Woman uses graphing calculator depicting Looking for an accountant

What to Look For in an Accounting Recruiter

Against nearly all odds and reason, most of my recruiting career has been spent in finance and accounting recruiting. I say that it’s against all the odds because the last time I took any sort of class with numbers in it was my junior year of high school, and at the end of college when I had to take a final math test, I opened the book at literally laughed out loud because I had NO IDEA what was being asked of me. The great news is that hiring people great at math requires almost no math skills, and I’ve learned a thing or two in my years helping accountants continue in their careers.

Move Fast!

Accountants are always in demand. I’ve recruited through two “once in a generation” recessions, and I’ve yet to see a job market where there is a glut of qualified accounting professionals looking for a job. No matter the unemployment rate, if you want to hire a great accountant you need to be ready to move fast. If you wait even a day or two too long, you could lose your top candidate.
The best way to ensure that there aren’t any hold-ups in the hiring process is to block out interviews in advance. By ensuring that stakeholders aren’t booked, there will be no need to extend timelines in order to find time to interview. When speed is of the essence, planning ahead can save lots of headaches.

Maintain Contact

Accounting is an incredibly broad field, and most accounting openings require very niche experience. That’s why a run of the mill recruiter will always take longer than a dedicated accounting recruiter. A recruiter with extensive accounting recruiting experience will not only understand the nuances of each individual role, but will have spoken with accountants over the years that may now be ready for a new opportunity.
There are three things necessary to find the right hire: the right person, the right job, and the right time. The most common thing I hear from passive candidates that decide not to pursue a role is that it’s not the right time. Therefore, it’s so important to maintain contact with past candidates. Having a large network of former candidates is critical to quickly filling roles. Staying in contact with former candidates, even loosely, can reap incredible rewards down the line.

Associations Matter

Finally, when choosing a recruiter to help you find your next great finance or accounting talent, know that recruiters don’t have to be on an island. There are incredibly nation-wide associations of accounting recruiters who have access to talent all over the country. When TalentSpark takes over the recruiting, in addition to the experts on our team, you’ll get access to networks from just about every major metro area in the US. Each network contains accountants ready to make their next professional move.
Not every recruiter or recruiting agency has this resource in their back pocket, and only the best of the best can tap into top talent pools. When your company’s finances are in the balance, don’t go with someone that will only give you a narrow range of options; have your pick of a large menu.

If your team is looking to hire great finance or accounting talent in 2021, TalentSpark is Idaho’s premier recruiting firm. Check out www.talentspark.com to learn more about how we can help you quickly find someone to take your finance team to the next level.

Author: Dax Wandling, RPO Recruiter and Account Manager at TalentSpark