The world of public practice recruitment is still one that is very much driven by the shortage of candidates. And it’s in just this type of market that recruiting firms must pay great attention to more than just the initial job offer.
Picture the scenario…
You’ve come across a brilliant and talented accountant with masses of potential that you think will be a really great fit for your firm. Interviews have gone well and you’re ready to make an offer.
Hopefully you’ve made the great decision to partner with us and we’ll have made you aware that in today’s market you need to act quickly and decisively to secure great candidates. You work hard to create the very best offer that your firm can come up with – a big salary, hybrid working, one or two additional benefits.
But to your horror it’s not enough! The candidate turns you down.
It’s not an unfamiliar situation sadly, but the great news is that our vast experience in supporting the best recruiting firms to ensure they attract the very best talent on the market means that we know what it is you need to do to make sure you don’t find yourself in this position.
The issue in this situation is that candidates are looking beyond your offer.
They are digging deep into your firm’s brand and being in a position of power they are making bold decisions to work for the firms whose values are closely aligned to their own and who are showcasing a modern and contemporary approach to positioning themselves in a competitive market.
What does that look like in reality?
Astute candidate’s deep dives will involve a good look at your firm’s digital platform with a view to answering the following questions.
- How much time and budget is this firm investing in their brand? Does it look and feel like a place I’d like to work at (imagery, language, messaging)?
- Is this firm positioning itself to attract the kind of clients I want to work with?
- Are the staff at this firm proud to be working for them? Are they posting about their achievements professionally on their personal LinkedIn pages? Can I sense that staff are happy, valued and challenged?
They’ll also take the time to consider the logistics of working at your firm.
And it’s here that your approach to flexible, hybrid or remote working starts to act for or against you!
- If I need to go into the office is it the kind of environment I’ll want to spend a lot of time in?
- If I need to travel to the office regularly what will my commute look like, how much will it cost and how much time will it take up in my life?
- How flexible are the hours of the role around the other commitments I have in my life?
And don’t forget that our profession is now more connected than ever.
Accountants who really don’t want to make a mistake by accepting the wrong role will be asking around their professional network and seeking advice from contacts who have experience of working in or alongside your firm. Is your reputation as an employer holding you back?
Finally what have you told applicants about what they will experience in the early days, weeks and months of their employment? Have you painted a visual image of a thorough and enjoyable onboarding process? Have you shown the potential new recruit that you want to give them time to get under the skin of your brand and its values or has the messaging they’ve received given the impression that you’ll expect them to hit the ground running from day one.
If you’ve experienced knock backs from accountants that you’ve offered roles to, it can be tempting to close the door on them and channel your frustrations into starting the recruitment process all over again. But a much better approach is to use the opportunity to find out what may have put them off. Ask for some of that candidate’s time and see if they will explain their thought process in turning down your offer. Knowledge is power and if you know what you need to fix you’ll stand a much better chance of fixing it!
And sometimes, just having this approach can be enough to change a candidates’ mind. If they see you’re an employer who is trying to fix a problem or to offer a more modern and flexible approach to working, even if historically that’s not been the way you operated, they may be excited to come on board and be a part of a new change.
Recruitment in public practice is about so much more than placing an advert, holding an interview and making an offer. And at Public Practice Recruitment Ltd we’re here to help you with embedding better systems into your ways of working that will mean you become known as an employer of choice.
It’s all part of the service so, why not reach out today to work with the best.
