Hiring Accountants During a Talent Shortage: Top 4 Insights From Our Future of Work TakeControl Session

If you've tried to hire an accountant recently, you might have had an easier time finding a unicorn familiar with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Anyone in the industry knows the accounting talent pool can feel more like a puddle at times. So when you hire, you have to get it right.

So, what do we do? Our TakeControl 2025 session “The Future of Work: Beyond the Numbers - The Evolving Role of Accountants” brought together titans in the field to tackle this problem head-on. 

You can watch the full session on demand here. The conversations were too important not to share. 

Our panelists were:

• Melissa Powell, VP, Talent Acquisition, FloQast
• Simone Heard, Senior Director, Talent Acquisition, Jam City
• Justin Johnston, Controller & VP of Finance, Revel Media Group
• Alexandra Von Tiergarten, District President, Robert Half

Here are the top four insights from the sessions.

1. The Talent Shortage is Real

The numbers don't lie. Fewer students are pursuing accounting degrees, and seasoned professionals are heading for the exit. We're facing a future where there simply aren't enough qualified people to do the work. 

Here’s how the numbers illustrate the accounting talent shortage:

• 71% of finance and accounting leaders report skills gaps within their departments.
• 72% say the negative impact of these gaps has increased in the last year.
• 67% identify evaluating applications and deciding who to interview as their primary hiring challenge.
• 62% experience moderate to severe challenges in hiring and retaining accountants.
• The average hiring time for accounting and finance teams is now seven weeks.

Alexandra highlighted the trend from an agency perspective:

"We're just seeing the decline in college graduates coming out with accounting majors. If you have less people coming from college into that first level job, then you have less people coming out ready to be placed by a company like us."

The situation is clear: The combination of skill gaps, longer hiring cycles, and a shrinking candidate pipeline demands a new approach for building and sustaining accounting teams.

Or, as Justin succinctly put it, “The business doesn't stop even though the talent might."

2. Communication Separates the Good from the Great

With fewer accountants in the workforce, every hire matters. How do you identify truly talented accountants from the others? Storytelling.

When searching for mid-career accounting talent, the real challenge is finding someone with true strategic potential. It's no longer enough for a candidate to simply know the mechanics of accounting. 

Rather, the best talent can look at a set of numbers and see the greater message behind them. "You can understand the debits and credits, but what do those numbers mean?” Justin asks, “Can you relay the story behind the bottom line message?" 

Look for the ability to communicate the meaning to a partner, business owner, or someone with little to no financial knowledge.

Simone further emphasized that clear communication is what truly elevates a professional, stating, "Communications are really going to take accountants to that next level. How are you communicating your ideas, and how are you advising the company in a way that is ultimately digestible beyond the numbers?”

This is why a key component of FloQast is to not only empower accountants to evolve from preparers to reviewers, but also from number crunchers to financial storytellers. 

3. Smart Companies Retain Accounting Talent by Investing in Technology

Finding good accounting talent is one thing; keeping them is another battle entirely. 

Once you have a great team, the focus shifts to creating an environment they won't want to leave. In a tech-forward world, retention hinges on growth, efficiency, and providing the right tools for the job. Investing in your team isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a core business strategy.

One of the most effective ways to retain talent is to invest in technology. When asked directly how to retain talent on the team, Justin answered, “I think being able to enhance the technology that we do offer in-house: ERPs, NetSuite, FloQast, etc.”

Surrounding accountants with a tech stack that is easy to use, powerful, and efficient will lead to major quality of life wins for your company’s culture and workflow.

4. Education is Your Secret Weapon in the War for Talent

Another smart way to empower your team, especially if you operate a smaller company, is education. 

“What we're seeing is the smaller companies are struggling to retain talent because people want to go to that midsize or larger company that is using AI and other technology. So the smaller companies should be sending their people out to learn these things, and they can bring it back.”

Alexandra hits on a major truth: working with and understanding the latest technology is a draw for accountants. Certifications such as the FloQast Certified Accountant (FCA) program can go a long way in not only helping employee retention, but also significantly raise the skills within your building without needing to add new talent. 

But if you do need to hire, Simone emphasizes the importance of seeking out accountants who have taken the initiative to educate themselves, “Just to harp on the continued education in terms of the tools…  When I'm searching for people to join our team, I am looking for which candidate has a menagerie of these tools, and how they can speak to them.”

Summary and Key Takeaways

Navigating the accounting talent shortage feels a bit like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing. The insights from our TakeControl session confirm that the challenges are real, but they also point toward clear, actionable solutions.

The key takeaways are clear:

• The Talent Shortage is a Data-Driven Reality: With skills gaps affecting over 71% of departments and hiring times stretching to seven weeks, the numbers confirm what we all feel. A new approach is not just recommended; it’s required.
• Strategic Talent Tells a Story: The most valuable accountants are those who can translate debits and credits into a compelling business narrative. Look for candidates who can explain the "why" behind the numbers to anyone in the organization.
• Retention is Powered by Technology and Growth: Investing in a modern tech stack, including tools like FloQast, is a direct investment in your team's quality of life and job satisfaction. Happy, efficient teams are teams that stay.
• Education is Your Competitive Edge: In the war for talent, continuous learning is your secret weapon. Encouraging certifications and upskilling not only strengthens your team but also makes your company a more attractive place to work.

Become the Accountant of the Future

The conversation has started, and the path forward is clear: embrace technology, invest in your people, and build a culture that makes top talent want to join — and stay. The future belongs to the teams that adapt, and the single best investment you can make is in your own skills.

Ready to position yourself or a team member as a leader in this new era? Become a FloQast Certified Accountant (FCA). This free program is designed to deepen your AI understanding, enhance your operational skills, and give you the credentials to stand out.