Accounting has always been one of those careers with dismal retention rates. The stress attributed to the job often results in accountants and CPAs shifting around different career paths until they find the one that suits them best. Unfortunately, a pattern of quitting and applying between jobs can negatively affect one’s employability.
Other issues faced by accountants looking for a job are discussed here in this article written by Courtney L. Vien. The Journal of Accountancy published it last October 28, 2019.
What to know about working with recruiters
Beth A. Berk, CPA, CGMA, is a Maryland-based recruiter who started her business in 2005, specializing in matching CPAs with the right employers. The JofA asked her for her best advice about working with recruiters.
JofA: Can you provide an overview of the different types of recruiters?
Beth Berk: Recruiters come in many shapes and sizes. They can work independently as a one-person shop. Or they could work for a very large multilocation or even multinational organization. However, don’t assume that just because the company a recruiter works for is bigger, it is better. Many work for smaller local or regional staffing agencies or are self-employed, and they bring a lot of great credentials and relevant work experience with them.
JofA: Who pays a recruiter’s fee?
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Knowing some of these issues and addressing them early can give unemployed accountants an edge over their colleagues. This is most especially true with older, or as I may say, more experienced CPAs. With Generation Zs and Millennials set to dominate the workforce in the coming years, getting employed as an accountant at a later age can be difficult.
Unlike baby boomers, there is a glaring difference in how younger people view employment. Sarah Ovaska-Few discussed these differences on her October 15, 2019, article published in the Journal of Accountancy.
Generation Z hits the workplace
Generation Z, roughly defined as those born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s, is the next wave of Americans to hit adulthood and, much like every generation before them, to change how we work and how we approach work. Yes, they may text instead of picking up the phone, and many will look for flexible schedules that get them out of the 9-to-5 mindset.
But studies are showing that this generation wants to roll up their sleeves and work and are interested in careers like accounting that can promise financial stability and opportunities over the years, said Brett Good, senior district president at global staffing firm Robert Half. Click here to read more…
One difference that Sarah may have failed to mention is the younger generation’s love for gigs. Gigs or side-lines are jobs people take besides their regular employment. Here’s another article by Sarah Ovaska-Few discussing how gigs are reshaping the economy and the world of employment.
Responding to the growing gig economy
When Amy Northard, CPA, left a traditional accounting firm to open her own practice geared toward self-employed creative types, she had no idea if there was enough demand to keep her busy.
Six years later, her Indianapolis-based firm — marketed online as “accountants for creatives” — has carved out a niche serving creative entrepreneurs from working artists to wedding photographers and web designers. The firm has doubled in size every two years and now employs three other full-time workers, including two additional CPAs, and a part-time staffer to handle the tax needs of clients from across the country. Click here to read more…
Besides the threat of automation, accountants are facing more challenges in their employment every year. These issues may also change depending on what generation you belong to. However, if you are ready and knowledgeable about these things, you can always prepare to protect your source of income.
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