How Can the Accountancy Industry Address Diversity?
12 Nov, 2024
How to Write a Job Description That Will Effortlessly Attract Amazing Accountants
11 Nov, 20241-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- How to write a job description that will attract exceptional Accountants.
- 7 things to include in an accountancy job description.
- The skills and requirements of an Accountant job.
- Discover more about the accountancy recruitment services we offer.
Creating concise and convincing job descriptions is crucial to be able to attract the best Accountants to your practice or business. Job descriptions must be clear and specific to avoid mis-hires or wasting time, and ensure your organisation recruits the best accountancy talent.
If you’re wondering why Accountants aren’t joining your practice, it could be that your job description isn’t standing out and selling the role. This guide provides valuable advice, industry expertise, and resources to help you create an attractive and effective job description that will attract the best applicants.
From strategic formatting and careful consideration, you can ensure your job description stands out in the industry and attract talented applicants.
How to write a job description that will effortlessly attract amazing Accountants
Whether it's Accountants, Bookkeepers, Audit Managers or Audit Seniors, no matter what job you are writing a job description for, it is important to consider what it is you expect from applicants.
The common structure of a job advert consists of the job title and description, salary, location, working conditions and the benefits on offer. There is a lot of important information to include in the actual job description to inform candidates about what the position entails and entice the candidates that you really want.
7 things to include in an accountancy job description
7 things to include in an accountancy job description:
- Be clear in the job brief.
- Identify key responsibilities.
- Specify the skills required.
- Emphasise the need for experience and qualifications.
- Sell your practice.
- Set expectations.
- Be diverse and inclusive.
Be clear in the job brief
In your job brief, describe what kind of Accountant your practice requires and what it is you’re looking for. Consider the attributes and skills you are looking for, and list the requirements of the role. This will help potential applicants to understand if they have the skills and experience to do the job well.
Your job description should be concise, clear and informative, to inform candidates about the standards and regulations of the role in order to be successful.
Identify key responsibilities
Within the job description, it is crucial that candidates are aware of details and requirements of the role.
Typically, only include the top three to five relevant duties that the Accountant will perform in the role and keep it brief. Provide examples of successes, or actual projects that the new hire might need to complete. Less is more, as too many bullet points could put off applicants if the list of responsibilities seems intimidating or too difficult.
You could also include information about the team which they will be joining and depending on the seniority of the role, who they will be managing or responsible for.
Specify the skills required
Candidates are expected to have the basic skills of an Accountant but also some more technical or analytical skills in order to excel in the role. In the description, you may include some must-have skills that you require for the role, but also some 'nice-to-have but not essential skills’ that would give others an edge or advantage.
Must-have Accountant skills
Must have Accountant skills which you might be looking for include:
- High level of integrity and ethics.
- Proficiency in accounting software and tools.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Proficiency in accounting software and tools.
- Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
- Time management skills especially during tax seasons.
- Understanding of business operations and financial strategies.
Nice-to-have but not essential Accountant skills
Nice-to-have but not essential Accountant skills which you might be looking for include:
- Effective communication and interpersonal abilities.
- The ability to listen and empathise.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- The ability to gain trust and build a relationship.
- An adaptable mind with an enthusiasm for continuous learning.
Emphasise the need for experience or qualifications
For an Accountant role, it's important to highlight which qualifications and what experience is required in the job description. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in accounting and experience in the business to bring valuable knowledge and expertise to the role.
Non-negotiable experience includes at least a Bachelor's degree or equivalent which could be an Accountancy qualification such as ACCA, CGMA or CIA. It’s also important to mention in the job description the importance of having experience in the industry which usually comes with an Accountancy degree, equivalent qualification or apprenticeship.
In the job description, it could be worth including some examples of nice-to-have experience such as further accreditations, extracurricular experience or further education.
Including both essential and non-essential experience on the job description presents more opportunities to attract amazing candidates and if your practice offers training opportunities for career progression, this section of the job advert would be a great place to add those details.
Your willingness to support candidates in their career development is a desirable quality and will help you to attract amazing Accountants.
Sell your practice
It is crucial that practices are able to sell themselves to potential candidates and present the role in the best possible way.
Think about your organisation's unique selling point and why candidates should choose to work for your practice over your competitors. Your practice's unique selling point could be that you offer flexible hours, have a fun company culture or that you provide great perks and benefits.
According to TotalJobs, 82% of employees want their employer to address climate change and are looking for sustainable practices. 33% would even leave their jobs to pursue a career with a greater ‘purpose.’ Therefore it is important to be able to sell your practice and consider what it is candidates want and how you can incorporate this into your organisation.
This is your opportunity to provide insight into your company and use your unique selling point to attract high quality job applications over your competition.
You could also include links to your website or social media channels which give a stronger insight into your practice and what it would be like to work for you.
Set expectations
Once you have successfully sold your practice, it is crucial to include what it is you expect in return. Practices should include what kind of team member they hope to find as it is important that they share the same values as the applicants.
Explain who you want to hire, not just considering the specific requirements, but someone who shares the same work ethos, fits in with the company culture and contributes to the business.
Good phrases to use include in your job description include:
- You are excited by…
- You see yourself as…
- You want to learn…
Be diverse and inclusive
It’s not just about attracting amazing Accountants, these efforts are meaningless if you can’t attract diverse candidates. Ensure that your practice is diverse by using inclusive language in job descriptions and removing any words or phrases that could indicate bias.
It's important to mitigate bias and that may give you a more diverse pool of candidates for your practice. You want to encourage more people to apply and remove any signs of discrimination or language that is gender-coded or racial bias.
More diversity among applicants gives your practice more opportunities to hire a diverse team and attract amazing Accountants.
Struggling to recruit Accountants?
As specialist accountancy recruiters, we support practices nationwide with their permanent recruitment needs.
If you’re struggling to find ACCA, ACA or CIMA qualified Accountants, why not get in touch with Management Consultant Lauren Bailey on 01772 954200 to see how we can help?
Searching for an Accountant job?
If you’re searching for your next Accountant job, why not take a look at all the vacancies currently available at Spencer Clarke Group? We work with some of the most prestigious accountancy practices across the UK, offering positions with desirable work-life balances and market leading salaries & benefits.
Simply upload your CV or contact our accountancy specialist, Lauren Bailey, to discuss upcoming opportunities.
Struggling to write your CV? Check out our six powerful tips on how to write an accounting CV!
Meet Lauren Bailey
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Formed in 2017, we’re a forward thinking recruitment agency that is constantly rethinking and innovating the recruitment industry. By challenging convention, prioritising mental health and remodelling employee engagement, we are constantly evolving.
We are passionate about matching candidates and clients, and finding roles that have the ability to not only boost candidates salary, but also value their standard of living and prioritise their work life balance.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
