Recruiting accountants and other accounting professionals is a challenge for any business. Outsourcing your search for qualified tax accountants, CPAs (certified public accountants) and other accounting professionals allows your business more time for strategic planning and long-term initiatives.

Hiring an accountant recruiting service means that you can improve the quality of new hires; take less time and money to do it; and allow your business to concentrate on business issues instead of recruitment issues. Whether you are a small company or a large corporation, accounting recruiting is a problem that may be solved by hiring an accountant recruiting service.

Accounting recruiting services should include

1. Finding the best candidates to fit your tax accountant recruiting specifications.
2. Using a thorough screening process.
3. Offering management services, including negotiation and deal closing.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider using an online tax accountant recruitment service to locate qualified candidates

If you are interested in recruiting accountants on the Internet, choose a service that will expose your listing to the widest range of professionals in the finance and accounting field. An online service that targets accounting professionals may be very helpful.

I recommend: Monster.com allows employers to post a job ad or search a large pool of resumes of candidates who fit their needs. Jobster, Inc. also allows employers to post jobs and offers the latest in online recruiting technology to streamline and accelerate your recruiting processes. JobsintheMoney, by Dice Holdings, Inc., specializes in recruiting accountants and other finance professionals.

Determine what services you need from an accountant recruiting service

Recruiting, which is also called recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), can involve a variety of tasks. Develop an overall recruitment strategy and communicate your needs to any service you are interested in hiring.

I recommend: The American Staffing Association promotes legal, ethical and professional practices for the staffing industry and features a search tool to find account recruiting services in your area. The American Accounting Association provides a number of services for accountants, including a placement center for businesses to find qualified accountant candidates.

Contact a full-service accounting recruiting service to find the right candidate

Accountant recruiting services should provide a full range of services, from screening to contract negotiation.

I recommend: Hyrian, LLC provides services in accountant recruiting as well as recruitment outsource services for all levels of finance and accounting professionals. Kelly Services, Inc. aims to place qualified finance and accounting candidates in temporary or full-time positions. Robert Half Finance & Accounting is one of the top-rated accounting recruiting services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Interview a few accounting recruiting services before choosing one. Look for companies that have a deep pool of candidates and understand your needs. Make sure that you trust them with sensitive information and check their references with past clients.
• •  You may find headhunters and representatives from the accounting recruiting field at local association meetings and industry trade events. In more casual settings, you can really find out more about the types of services they offer and the potential benefits for your company.