Economy-Driven Changes in Recruiting Practices

In mid-2008, accounting ranked as one of the top five most recession-proof professions in a Jobfox report. But between June 2008 and June 2009, the number of accounting jobs fell by more than 2%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During the economic downturn, the recruiting and hiring pro...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The CPA journal (1975) 2013-07, Vol.83 (7), p.68
Main Authors: Owens-Jackson, Lisa A, Highsmith-Quick, Gwendolyn, Robinson, Diana R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accounting firms
Athletic recruitment
Big Four accounting firms
Candidates
Careers
College campuses
Colleges & universities
Employees
Employers
Guidelines
Hiring
Internships
Interviews
Military recruitment
Professions
Recessions
Student retention
Success
Workforce planning
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In mid-2008, accounting ranked as one of the top five most recession-proof professions in a Jobfox report. But between June 2008 and June 2009, the number of accounting jobs fell by more than 2%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During the economic downturn, the recruiting and hiring process was characterized by multiple qualified candidates vying for every open position. These recruiting challenges led large and small CPA firms to change their hiring practices. This article's authors discussed hiring practices with three national recruiting managers at three Big Four accounting firms, six Big Four regional recruiters, recruiting directors at two large national firms and three regional firms in the US. Their insights can provide public accounting firms, corporations, and governmental agencies with advice on how to improve the recruiting process. These are: 1. Use assessment measures to direct recruiting efforts. 2. Use internship programs to feed permanent hires. 3. Build long-term relationships with universities. 4. Increase minimum interview standards and apply consistently.
ISSN:0732-8435