The External Signals That Draw Candidates In A Shrinking Talent Market

CPAs are leaving the profession faster than new ones are entering it. For firm leaders, the practical result is a labor market where many qualified candidates already have an offer, and the firms that stand out before an interview is scheduled have the advantage.

​​Here’s what insiders and the numbers are saying about what it takes to attract talent right now.

A Strong Employer Brand Cuts Cost-Per-Hire in Half

An employer brand is what a candidate hears about a firm before they ever speak to anyone there. Current employees describe the workplace in reviews, alumni talk about it years later, and some firms appear on lists built directly from employee feedback. A strong employer brand can reduce cost-per-hire by as much as 50 percent, and companies that actively invest in their employer brand see turnover drop by as much as 28 percent, according to Glassdoor’s own recruiting data.

Getting on a list like Accounting Today’s Best Firms to Work For is a meaningful brand signal for candidates comparing firms. Since most of the score comes from an anonymous staff survey, the direct path onto the list runs through building an exceptional employee experience. Once a firm makes the list, a press release announcing it is a straightforward way to turn that internal recognition into something candidates researching the firm will find.

Lists built on revenue growth or firm size, like Inside Public Accounting’s Top 500 or a regional “fastest-growing firms” list, depend on what a firm reports and actively submits, so sustained business development and marketing effort has a more direct effect on qualifying for those and raising brand awareness.

“As our leadership team speaks with Managing Partners, CEOs and Partners at the most impressive firms of all sizes, a common thread is a “walk the talk” emphasis on people and a growth culture. From the top-down, and entry-level-up, the messaging and actions are consistent: they exhibit a growth-oriented, people-first approach to creating value and impact for the clients and communities they serve”, says Tony Cord, Head of Corporate Development at Count.

Firms That Specialize Report Stronger Growth

Seventy-seven percent of the accounting practices surveyed specialize in at least one industry vertical, according to the 2022 CPA.com and AICPA CAS Benchmark Survey. Firms that concentrate more than half their advisory revenue in a defined niche reported a median 20 percent revenue growth rate over the previous year, according to the 2024 edition of the same survey. A firm known for construction industry advisory, or for a specific niche in health care compliance, gives candidates a clear reason to choose it over a firm that describes itself only as full service.

Work-Life Balance Now Outranks Salary for New Hires

Work-life balance ranks as a top priority for 85 percent of new practitioners choosing an employer, according to Thomson Reuters research on talent retention. Candidates ask what a specific week during busy season looks like at the firms they’re considering, and firms are responding with condensed schedules, reduced summer hours, and clearer caps on expected overtime during the busiest months.

Premium Pay Alone Isn’t Closing the Gap

Eighty-seven percent of finance and accounting leaders now offer premium pay for candidates with specialized skills, and signing bonuses have become standard for experienced tax and audit hires, according to Robert Half’s 2026 Salary Guide. Still, 80 percent of finance and accounting leaders say they’re concerned about keeping pace with candidates’ compensation expectations. Pay gets a candidate to the table. It rarely explains why they picked one firm over another with a similar offer.

Recruiting Built Around One Generation Misses the Rest

Millennials place a higher value on rapid career advancement than Gen Xers or Baby Boomers, and recruiting messages built around that expectation work better when they lead with a clear path to partner, according to research published in the CPA Journal. Gen Xers weigh independence and work-life balance more heavily by comparison. A single recruiting message aimed at one generation’s priorities reads as generic, or worse, irrelevant, to a candidate from another.

“The best firms we see that are either starting from scratch or transforming themselves, building on a long history, are touting the opportunity of a lifetime that’s being created by unstoppable forces reshaping the profession – technological, economic, and demographic”, says Cord. “The tedium is being stripped away, and now the opportunity to sit with clients, use data and help them look on the horizon as trusted, responsible advisors is going to attract top talent to the profession looking to have impact” he adds.

Run These Signals as One Coordinated Strategy

A strong employer brand gets a firm noticed. A defined niche gives candidates a reason to compare firms at all. Real scheduling commitments and competitive pay keep a firm in contention once someone is weighing multiple offers. None of it works if the message doesn’t reach the right generation with the right priorities. Firms get the most out of these signals by running them as one coordinated strategy, with marketing, HR, and individual partners working from the same plan.

Let’s Have A Conversation

Count is committed to elevating the profession, helping firms co-create the future of accounting and financial services. Let us know how you are reshaping your firm to be a magnet for talent or if you want to share best practices – reach out here.