Industry Insights

In leadership and high-accountability roles, especially within professional services, Drive and Motivation are key indicators of long-term success. These traits, though essential, are often difficult to measure objectively during hiring or development processes. The Accountests Personality Profile Questionnaire (APPQ) offers a robust solution by assessing Drive and Motivation through the Big-5/OCEAN personality model. It helps employers pinpoint candidates who are not just capable but also intrinsically driven to succeed.

A comprehensive onboarding process begins as soon as a candidate accepts a job offer. It involves careful planning and execution to ensure a seamless transition into the company. The blog outlines an eight-step onboarding checklist.

In public accounting, hiring the wrong person doesn't just lead to financial loss—it causes partner stress and harms team morale. Drawing on 25 years of experience, the blog introduces a Bad Hire Calculator, which helps firms quantify the true cost of hiring mistakes based on specific internal practices (e.g., use of recruiters, firing timeline).

The author recounts a time during a hectic work period—managing a large team, under intense deadlines—when they were told to "just find another body" to help out. With no time to spare, they selected an internal employee based purely on availability and a brief chat with their manager (who was all too eager to let them go). The result: a hasty, unstructured hiring decision with lasting regret.

This blog emphasizes the importance of creating a standout first impression to attract and secure top accounting talent, even when the job itself is similar to others on the market. It outlines three simple, zero-cost steps to set your firm apart.

The accounting industry faces a major talent gap, with too many open positions and too few qualified professionals. Retention is becoming as crucial as recruitment, but some firms are pulling back from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts due to political pressures. This move risks alienating key talent, particularly women and underrepresented professionals, who are already underrepresented in leadership roles.

The Staffing Strategies report from the Center for Accounting Transformation highlights key challenges and solutions in closing talent gaps within accounting firms. While many firms acknowledge burnout due to high workloads, they also believe they maintain strong team collegiality. To address staffing shortages, firms commonly rely on hiring, offshoring, demand management, and technology.

The blog discusses how job candidates can improve their interview performance, especially when answering personality and team-fit questions. It shares the story of "Sarah," who successfully used the Accountants Personality Profile to prepare for her interviews.

A successful staff induction should be a structured and personalized process that helps new employees integrate smoothly into the company. It should include an overview of the organization, its culture, values, and key personnel, along with role-specific training and workplace orientation.

The blog emphasizes that pre-employment tests must comply with anti-discrimination laws to avoid legal and reputational risks. Following the EEOC’s best practice guidelines helps ensure that testing processes are defensible against any claims of bias.

Mike Manalac, CPA, shares his journey from public accounting to the tech industry, offering actionable advice for accountants looking to make a similar move. To break into tech or any competitive industry, be strategic, stand out, and take bold steps.

This blog discusses best practices for hiring university and college graduates, particularly in accounting and bookkeeping. Since graduates often lack extensive work experience, employers must assess their potential through testing.