Source: CPA Insider

Here’s how Porter Keadle Moore LLP in Atlanta recruits on campus. The plan can be adapted for any size CPA firm. The firm has been recruiting on campus for 20 years. Today it recruits at eight college campuses.

Evaluate more than grades and technical skill. Determine whether the candidates have the personal qualities to serve clients well.

Use recruiting as an opportunity to train young staff in developing their communications and networking abilities.

Use interns to represent you on college campuses.

Here are some activities to consider:

• Participate in career fairs

Consider using a designer or consultant to help create an attractive booth.

Populate the booth with the right people, use appropriate marketing materials, and outline the information to be communicated (e.g., the jobs candidates will perform).

Create an attraction for students such as the chance to win a gift. Ask young staff members for input on this.

Develop codes to identify characteristics of students who visited the booth.

Send follow-up letters to students inviting them to visit the firm

• Work with student clubs

Contact student clubs or Beta Alpha Psi chapters to participate in their meetings and events.

• Establish relationships with faculty

Invite faculty members to the office or lunch and introduce them to partners and managers.

Volunteer to teach in their classes.

Ask them to bring groups of students to the office.

Include them in your mailings such as press releases and newsletters.

(Editor’s note: Invite them to make presentations at your internal CPE sessions)

• Set up internship programs

Porter Keadle Moore says its intern program has been its best source of new employees. One of the interns became a partner 16 years later.

Recruiting experienced people is different. Most experienced employees come to the firm through existing employees who know whether the new people will be compatible. Incentive bonuses of up to $10,000 are paid.

Recently Porter Keadle Moore initiated a networking program for employees to meet periodically with their peers at other firms. These are informal luncheons or dinners to collect information on the activities of other firms and to find candidates for jobs.

Public relations is important in recruiting. Meet editors and let them know your specialties and invite them to call you when they need information.

For more information on Porter Keadle Moore’s recruiting program, visit: http://www.pkm.com/careerOpportunity/campusRecruiting.cfm.

Also see http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/may2006/sessions.htm.

From CPA Insider, April 24, 2006 (www.cpa2biz.com). For the complete article, click on the following link: https://www.cpa2biz.com/News/Journal+of+Accountancy/ May+2006/Recruiting+Made+Easy.htm.