Nontraditional Candidates Can Solve Accounting Talent Shortage

Talent shortages have troubled a wide range of industries over the past few years, leading many organizations to rethink their approach to recruitment and widen their pool of potential candidates. The accounting industry has been no exception, as more than 300,000 US accountants and auditors have left their jobs in the past two years.

This trend has prompted accounting firms to think outside the box and look beyond traditional accounting majors. They seek a more diverse applicant pool to recruit employees who offer unique skills and fresh ideas.

I’ve experienced firsthand the opportunities and benefits that come with trusting an individual whose resume doesn’t show the traditional accountant education path. While I majored in economics-philosophy, I also majored in dance. After earning my law degree, I interned at a Big Eight firm and never looked back, continuing my career in accounting for the next 20 years.

What Nontraditional Candidates Offer

Embracing nontraditional backgrounds can bring many benefits to accounting firms, given that industry needs have expanded beyond typical accounting and finance functions. Having an outside perspective on data, new technologies, presentation skills, and creative problem-solving can help enhance productivity and address complex challenges.

Liberal arts majors such as English, classics, and literature bring strong language and research skills ideal for writing opinions for clients and drafting footnote disclosures in financial statements. Tech majors have a keen eye for data interpretation and programming to drive efficiency in traditional accounting systems.

Even my dance background has greatly helped me in my career. There’s an essential element of “performance” in our industry. Dancers or other performing artists often are calm and confident when presenting, which can translate into more effective client meetings, oral presentations, and teaching.

In addition to niche skillsets, nontraditional candidates bring experiences from projects, challenges, and work cultures uncommon in the accounting industry. These experiences often cultivate a desire to learn new skills and adapt to a new work environment.

The Great Resignation showed that people are rethinking all aspects of work. Opening the door to nontraditional candidates would better equip accounting firms to approach client services and problems with creative thinking, fresh perspectives, and bold ideas.

Facilitating a Seamless Transition

Welcoming new talent who may not have an accounting or finance background requires proper onboarding to ensure a smooth transition. Accordingly, many accounting firms offer prerequisite training courses.

But training shouldn’t stop after onboarding. Working in the accounting profession is synonymous with being a forever student. The laws, standards, and policies that govern accounting require employees to stay in sync with the times.

For example, Mazars offers several in-person, residential, and online courses and programs. I’m currently finishing the Mazars Next Generation MBA curriculum, which involves two years of in-person residential courses spanning several countries. Through this program, I have learned the latest in business and strategy from the world’s top leaders, practitioners, and professors.

Offering these types of educational courses and encouraging participation by all team members are key to creating a culture of growth. The firm should also promote them through internal and external communications channels, as some employees and potential new candidates may not know these programs exist. Prioritizing training and education demonstrates investment in employees’ career trajectories and skill development.

It’s equally important to ensure that candidates’ values align with the firm’s overall vision. Hard skills can be taught through employer-sponsored courses, but some intangibles aren’t as teachable. Determining whether a candidate possesses the willingness to learn and grow in line with the firm’s values should take priority in addition to on-the-job training.

Accounting firms also must assess their culture and environment to recruit and retain nontraditional candidates. Fostering a culture that emphasizes professional development can help bring in some of the best new talent and keep them there.

That’s why firms must allow employees and candidates to explore different business lines, acquire new skills, and pursue their passions. By recognizing that every employee has a unique story, accounting firms can be positioned to create a dynamic culture that acclimates to the advancing needs of the industry—and its workers.

In the face of the talent shortage, accounting firms must acknowledge the value of expanding new employee searches beyond traditional accountants. In an industry where standards and policies constantly change, organizations should ensure that their employees continue to learn and have the tools to be agile.

Embracing applicants from various backgrounds with the aptitude to adapt will help organizations stay ahead of evolving customer expectations and enable the industry to flourish and innovate well into the future.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Tax, or its owners.

Author Information

Tifphani White-King is the national tax practice leader for Mazars in the US. She is also a member of the Mazars global tax leadership team.

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