Attracting the best talent to your accounting firm can be challenging. As an employer, you want to reach talented, hard-working accountants who are in it for the long haul — but how can you make your accounting firm stand out from the crowd?
Here are our top tips for attracting the right candidates.
How can you attract the best talent to your accounting firm?
Write the perfect job advert
A well-written job advert can help attract the best talent to your accounting firm. Make sure you describe the job role and responsibilities clearly and concisely, and list any experience or qualifications the ideal candidate should have.
You should also be as transparent as possible about what you offer in return. Don’t wait until the interview stage to mention your salary range or generous annual leave package. Outlining your benefits package from the very start may catch the eye of the perfect applicant.
While it’s important to list all the facts, you also want your firm’s personality to shine through. Including a short summary of your firm and highlighting your firm’s achievements can give candidates a taste of what it’s like to work with you.
If you’re not sure how to start your job advert, looking at listings for similar roles may help you understand what job-seekers are looking for.
Refine the recruitment process
While many firms prefer to ask for a CV, getting applicants to fill out an online application form can make it easier to rule out unsuitable candidates. You can even implement a scoring process to help you identify the best applications.
Once you have a shortlist, you’ll need to start your interview process.
You can use technology to your advantage here. Conducting short video interviews early on may help you identify the most promising candidates, allowing you to set up more in-depth interviews at a later stage.
Be proactive
You don’t need to wait for people to come to you. Searching for prospective candidates on LinkedIn or advertising the vacancy on social media may help you reach people who didn’t see your initial job advert.
Responding quickly to any online messages or emails can also keep jobseekers engaged and interested in the role.
Be flexible
Remote, flexible working has become the norm in recent years, with many candidates preferring firms with remote or hybrid working. A more flexible working model can help you stay competitive with other employers and shows how you prioritise your team’s wellbeing.
It can also expand your candidate pool. Maybe the perfect person for the role does the school run every afternoon — or perhaps they perform best when working from home a few days a week. Accommodating different schedules and workstyles may appeal to talented people who have needs and responsibilities outside of work.
Using cutting-edge cloud accounting software for accountants makes it easier than ever to connect with your team remotely. Integrating all your systems can make it feel like everyone is in the room — even if they’re on the other side of the world.
Automating much of the manual accounting tasks can also boost productivity, allowing your employees to focus on what they really care about.
Retain talent
Attracting the best talent to your accounting firm is only half the battle — you also need to retain your employees.
A big part of this is cultivating a good workplace culture. This could include offering flexible working or competitive compensation packages. But you should also focus on showing your appreciation for your existing team by encouraging feedback and rewarding them for their efforts.
Happy employees are also more likely to recommend your accountancy firm to friends looking for work. A good reputation means a better chance of attracting the best talent.
Thinking about expanding your team? Get in touch to find out how Capium cloud software can support your business.
