After Busy Summer, CPA Firms Gear Up For Prime Hiring Season

Aug. 31, 2012 - PRLog -- After an extremely active summer season, NYC area CPA firms are gearing up for their prime hiring season.  Typically, hiring season for CPA firms runs from September until December. This summer was extremely busy...in fact hiring at CPA firms in the New York City metropolitan market was up substantially over 2011.  The hiring trend shows no signs of slowing down for the fall months.  

According to Adam Karpiak, President of Karpiak Consulting, a niche recruiting firm catering to public accounting and consulting firms, the upcoming hiring season will prove to be among the best in recent years. "2011 was, by most accounts, a successful year for CPA firms looking for talent.  Firms realize to compete in a growing market, they have to offer top value to their clients.  The right mix of skill, personality, and business development skills are key to organic growth...and they are willing to invest top compensation to build the best organization possible."

Karpiak feels that the 2012 hiring season will be even more successful. "Summer 2012 hiring by far out-paced 2011.  Firms really do understand that hiring isn't about 'Oh, we lost a tax accountant.  Let's find another.' It’s a dated philosophy.  The archetype of need-based hiring is phasing out.  It’s more about looking at the firm as a whole and thinking 'What else can we offer our clients? How else can we set ourselves apart?'  Being in constant communication with CPA firms, I am always trying to stay proactive...asking 'What do you need? Do you have a need?' Increasingly, conversation after conversation, I am hearing the same response: 'Add value to our clients.  Who do you know, regardless of field, that can add value to our firm?' Tax, audit, forensic/litigation support...the specific discipline has less and less importance.  Of course, if someone leaves a firm and they need a replacement on an audit, that's a specific need.  But at the end of the day it’s all about talent."

Karpiak Consulting saw a steady increase in hiring over the last 12 months, and the upcoming season seems to be in line with continuing the trend. "My clients are already setting up first meetings, second meetings, discussing offers...it’s going to be busy.  The good firms, they can't get enough.  Demand is certainly ahead of supply right now, and heading into January, they want to be ready.  They don't want to be the firm that lost out to A+ candidates...and they don't want to be the firm that loses clients."

For more information on Karpiak Consulting, or to view the current opportunities it is working on, please visit its website http://www.karpiakconsulting.com