As an employer or job seeker, it is important to seek out an accounting recruiting agency that has the skills and knowledge to effectively find the top performers and businesses for their clients. Some of the most important qualities that successful accounting and finance recruitment agencies share include subject matter expertise, an ability to maintain relationships with high-quality candidates, and a solid understanding of a company’s needs and dynamics.
Hiring an agency with subject matter expertise is critical. Recruiters need to understand what a company is looking for in a potential hire so they can effectively navigate the steps of sourcing, interviewing, and placement.
The best agencies understand how to build durable, long-lasting relationships. They know how to nurture both trust and credibility by returning inquiries promptly, following up frequently, and understanding that not every candidate is right for every type of role.
On the other side is the candidate. The top agencies know how to prepare candidates effectively for the interview process and how to match those candidates to the right roles. The most productive recruiters understand both sides of the marketplace: the needs of the employer and the skills and capabilities that a candidate brings to the table.
The result is that the best agencies have “sourcing engines” that include proprietary contacts—built from references and other successfully placed candidates—that they can tap into before advertising to fill an open role.
Finally, the most successful agencies understand the value of real-time feedback from clients and candidates, not just after the candidate is placed but also during the process.
This guide will walk you through exactly what you as a job seeker, or employer should be looking for in your next recruitment agency for finance and accounting roles.
1. Subject Matter Expertise in Finance and Accounting
Understanding SEC regulations, cost accounting, AR/AP, and the full accounting cycle—all these technical terms matter. The best recruiters understand the latest ASC rules, are up-to-date on regulatory matters, and can communicate fluently with clients and candidates.
A top-quality recruiter will ask: “What are you looking for? What’s your process? What is involved in the tasks in that role?” Some other questions a good agency might ask include:
- “What does your close cycle look like?”
- “When is your audit?”
- “What kind of fiscal calendar do you follow?”
- “Which CPA firm do you work with?”
- “For a particular role, what specific tasks are involved?”
Subject matter expertise goes beyond understanding terminology. It’s about knowing how to apply that knowledge to solve client challenges effectively. Great recruiters leverage this expertise to identify not only the technical skills required for a role but also the nuanced capabilities that ensure success.
For example, understanding the difference between preparing financial statements and reviewing them or recognizing how specific ERP systems impact workflow allows recruiters to better match candidates to the position’s demands. This depth of insight ensures that the candidates presented go beyond meeting the job requirements to align seamlessly with the company’s operational needs and long-term goals.
By asking questions like these, an effective recruiter can put the right person in the role. This is particularly valuable when a role requires a specific skill set that can only be filled by someone who has a particular type of background. For example, most firms may not be interested in placing a cost accountant in a tax-heavy role. Accounting and finance recruiters need to be sure they’re sourcing specialists rather than generalists.
Read More: Where Do The Big 4 Accounting Firms Recruit From?
2. Trust & Credibility Builders
High-performing agencies sit down face-to-face with clients and prospects. Doing everything over the phone can have major downsides. Putting a face to a name matters, after all. When bringing in candidates, a thorough agency can use meaningful conversations to ensure that all parties know exactly with whom they’re working.
Building relationships makes all the difference. That means being on the road consistently, meeting with senior leaders, and keeping touchpoints regularly. The best agencies go far beyond churning through phone calls to thoroughly understand the client’s pain points and present candidates who have proven they can solve these problems.
If someone reaches out, a good agency will respond quickly. That also means being direct about feedback for candidates.
This relationship helps both candidates and clients ensure the right match. That’s why it’s important to be wary of recruiters who don’t take the time to build that type of quality investment in relationships.
3. High-Quality Candidate Preparation and Matching
Interviewing is both an art and a science. How candidates present themselves and describe their previous work makes a difference. The best accounting and finance recruitment agencies understand how to instill this type of presentation so candidates put their best foot forward.
This has a side effect: by keeping the lines of communication open even with candidates who have opted for other opportunities, the best agencies maintain relationships and can find the right people for the job at hand.
The strongest agencies have mastered this craft and understand accounting and finance as though they were in the field themselves.
Excellent finance and accounting recruiting agencies also know the lay of the land. They can go into a company and understand the personalities of the executive management team, the board of directors, the auditors, and more. That “boots on the ground” knowledge allows the best recruiters to align candidates with the right opportunities and avoid mismatches.
Here’s something else to consider: are you dealing with a “resume shop”? The best agencies—and this may surprise most management teams—never send resumes. That’s because they understand what candidates bring to the table and know exactly how they can fit the right person into the right opportunity.
4. Fine-Tuned Candidate Sourcing
The best source of talent for any business is a referral. Good people refer good people, and this positive feedback loop can lead to significantly more effective placements when compared to firms that immediately dive into an external candidate pool.
Another differentiator on the sourcing side is the agency’s ability to write an advertisement that specifies the type of candidate who would be a strong fit for the job. This ties back to the information-gathering stage when the recruiter has met the management team, understands what qualities a client might be looking for in a candidate, and can channel that information into a well-written, well-targeted ad.
Well-maintained and structured candidate databases matter, too, and the best of these databases are proprietary. A good recruitment agency will go to this network first before advertising—especially for executive search processes.
Other agencies may immediately need to go looking for candidates from external pipelines. When you work with a highly effective agency, you’re gaining access to that proprietary database.
5. Real-Time Client Feedback
Finally, feedback isn’t restricted to the end of a placement process. The best finance and accounting recruiting agencies will say, “Let’s push pause for a moment. Where are we in the process? Is this service not giving you what you need?” The responses can help an effective recruiter understand the expectations and adjust as needed.
This also manifests in post-placement support, which involves regular check-ins with clients and candidates to make sure the fit is right—and what to do if it isn’t. You might also see strong recruiters using personal touches such as handwritten notes and milestone tracking.
In the long run, this builds an effective strategy for long-term relationship management. Good firms track candidate progress over the years to see how things are going while building relationships that encourage loyalty on both sides of the placement equation.
Read More: Understanding How Finance Recruitment Agencies Work
Find Top-Quality Accounting and Finance Talent with Daley And Associates
The most competitive accounting and finance recruitment agencies build subject matter expertise by focusing on the technical proficiency of their recruiters while also understanding client and candidate pain points. They prioritize building relationships over chasing short-term dollars, and they expertly leverage these long-term relationships to benefit candidates and clients so that everyone wins.
That’s where we can help. Daley And Associates has a long-standing reputation for fostering trust and maintaining strong client relationships through dependable service. With extensive experience collaborating with Fortune 100 companies, we have in-depth knowledge of the industries we serve, especially for accounting and finance contract staffing.
By taking the time to thoroughly understand our clients’ requirements, goals, and company cultures, we ensure that every candidate we recommend aligns seamlessly with the role. Our team features award-winning leaders, experienced senior managers, and highly talented recruitment experts.
Contact us today to get started!
