Tight CPA labor market requires flexibility.

With the busy tax season looming, firms as well as corporations seeking to fill CPA positions face stiff competition to attract top candidates.

In years past, tax season represented a surge in the employment market for CPAs and other accounting and finance professionals making it difficult

Michigan's economic boom plays the biggest factor in the tight labor market, says Steve Conley, CPA, and owner of Accountants Inc., a Southfield-based recruiting firm. In addition, he sees the workforce dwindling as baby boomers approach retirement age.

According to Conley, opportunities are especially ripe for CPAs with business savvy - those who understand business goals and trends and can help a company grow and achieve strategic goals and objectives.

Joy Goberville, area manager of Accountemps and Robert Half agrees. Strength in U.S. manufacturing, particularly, has increased demand for cost accounting professionals, she says. In addition, she notes a recent nationwide survey by Robert Half indicated tremendous growth in other areas of corporate accounting.

With so many opportunities for CPAs outside the public accounting realm, retaining existing employees is critical, says Jerry Hawkins, vice president of administration and human resources at Godfrey Hammel Danneels & Co., PC, St. Clair Shores. "Given the tough marketplace, you have twice the job recruiting new employees," he says. "Plus, the price is going up. As a result, a major focus is staff retention."

In addition to examining compensation and benefit levels, firms should review professional opportunities available to employees, suggests Hawkins. "Employees aren't just looking for dollars and benefits. They also want to feel contentment within the firm... to know there's a track to success. They want to enhance their careers."

That enhancement, he says, can come in many forms including support of CPE programs, technology education and flexible work arrangements.

A tuition reimbursement program as part of a benefits package is also an excellent tool, suggests Lori Neiderlehner of BDO Seidman, LLP, Troy. "Paying a percentage of an employee's tuition for an advanced degree benefits the employee and the firm," she says.

Flexibility is Key

Dawn Hanna, immediate past president of the Michigan Chapter of the Association for Accounting Administration, says flexibility will be critical in a firm's ability to compete for candidates.

"Firms must consider how to be flexible in the way they operate - offering telecommuting, part-time positions and flexible hours and reviewing work flow to see if adjustments can be made in operations - are all ways to accommodate people who can achieve the quality of work," says Hanna.

Flexibility is key for retention and recruiting, suggests Hawkins. Recruiting highly qualified candidates at the four- to ten-year experience level is extremely difficult right now with no promise of relief, he says. His firm has successfully utilized part-time shared work arrangements employing people who left the profession because part-time was not previously an option.

"A lot of people have left the profession in the last 10 years - very professional, and highly qualified with excellent experience - who weren't being tapped. We've changed in order to hire them for part-time positions.

"We are teaming people to fill a job. It works great for them because it keeps them linked to their careers," explains Hawkins. "It's a commitment to a different way of getting the job done and still producing quality work."

Muskegon-based Brickley Delong, PC, also utilizes part-time workers as a strategic component of their professional staff, according to Pat Pehrson, firm administrator. In fact, year-round part-timers make it possible for her firm to avoid bringing in outside help during the busy season.

"We have part-time flex employees who will increase their hours during tax season," she explains. "They might change from two days now to three days plus Saturdays during tax season. And some take the summer off to be home with children."

Recruiting College Grads

College-level recruiting is also more challenging.

"Firms are changing the way they do business to be successful recruiting the top college graduates. We have to commit resources within the firm for recruitment, carve out time if you don't have someone on staff dedicated to this function, know the marketplace and how to attract candidates, use word of mouth, get involved in networking," Hawkins advises.

Technology also plays a major role in college recruiting, notes Pehrson. "Students want to see that a firm is current with technology. Newer equipment, updated software and a Web site are incentives."

The experts agree: Hiring highly-qualified CPAs or accounting grads isn't a simple, straightforward process. Flexibility in employment practices and a creative and varied approach to hiring and retention are keys to success.

Retention and Recruitment Tips

Our experts offered these tips to help in retention and recruitment efforts:

* Make employee retention the primary focus to help minimize the more expensive, time-consuming efforts involved in recruiting new employees.

* Consider what you can do to be flexible in how you operate. Thoroughly review work flow to see if adjustments can be made in operations to accommodate people who can achieve the quality of work outside of traditional operations - i.e. telecommuting and part-time positions.

* Understand quality of life issues such as work environment and flexible work options to accommodate employee's personal desires, as well as meet company needs.

* Employees want to see advancement opportunities, to show progression in experience, i.e. increasing responsibilities. They look for challenges.

* Review your benefits package. Also examine your bonus/incentive plan, if one exists. If not, consider creating one.