5 priorities for your finance and accounting hiring strategy for 2021

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Businesses will be projecting and planning for a return to global economic stability for many months to come, which means beginning the search for talented Finance and Accounting professionals now. The recruitment landscape will look very different than it did prior to and during the pandemic, when many interim specialist projects, recruitment and promotion incentives were put on hold. 

Employees have become used to a remote way of working and have learnt many new skills and competencies to facilitate effective collaboration and teamwork. It’s likely many will continue to want flexibility when it comes to the way they work, even when offices are able to open fully.

Employers meanwhile, are looking for these remote collaboration skills from candidates, with increasing demand for tech-literacy and soft skills such as communication, teamwork and the ability to work under pressure. 

With these five key priorities, you’ll be able to hit your Finance and Accounting recruitment objectives and create a team that will support your organisation today and in the future.

5 recruitment priorities for finance leaders:

1. Streamline your Finance and Accounting department objectives

Broader strategies for your Finance and Accounting department should inform your recruitment plan. Define your objectives and work backwards from there – what positions and skills will you need tocreate or source to achieve these? 

2. Cement your diversity and inclusion strategy

Diversity and inclusion are high on the agenda for businesses – requiring a proactive strategy over and above policy which merely ticks boxes. Ensure inclusivity is achievable by analysing the material effect your policies have on your recruitment – how accessible are your roles, who do you attract and who do you select? Make sure you capture data to analyse accurately and make necessary adjustments.

3. Articulate your remote onboarding timeline, calendar and plan

Create a calendar for your recruitment efforts. This will allow you to efficiently plot your onboarding strategy as you’ll be able to see where senior management and the Finance and Accounting team might have to prioritise other projects rather than supporting a new staff member. 

4. Think outside the box when it comes to technical and soft skills

Capturing the best candidates for your Finance and Accounting roles means digging a little deeper than the CV. Many high-calibre candidates will be looking to move roles, therefore creating a demand to fill gaps. Looking for transferable skills (cross-industry, for example) and soft skills that can be utilised in a number of ways will mean a greater ability to fill roles and the opportunity to access great candidates who look different to traditional Finance and Accounting expectations.

5. Coordinate all your recruitment channels

The combination of multiple streams, such as social media, job boards, internal job pages and traditional forms of corporate advertising can allow for a difference in tone and job descriptions to slip in. Ensuring that your employer branding is consistent will ensure that your applicants are the highest quality possible. Engaging a recruiter who will manage multiple attraction channels (as well as utilising their own established networks) will mean far less hassle for internal recruitment teams and will help consolidate employer brand.

At Edward Mann we can help you shape an effective and inclusive recruitment strategy. Through our extensive database andnetworks we are able to source high-calibre temporary, interim or permanent candidates from diverse backgrounds to suit the specific needs of your business and create an inclusive workplace. We also have the expertise to advise on how best to leverage AI to create an inclusive hiring process. 

Get in touch below to see how we can help bolster your hiring strategy for this year:

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