The 2015 hiring forecast looks promising for both employers and employees in the financial and accounting sectors, and both available positions and valuable talent will be circulating at a rapid pace. If you’re about to start expanding your staff or adding new team members, here are some of the market trends that may have an impact on your sourcing and selection decisions in the year ahead. As you keep these trends in mind, stay optimistic, but don’t take unnecessary risks.
The Salad Days are Over
The recent recession may have been a terrible trial for job seekers, struggling new grads, and laid-off financial employees. But it represented a boon for hiring managers. Employers had their pick of talented pros who lined up for any available position and eagerly accepted marginal conditions and low pay. That imbalance is now in the past, and smart, resilient employers are ready to leave it behind. At this point, salaries need to go up, benefits need to expand, and selection criteria should become more realistic.
The Hiring Process Should Fit the Times
In addition to pay increases and more effort invested in retention, employers need to bring more efficiency to the selection process. Ultra-close scrutiny and ten rounds of interviews are no longer an option. If you included social media checks, credit checks, unnecessary health exams, or any other ill-advised criteria in your searches, stop now. And keep your interviews concise and short. If you drag out the process or alienate your candidates, the best ones will simply accept positions elsewhere.
Demand for Specific Skills will Spike
Accounting and financial pros with specific skill sets will experience elevated profiles and a sharp increase in demand in the marketplace. Some of these skills include experience with meta-data, experience with cyber-security, and sales experience with specific products and commodities that will investors are likely to pursue during the year ahead. Candidates who have these key skill sets will write their own tickets, but the employers who need them will have to double their global search efforts.
Arrange an appointment with the financial staffing experts at Techneeds and find ways to attract and select the financial candidates you’re looking for in 2015.