For several years, “accounting and finance” has made the list of the U.S.’s “most difficult jobs to fill.” Finding qualified accounting and finance personnel is tough; finding the top candidates your organization needs to take its business to the next level can seem nearly impossible.
How can you improve your chances of finding the accounting and finance professionals your organization needs? Consider these tips:
Consider personal initiative.
When you examine resumes, talk to references, or interview clients, look for the answer to the following question: Is this candidate here because they’re invested in accounting and finance, or did they merely choose this career for conformity and stability? The ones who love the work are more likely to offer the best results.
Look for critical thinking skills.
Every successful accountant or financial professional can focus on the details. The best candidates, however, can also switch to the “big picture” when needed to identify larger patterns and predict their effect on the company’s future.
Prioritize leadership.
A significant contributor to the current “hiring crunch” in accounting and finance is a lack of “soft” leadership skills among otherwise qualified professionals. Expand your view to include examples of candidate leadership in continuing education, mentoring, volunteering, internships, and apprenticeships.
Give young candidates the benefit of the doubt.
Encourage each candidate to talk about his or her future goals, plans for advancement, and ability to communicate and work well with others. Not all junior accountants are content with a quiet cubicle and a stack of numbers to crunch – find out which ones push for more, and put them first on your list of potential hires.
Train promising candidates.
The current “hiring crunch” in accounting and finance means that the ideal candidate simply may not be available when your organization needs to hire. To address this problem, consider hiring a near-ideal candidate and providing the training he or she needs to get up to speed.
Provide mentorship.
New hires at any stage of the game will benefit from working with an established member of your organization in a mentorship relationship. Mentoring can shorten the learning curve for new hires and strengthen relationships that will contribute to employee retention, satisfaction, and productivity.
Talk to your staffing partner.
The staffing firm you partner with should have specific experience in the accounting and financial fields. Your staffing partner should understand the challenges your organization faces in finding the right financial talent and should be able to work with you to build a long-term staffing plan as well as to address current needs.
Marquee Staffing specializes in matching financial organizations with top candidates who make the best fit with our clients’ needs and goals. To learn more, contact us today.