Let’s talk about something that’s been bothering a lot of accountants lately…
Ridiculously long and tedious interview processes.
We’ve seen a growing trend where firms are making candidates jump through endless hoops – multiple interview stages, free work assignments, and drawn-out decision-making.
And let’s be honest, it’s not working. If anything, it’s driving great accountants away.
If your firm is serious about hiring top talent, it’s time to ditch the faff and make your interview process simple, fast, and effective. Good accountants are in high demand, and they won’t sit around waiting for you to make up your mind.
So today, we’re talking about all-things interview to help firms streamline processes, reduce downtime and keep top talent on-side.
Is your hiring process broken?
We get it. You want to be thorough. You want to hire the right person. But dragging candidates through a marathon of interviews and free work trials isn’t the way to do it.
Research from Standout CV finds that:
- The average time for employers to contact candidates with feedback after an interview is 12 days
- On average it takes 3 weeksfor an official job offer to be made in writing
- The average interview process in the UK takes 27.5 days to complete
As put by Britton Bloch, Vice President of Global Talent Acquisition and Head of Recruitment at Forbes, “lengthy processes signal inefficiency and lack of respect for candidates’ time.” And when you consider that the average time to hire in the UK banking and financial services industry is 5.9 weeks, it’s no wonder that candidates are feeling disheartened.
A drawn-out hiring process doesn’t just impact candidates, it hurts firms too. You’re wasting time, losing out on great talent, and making it harder for yourself in an already competitive hiring market.
What’s going wrong?
If your firm is struggling to secure candidates, ask yourself:
- Are we dragging out the interview process?If it’s taking 4-6 weeks and multiple rounds of interviews, that’s way too long.
- Are we making candidates do free work?Stop it. Nobody wants to complete a three-hour technical test before even getting to the interview stage.
- Are we ghosting candidates?Radio silence after an interview? Guaranteed way to lose them to another firm that moves faster.
- Are we clear on what we want?If you’re bringing candidates back for endless interviews because you “just want to be sure,” you probably don’t have a clear hiring strategy in place.
- Are we being open-minded enough? Consider other hiring avenues, such as temporary staff. These professionals typically take less time to hire and onboard.
How firms are losing out on top talent
Heard of the saying, “you snooze, you lose?”. Well, it couldn’t be more relevant.
The best accountants aren’t waiting around. If your hiring process drags on for weeks, you’re pretty much handing them over to your competitors.
When you consider the current state of the sector, it’s clear that candidates want transparency. They want efficiency. They want to know they’re applying to a firm that values their time and expertise. When they’re forced to complete unpaid work or sit through multiple rounds of interviews with no clear direction, they start questioning whether your firm is the right place for them.
And let’s not forget the negative word-of-mouth. The accounting world isn’t as big as you think. A bad hiring experience can spread quickly, making your firm less attractive to future candidates.
A no-nonsense, fast-track hiring process
Here’s how to streamline your recruitment process so that you secure the best accountants without unnecessary delays.
1. One-Stage Interview (or Two at Most!)
One interview should be enough for most roles. Two if it’s a senior hire. That’s it. Keep it structured, ask the right questions, and make a decision quickly.
What should this look like?
- A structured interview with key stakeholders (ideally, all in one meeting!).
- A clear discussion about role expectations, culture fit, and career development.
- A quick but effective assessment of technical skills, without a three-hour homework assignment.
2. Ditch the Free Work Assignments
Asking candidates to do unpaid work before you even decide if they’re a serious contender? Not a good look. If you need to assess their skills, ask relevant questions in the interview or review their past work experience.
A fair alternative? Offer a paid trial day or an interactive case study during the interview itself. That way, you respect the candidate’s time while still assessing their abilities.
3. Move Quickly
The best candidates get multiple offers. If you take three weeks to get back to someone, chances are they’ve already accepted another job. Keep your process tight to show intent – interview, feedback, offer. Done.
How to speed things up:
- Set a hiring deadline. No more “we’ll get back to you in a few weeks.”
- Have a structured hiring process in place so decisions aren’t delayed.
- Automate reference checks and paperwork wherever possible.
4. Be Clear About Salary and Expectations
Don’t dance around salary expectations. Candidates don’t want to go through a long process only to find out the pay isn’t what they expected. Be upfront from the start.
Also, be clear about job expectations. No bait-and-switch tactics. What you promise in the job offer should match the reality of the role.
5. Communicate at Every Stage
Candidates want to know where they stand. Even if it’s a simple “we’re still reviewing applications,” it’s better than silence. Keep them in the loop and show you respect their time.
A quick email update takes seconds but makes a world of difference to someone anxiously waiting for a response.
The bottom line… make it easy for candidates to say yes!
The best firms attract the best talent by making the hiring process smooth, efficient, and respectful. If your recruitment process drags on for weeks and requires candidates to do unpaid work, you’re losing out on great accountants who will simply go elsewhere.
So, let’s stop making accountants jump through hoops. If you’re serious about hiring, show intent from the start, move fast, and respect candidates’ time.
Need help securing top accounting talent?
At Public Practice Recruitment Ltd, we specialise in connecting accountancy firms with the best candidates in the UK. If you’re struggling to attract and secure top talent, let’s have a chat. We’ll help you refine your hiring process, tap into our extensive candidate pool, and make recruitment easy for you.
Get in touch todayand let’s find the right accountants for your firm – quickly and efficiently!
