Strategic Business Solutions
| Utilize our expertise to fill your key positions |
| Published Wednesday, January 28, 2009 7:30 am |
by Susan Kaplan
COST. Cost is often the leading factor in determining which recruiting source a business owner will employ to obtain new accounting personnel. While a newspaper advertisement may cost as little as $100, a recruiting agency may charge up to half the recruit's annual salary to perform the search. The urgency of the need affects our perception of "justifiable expense" – if we are recruiting for a position that won't be available for six months, hiring a recruiting agency to fill the position seems less justifiable than if we need the position filled next week. What needs to be considered in conjunction with the tangible fee associated with the source employed is how much your time and energy will cost throughout the process. When employing a cheaper alternative such as online and newspaper ads, you (or your designee) will be responsible for the resume screening. How much is your time worth?
QUALITY. In general, the quality of the candidates will improve over time as you will have more time to make the decision. With more resumes to consider and less pressure to fill the seat quickly, you will have a better chance of finding the high quality candidate you seek, even if you do the search yourself. References are frequently overlooked when there is a tight turn-around time for placement, and they are often critical indicators of the quality of your candidate – certainly more so than the resume itself. To find the best candidate for your Controller or CFO position, it is crucial to check references. Recruiting sources perform this service automatically, but you may want to review the questions they ask and provide them with specific questions you want answered.
TIME. The more time you have to spend on your search, the more likely you are of finding the best candidate to fill your position. Time affects the cost and quality of your search – chances are, the less time you have, the more it will cost you and the less quality candidate you will end up with. With more time devoted to the search campaign, you can be more personally involved in the process, from participating in the interview process and references to salary negotiations. On the other hand, using a search source frees up your time so that you can make sure that all of your internal procedures and processes are in place for when your new hire begins his/her employment. This is just as important, if not more so, than your personal involvement in the recruiting process.
Recruiting Methodology
All of the above factors will weigh heavily on your decision on whether or not to use a search firm. Once you have determined which of the above will ultimately drive your decision, you can narrow down the methodology for your recruiting campaign. There are a number of methods that employers use to recruit new employees. Some of these work very well for low-level positions, such as clerical or administrative jobs. Others are better for specialized positions, such as experts in human resources compliance or multi-state tax laws. Following are some of the most common recruiting sources:
- Online job posting sites (such as Monster or HotJobs)
- Newspapers
- Current employees
- Universities
- Referral sources
- Current clients
- Professional organizations/associations
- Recruiting agencies/headhunters
Recruiting Services
For accounting and financial support positions, however, there is one other source that may be the most valuable: your CPA firm. Daszkal Bolton LLP provides professional recruiting services for our clients who seek top-level financial management positions, such as a Controller or CFO, in addition to entry-level and mid-range accounting positions, such as bookkeepers and internal accountants. We have helped clients in a variety of industries, including medical, hospitality, retail, real estate, construction and law, fill their accounting and support roles with high quality personnel.
Our network of contacts in multiple industries allows us access to professionals who may not be "on the market" for a new position, and therefore would not accessible by recruiting agencies and headhunters. We maintain a database of current resumes and advertise for specific placements to ensure that you receive the highest quality candidate available on the market. Our recruiting services are designed to take the pressure off of you - we perform the screenings, interviews and reference checks for you. You are brought in on the process once the candidates have been narrowed down to the most impressive few. We coordinate your participation in the final interviews and then you ultimately make the hiring decision.
Recruiting Expertise
Because you are already a Daszkal Bolton client, we are thoroughly familiar with your industry, company characteristics, goals and culture. We are able to match up the most suited candidates to your particular situation – our recommendations are tailor-made for your specific circumstances and needs. What do we look for in financial management, accounting and support professionals? The top five factors we consider before recommending a candidate are:
- Skill sets / technical ability
- Personality / communication skills
- Work ethic / integrity
- Compatibility / culture match
- Commitment / loyalty
Unlike recruiting agencies who charge a premium or percentage of the placed person's salary, our recruiting costs are based upon the actual time it takes to make a successful placement. Due to our large network of contacts, up-to-date database and multi-layered recruiting approach, we are often able to fill your open positions very quickly with professionals who have just the right kind of experience.
If you are seeking a financial management executive (Chief Financial Officer and Controller), mid-level accounting professional, or administrative support personnel, consider using a source that has your best interests in mind.
Your success is our business – we are invested in helping you find the best candidate for your needs. Daszkal Bolton's recruiting services are an extension of our Strategic Business Solutions and Human Resource departments. We are confident that you will find us to be the most responsive, confidential, and valuable source to help you recruit your financial management, accounting and support professionals.
Susan Kaplan is our in-house Recruiting Manager. A former business owner in the retail industry, she has 20 years of management experience, recruiting top notch team members, building and leading teams, developing strategic plans and putting them into action. Susan utilizes her wealth of contacts, intimate knowledge of business strategy and personal communication skills to help clients and firm associates achieve success. Her dynamic personality combined with her business expertise has made her an invaluable source for recruitment, public relations and problem solving.
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