A CPA firm hiring a staff or senior accountant should look first for experience in the kind of work the firm actually does: compilations, reviews and audits, individual and business tax returns, or write-up and financial statements for closely held businesses. After that, look at the software they already know, their path toward the CPA license, and whether they have worked through a busy season in a public accounting firm.
RecruitHook was founded by Mike Laufer, who started his career at KPMG and was a top producing VP at Robert Half before building RecruitHook. CPA firms are among the clients we recruit for, and these are the questions we go through with them before a search starts.
Staff or senior: which does your firm need?
| Staff accountant | Senior accountant | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical experience | New to public accounting, or a few years in | Several years in public accounting |
| What they do | Prepares work papers, returns and statements for review | Prepares and reviews work, runs engagements, trains staff |
| Supervision | Works under a senior or manager | Supervises staff and works directly with managers and partners |
| What to look for | Strong fundamentals, accuracy, willingness to learn | Ownership of engagements, client contact, review skills |
Many firms need someone in between. Saying so in the brief helps the search find people who have started reviewing work but are not yet running engagements alone.
Which experience matters most?
Match the candidate's background to your practice:
- Accounting and assurance: compilations, reviews and audits for the kind of clients you serve.
- Tax: individual returns, partnership and S corporation returns, and trust and estate returns, depending on your client base.
- Write-up and advisory: bookkeeping, financial statements and business advice for closely held companies.
- Industry experience: real estate, construction, professional services or another niche, if your clients concentrate there.
Software matters too. A candidate who already knows your tax and practice management systems needs less ramp-up time, so name the systems in the brief.
How much does the CPA license matter?
That depends on the role. For a senior who will review staff work or lead engagements, many firms require a CPA, or someone close to finishing. For a staff role, a candidate on the CPA track may be enough. Decide this before the search, because it changes the size of the pool a great deal.
Write down whether the license is a must-have or a nice-to-have, and whether you will support a candidate who is still sitting for the exam.
What should the job description say?
A clear description brings in people who fit and keeps out people who do not. Include:
- The mix of work: assurance, tax, write-up, advisory, and roughly how time is split.
- The clients: size, industries and whether they are individuals, businesses or both.
- The license requirement, and whether you support exam candidates.
- The software the team uses.
- Busy season expectations, plainly stated.
- The office arrangement: on-site, hybrid or remote.
- The compensation range.
Where do strong accountants come from?
The best candidates are usually employed and not looking at job boards. They are at other CPA firms, in industry roles they took after public accounting, or partway through the CPA exam at a firm that cannot promote them yet. Reaching them takes relationships built over time.
At RecruitHook we look first at the people we already know, then source from the wider market. One partner at a CPA firm in New Jersey and Florida described working with Mike Laufer this way: "Mike has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to understand our needs and identify high-quality candidates who are a great fit for our organization." A recruiter speaks with every candidate before anyone reaches you, and a candidate is put forward only when every must-have shows up in their background.
Frequently asked questions
Should we require a CPA for a senior accountant role?
That is your firm's call. Requiring it makes the pool smaller. Many firms accept candidates who are close to finishing the exam.
Is industry experience a good substitute for public accounting?
Sometimes. It depends on the work. For audit and tax roles, public accounting experience usually transfers more directly.
How long does a staff accountant search take?
It depends on the market, the location and how specific the must-haves are. We give you our view at intake.
Can you run the search without naming our firm?
Yes. A role can be presented without naming your firm until you are ready.
Hiring an accountant? Start with RecruitHook or book a recruiting consultation.