We all think about our ‘ideal client,’ the type of people that we want to work with and the type of work that we want to win, but do you do this with your employees? Do you think about the type of employee you want in your firm? High-quality staff are those that really want to work for you, who really value the values of your firm and they can greatly contribute to your success. One of your biggest priorities should be to find qualified accounting staff that are right for your firm and here are 9 ways to attract them to you.
Are you using all of your channels?
When it comes to recruitment, costs are high and there are limited channels to reach all those talented potential employees in the job-seeking pool.
When it comes to attracting these high-quality workers to your firm, however, your options are endless. Think of it as attracting bees to flowers. You have to be visible and appealing and they will come to you. What takes little time, money, and effort on your part can actually yield big gains.
9 ways to find qualified accounting staff
To be visible, use as many channels as possible to maximise your reach. To start with here are 4 ways that you can attract different kinds of bees from all over:
- Social media - people are increasingly using LinkedIn to look for jobs. A huge proportion of people have Facebook and Twitter accounts that they browse daily. How active is your firm on social media? Do you have your own page and engage with local community pages? Regular blogs on your website that you can share on your channels? Sharing fun work events or posts about days in the office can generate a lot of interest in your firm. You can even mention that you’re looking for new staff. It takes very little time and money to do this to find qualified accounting staff; a high reward for little effort.
- Employee referrals - just like clients, often the best employees come from referrals. Why? Because people who work for you know the exact type of person that you’re looking for and who would be a good match for the company. They are also very invested in getting the right people in who will be a success. Referrals often mean high-quality staff so consider rewarding any employees who bring in people they know.
- Career advice - you can find accounting staff who aren’t qualified yet by connecting with heads of local schools or colleges. Offer to give career advice or a talk about what it’s like to be in the accounting industry. Book a stand at a careers fair and highlight the benefits of apprenticeships. With the rising cost of university, this opportunity can be very appealing.
- Local newspapers - An advert in a newspaper is all very well but won't set you apart. Get articles about your firm into local newspapers and online news. Get your brand out there in a positive and appealing way. Have you won any awards recently? Have you taken part in any community projects or charity fundraisers? Advertise these and you will attract a lot more people than a simple advert that they can overlook.
If that's not enough, here are another 5 ways to reach potential employees
- Charity events - getting involved in a charity event or organising a fundraiser is a great way to get your firm seen. It also has great benefits for your staff as well. Consider team events and share it on all of your social media channels.
- Buzz marketing - this technique is focused on maximising the word-of-mouth potential of a particular product. Really promote how your firm looks after its clients, its staff, and the local community. You might generate business leads as well as attracting people to your firm just by sharing updates and generating conversations on social media.
- Sponsorship - is there a local sports team to sponsor and get your firm’s branding on the t-shirts? Look for opportunities to get your brand seen and your firm associated with giving back to the community.
- Local schools - can you support schools with books and supplies? By simply getting your brand seen and associated with doing good, you become known as a great place to work attracting both potential employees; (and even the children may grow into great employees)!
- Outreach programmes - there are many underrepresented groups or people looking to re-enter the workforce but who are finding it difficult. Why not reach out to them directly? Consider setting up outreach programmes to tap into a readily available, skilled and motivated pool of people. After all, diversity can often increase creativity and ultimately growth and success.
Make your firm known locally as a great place to work
Different people use different mediums to receive information, so use a variety of channels to attract a diverse range of employees. It really is as easy as just being as visible as possible.
By advertising how much good your firm does for others and how happy and engaged your current employees are, you can make people stop and listen to what you have to say. It takes very little time and effort to make connections and find qualified accounting staff that are right for your firm, you just have to think outside the box and use a combination of these 9 examples.
