Accounting Practices

Buy Sell Merge Accounting Practices

Last month I placed an Accountant with one of my loyal clients, this client happened to inform me that they were called by another agency complaining they should have gone through them!

My client replied, if you actually listened to my job specifics rather than send me "countless and pointless" CVs then maybe I would have taken the time to sift through your CV's! ( All too familiar in the recruitment game?, Too many unqualified agents flooding the market thinking they are specialist but are just another "cowboy"!! )

I remember working in Sydney for a multinational recruitment firm called Julia Ross in 2007 ( now called Chandler Mcleod) and placing a Tax manager in a mid-tier CA firm.

Fast forward and  I have since set up the Accounting and Finance arm for two multinational Australian firms in NZ, I have also worked and set up my own recruitment agency specializing in CA during the GFC.

I am now currently one of the Directors for one of New Zealand’s premier brokering company when it comes to Executive search and Brokering –Accounting Practices Limited.

In my years of recruitment and brokering, I have come across the most common scenarios from Clients when they deal with recruitment agencies.

  • That recruiter does not understand Public Practice
  • Why is this "so called" specialist agency trying to push their terms of business without building a rapport or organizing a visit
  • I have checked their LinkedIn profile and they recruited in blue collar jobs or in some cases no experience at all in recruitment
  • They are off shore based- what do they know about the NZ market, That person talks a load of BS”
  • That recruitment agency is turning over staff faster than a Jet Plan, What do they know about Public Practice?
  • They are charging me an arm and a leg without even meeting me, they are probably paying for expensive overheads and trying to grow too fast!

From my own experience  and based on the many enquiries I have had from our clients over the years, I will list the traits of what hiring managers  or candidates should look for from an agent that states they recruit in Public Practice.

 

  1. Eye contact- Does the recruiter maintain eye contact when he/she is talking about the specific role, is he/she fully engaged in you as a person or more about getting quick answers to the questions asked. The eye contact can give a lot away in terms of the persons confidence in recruiting in the CA space and whether they actually understand the role!
  2. Do they know the basic Accounting “jargon” , why not throw in some terms at the recruiter and watch their reaction? (ie) productivity hours, charge out rates, general ledgers, consulting v compliance specifics etc
  3. Always look at their LinkedIn profile, have a look at their history!! What should ring alarm bells is longevity in their role or history working in Public Practice recruitment ( if less than a year? You got to wonder unless they are surrounded by experts in the CA field)
  4. Do they actually understand the Public Practice industry or current news with CAANZ?
  5. What do they know about the firm?, Turnover, Partners, Progression, Location, Car parks ,  rem package, systems etc. ( 101 recruitment)
  6. Are they aware of the changes happening right now in the Accounting world? The process to becoming qualified? – Basic knowledge a recruiter should know
  7. Are they focused on your future or more worried about the bottom line of the recruitment firm they are with and whilst talking to you (Their mind is calculating the % they will make if they were to place you ha!)
  8. Do some research on the individual and the firm, do they have a history recruiting in Public practice, are they NZ based, are they educated?

 

The above are just some things to look out for in a recruiter based on our discussions with the many Accounting firms in the industry!

Are you looking to save time? and work with an agency that actually knows what is the best career move for YOU?...

If you need EXPERT advice and an honest assessment of your market worth, then come and talk to our specialist recruitment division at Accounting Practices Limited.

We are the only agency in NZ that specialize in just the Public Practice space!

We don’t just talk about the CA market; we understand and know the market!

 

admin@accountingpractices.co.nz or 09 363 9584

www.accountingpractices.co.nz