The State of Accounting Recruiting in 2024 – An Interview with Perry Paden

As a recruiter with over 45 years of experience, we asked Perry Paden to give his thoughts and opinions on some topics that are currently facing the accounting industry. Here’s what he had to share when we sat down to talk with him…
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Q: There has been so much ongoing discussion about the talent shortage in accounting, how has this changed in the last year or so?
Perry: “It’s simple. It really has not changed tremendously. Among accounting and finance professionals there’s a shortage of talent – period. Recent data tells us that there are over a million accountants employed in the US currently, but the accounting profession is expected to fill out over 130,000 positions every year until 2031. That’s a gap that’s going to cause problems!”

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Q: Are there any tools that you use to keep tabs on the hiring market?
Perry: “With today’s economic turmoil coupled with this being an election year, it’s important to understand how those factors are going to exacerbate the hiring challenges we’re seeing as well. There are many tools out there to help you get access to good data so you can stay informed. ALFRED has one on the Economic Policy Uncertainty Index I particularly like that allows you to manipulate year-over-year data to get just what you want to see.”

Q: In light of this ongoing shortage what can employers do to increase the pool of potential candidates for their job opening?
Perry: “I will try to give you my top three suggestions of things that employers should be thinking about in no particular order: compensation, benefits, and hybrid work. When it comes to compensation, depending on where you are located, salaries have increased significantly. There is a premium put on certain areas of the country as well as proximity to major cities to consider. Be prepared to pay more to get employees to commute to the city these days. In terms of employer offered benefits, we aren’t just talking about physical health benefits anymore. Now they also include a list of other benefits such as mental health days, vacation time, 401K contributions, and maternity/paternity leave. Finally, in the discussion of hybrid versus entirely remote versus fully onsite work employers will need to truly evaluate whether the job can be done from a home office because attracting the best talent may require being flexible in this area.”

Q: If there was one thing you could tell employers about hiring in accounting and finance right now, what would it be?
Perry: “In today’s world of attracting, recruiting, and retaining top talent, employers have to really walk the walk on what the best candidates are looking for in a new opportunity. That means making sure your website conveys critical information, your social media presence portrays the company in the right light, and your community involvement is well-articulated.”

Q: What exactly are job seekers looking for on an employer’s website or social media profiles?
Perry: “When it comes to their website employers need to evaluate everything from their mission statement to their training and benefits information, and everything in between. But remember, more isn’t always better. Say what needs to be said in a way that makes people actually want to read it. Make sure you have current and consistent messaging on your social media platforms as well and echo this across places like LinkedIn Recruiter and Indeed also. Then, make sure that your online application process is simple so they can apply if they like what they read. Don’t require that candidates fill out a lot of personal information to apply or make it hard for them to upload their resume, otherwise people aren’t going to finish filling out the application. Remember, you don’t need to require a candidate’s life history in the beginning. If you like them, and they like you, that information will flow freely to you later in the process.”

Q: What kind of community involvement efforts are candidates specifically hoping to see employers engaged in these days?
Perry: “This list can be massive, but I’ll name a few – the charities you give to, company sports, family scholarships, nonprofit affiliations – the list goes on and on! Candidates are looking for a well-rounded company, not just a place to go to work every day.”

Q: Thank you for providing that great hiring advice! Are there any final thoughts you’d like to share?
Perry: “My final thought would be that no matter where your company is at right now, if you want to attract, recruit, and retain top talent do not continue to do the same thing and expect different results. The talent shortage is not going away! It is up to companies to sell their vision and mission along with why a candidate would want to come work for them. If you need help figuring out the best way to do this, please reach out to one of our recruiters!”

Work with The ASP Team
When you need an accounting recruiter, we can help! We have a dedicated team of accounting recruiters that know the industry better than anyone else. We are accountants hiring accountants into accounting roles, so you can trust that when you use us to hire an accountant, we know what we’re doing! Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you bring in the best candidate for your accounting/finance role on budget and on time.

More About Perry Paden

​Perry brings over forty-five years of recruiting experience to The ASP Team. Upon graduating high school, Perry served in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. He has traveled the world, both in the Navy and his career, traveling to Europe, Asia, Australia, India, and many others. Perry began his career in recruiting, spending four years in Salt Lake City recruiting medical professionals and never looked back.

Joining The ASP Team fits in line with Perry’s purpose, helping organizations by recruiting top accounting and finance professionals while giving his candidates the career progression and culture fit they deserve.

​Perry is a native Washingtonian and currently lives in Fairfield, WA with his wife Jamie. Perry and Jaime enjoy making an impact in the community, being both volunteer first responders and firefighters.

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