals can be extremely reliable because your employees are likely to recommend only candidates they feel would succeed with the firm otherwise, theyd risk damaging their reputation. Also, your workers can serve as spokespeople for the firm, explaining to potenzial hires why its a great place to work.But youve got to make it worth their while to provide a referral. Consider offering an incentive, like a cash bonus, to anyone who gives the company a referral to a person who gets hired and then remains with the firm for a certain amount of time.2. Find promising entry-level talentWhen it comes to CPA recruitment, experienced candidates are typically in highest demand, for obvious reasons. They often bring an existing book of business with them and are better able to hit the ground running at a new firm. But good luck finding themSo why not incorporate more en try-level professionals into your hiring plan? That may sound counterintuitive, but consider that it can be much easier to recruit recent grads. By providing promising newcomers with professional development opportunities and mentorship relationships, you may be able to build the skills you need rather than try to hire for them.Yes, it will require some effort and patience on your part. But investing in talented entry-level accountants can help your firm beat the recruitment rush, develop future leaders and encourage intense loyalty among workers who know that you support their career.3. Make it harder to say no than yesA competitive hiring market means that the CPA recruitment tactics you used just a year ago may not work today. Simply put, skilled job binnenseekers are in the drivers seat. So the onus is on you to woo them.But we all know that its not always easy to impress candidates, many of whom are juggling multiple employment offers. Challenges in the small business hiring pr ocess are especially acute, because smaller organizations often lack the budget and pizzazz of larger ones.So think of it this way When you view your organization in its best light, what makes it a great place to work? Whether its a relaxed office setting, interesting clients or career advancement potential, make sure your hiring plan focuses on these unique advantages.During the interview, try to ensure that candidates experience or witness the benefits of working for your organization. Have them meet with others who are as passionate about the organization as you are. Take job seekers on a tour of the office so they can see the team in action. Help potential hires envision themselves as an employee of your firm.4. Get an experts help with your hiring planAs you execute your hiring plan, keep in mind that you dont have to go it alone. Working with a staffing agency can help you in your CPA recruitment efforts. These experts can offer additional insight into the current employment m arket and provide details about competitive compensation rates to help you fine-tune your strategies.A staffing firm can also arrange for skilled temporary workers in accounting to come in and help the core team meet current workloads if theyre feeling overburdened. Theres another benefit to bringing in temporary staff, as well These professionals often make excellent full-time hires. In many ways, the temporary assignment can function like an extended job interview in which you can evaluate the persons performance and fit with the corporate culture firsthand. If things are working out, you can then extend a full-time job offer.WORK WITH US5. Know whats going on in the job marketThe best tools for getting up to date on employment trends are free.The monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report continues to show robust growth in the economy, with additional jobs and low unemployment.The 2018 Robert Half Salary Guide gives insider information on industry trends that affect hiring a nd offers steps you must take to hire and retain top accounting and finance talent.The Demand for Skilled Talent report shows its not just money that attracts candidates. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of workers said the chance to gain new skills is a critical consideration when making a career move.