Tips on filling vacancies in your accounting workforce.
Not long ago, National Public Radio recently aired a piece discussing the shortage of recent graduates seeking a career in accounting.
Based on the number of requests we’ve recently seen from companies seeking accounting employees, the problem
seems to be getting worse. Here are a few tips that might help you develop a strategy to fill your accounting vacancies.
Encourage education and training: Encourage individuals to pursue degrees or certifications in accounting by offering scholarships, internships, and other educational programs.
Enhance professional development opportunities: Offer continuing education and training opportunities for accounting professionals to help them keep their skills up-to-date and maintain their certifications.
Foster diversity and inclusion: Encourage diversity and inclusion in the accounting profession to attract a wider pool of talented individuals to the field.
Utilize technology: Implement technology, such as automation and artificial intelligence, to help reduce the workload for accounting professionals and make their jobs more efficient. This is especially true with new hires who have grown up utilizing technology in every way possible.
Increase salaries and benefits: Offer competitive salaries and benefits packages to attract and retain accounting professionals. This can be tough especially if you have a core of long-term employees whose salary may not have increased at the same rate as new hires. The sell to them should be longer vacations, more work flexibility and ultimately salaries in line with new hires.
Partner with educational institutions: Partner with colleges and universities to develop programs that promote the accounting profession and help prepare students for careers in the field. Many successful companies have created internship opportunities for upcoming accounting graduates. The hope is you take them out of the job market before graduation.
Promote the benefits of a career in accounting: Highlight the benefits of a career in accounting, such as job stability, working with a diverse client base and excellent income potential.
