Why is it Difficult to Hire Accountants?

Source: CPA Trendlines

Recruiting ads should be about recruits. This article gives the following example: “If you want to grow as a professional, see us. We’re a growing firm, and you can grow as you help us grow.”

Another example demonstrates how current staff can attract recruits: “In just the two years I’ve been with Smith & Dale, my skills – including client relations – have doubled. I appreciate that opportunity, my firm appreciates what I’ve learned, and you can do that too. Come talk to us, if you want to grow.”

But exciting ads can’t solve the recruiting problem if the firm isn’t an attractive place to work. Structure and management style can make the traditional accounting firm an unattractive work environment.

Surveys indicate that dissatisfaction comes from:

• Work overload. Projects are not organized and workflow is inefficient. Managers are workaholics and expect others to be.
• Compensation. Examine alternative plans.
• Recognition. Recognition may be more important than compensation—give good people more responsibility, and refer to them in brochures, etc.
• Stimulating work. Create service teams so people can learn from each other, which promotes innovation.
• Balance. Allow employees flex-time and to work at home.
• Internal communications. If people don’t know what's happening at the firm, they feel isolated. There's no risk in sharing information and everything to gain. Ask staff (and partners) what they'd like to know.
• Expectations. People don’t want to guess what is expected of them—let them know the firm objectives and the part they play in them.
• Technology. This is an area where many small firms are behind the curve. Lack of knowledge in this area not only limits client service and productivity, but is unappealing to staff and recruits.

The traditional management style in accounting firms tends toward the authoritarian model, and the partnership structure doesn’t help. Partners who exercise ownership authority in their everyday activities can alienate staff. Unhappy staff will limit recruiting success.

Good leaders have instincts for talent. Can management competence be learned? Not only can it be, it must be.

While marketing cannot compensate for an unattractive work environment, an attractive work environment must be marketed. Want ads are not as effective as they were in the past. Display advertising and Web sites are more important. Regular marketing vehicles should be used in recruiting—brochures, blogs, seminars, etc.

From CPA Trendlines, http://www.telberg.com/telbergblog/, Bay Street Group LLC, Dobbs Ferry, NY, December 13, 2006. For the complete survey click on the following link: http://tinyurl.com/v2b7y.