Handling Staffing Challenges

The Hidden 78%: Why Qualified Accountants Never See Your Job Postings

4 min read

Mar 15, 2025 10:05:06 AM

If you run a small or mid-sized accounting firm, you’ve likely tried posting job openings online only to end up buried in a stack of unsuitable resumes. In a recent episode of the “Who’s Really the BOSS?” podcast, hosts Rachel and Marcus Dillon shared this exact struggle. They run an accounting firm and tried everything from LinkedIn to personal outreach, with limited success. Their question echoed many firm owners’ concerns: “Do the experienced accounting candidates we need even exist?”

Meeting John Randolph of Benaiah Consulting Group

Rachel and Marcus spoke to John Randolph, owner of Benaiah Consulting Group. John’s firm focuses exclusively on helping locally owned CPA and advisory firms find qualified talent.

During the conversation, John explained that qualified accountants do exist. But in surveys he conducted, around 78% of potential candidates said they would not respond to a job posting from a CPA firm—even if they were considering a move. This means if ten people are right for your role, only two or three will ever think about sending a resume.

Some of this reluctance comes from public accounting’s reputation for long hours and poor work-life balance, especially among mid-career professionals. When these accountants see firm owners pleading for help on LinkedIn, many ignore it, assuming nothing will change and a new job will be just as demanding.

Personalized Outreach and Quick Action Make the Difference

So how can you find these hidden accountants? John’s team sends up to 300 personalized messages daily to individuals with the right experience for small to mid-sized public accounting roles. His recruiters dig deeper when a candidate says, “I hate public accounting,” asking them what keeps them in the profession at all. Often, people enjoy the variety, complex problem-solving, and direct impact on small business owners’ lives—they just hate the parts that make them feel overworked and undervalued.

“Recruiting is about building relationships, not waiting for random applications,” John said.

If someone puts together a resume, they often send it out to multiple recruiters, gather several offers in a matter of days, and choose the best option. Firms that move slowly or fail to communicate quickly lose great candidates to competitors.

What Accounting Professionals Really Want

Although compensation matters, John shared that it’s rarely the top concern. Accountants are more likely to switch jobs for: work/life balance, meaningful work, respect, autonomy, and clarity on growth opportunities.

Firms that offer these benefits attract more interest than those offering higher salaries but heavy workloads. As John cautions candidates who are fielding multiple offers, “If you’re being paid a premium, they’ll make you earn every dime.”

Timeframes for Remote, Hybrid, and In-Office Roles

John’s placement data shows how work setup affects hiring speed:

Fully Remote: 30–45 days to hire
Hybrid (scheduled days on-site): 45–90 days
Fully In-Office: 7.5–8 months

Most experienced accountants seek remote or flexible options. If your role demands full-time office presence, be prepared for a longer search.

Typical Compensation Ranges

John also shared some approximate salary ranges he sees in today’s market for small to mid-sized CPA firms:

Staff Accountant/Bookkeeper: $45k–$75k
Tax or Client Accounting Manager: $90k–$160k
Senior Manager/Director: Starts around $130k–$140k and can go higher

Of course, location, firm size, and complexity of work affect exact numbers. Still, these ranges help firm owners gauge whether their offers are competitive.

How to Keep Your Team from Leaving

Beyond finding new hires, most firm owners worry about losing the good people they already have. According to John, honest communication is the best defense. People rarely quit over one bad day or a single missed raise; they leave because of ongoing frustrations about workload, lack of recognition, or stalled career paths.

John suggests clearly outlining an employee’s future. Discuss promotions, salary timelines, and how the firm will support work-life balance. This transparency builds trust and makes your employees less likely to take a recruiter’s call.

A Faster, Smoother Hiring Process

When the Dillons realized their LinkedIn search wasn’t working, they engaged John and soon found a qualified person for their client controller position. Even with months of frustration already behind them, they hired through Benaiah Consulting Group in a fraction of the time it would have taken alone. The key, Rachel said, was John’s personalized coaching for both the firm and the candidate, plus the firm’s commitment to move quickly when they found the right fit.

Despite what you might hear, there is no massive shortage of qualified accountants. Instead, most good people aren’t paying attention to standard job postings. Recruiting them takes genuine relationship-building, respect for what they value—like work-life balance and flexible schedules—and swift, transparent communication once they show interest.

To hear the full conversation, including more insights from Rachel, Marcus, and John, check out Season 4, Episode 4 of “Who’s Really the BOSS?” For more resources on building a better accounting firm, visit Collective by DBA or Benaiah Consulting Group.

Rachel and Marcus Dillon

Rachel and Marcus Dillon, CPA, own a Texas-based, remote client accounting and advisory services firm, Dillon Business Advisors, with a team of 15 professionals. Their latest organization, Collective by DBA , supports and guides accounting firm owners and leaders with firm resources, education, and operational strategy through community, groups, and one-on-one advisory

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The Hidden 78%: Why Qualified Accountants Never See Your Job Postings

Meeting John Randolph of Benaiah Consulting Group

Personalized Outreach and Quick Action Make the Difference

What Accounting Professionals Really Want

Timeframes for Remote, Hybrid, and In-Office Roles

Typical Compensation Ranges

How to Keep Your Team from Leaving

A Faster, Smoother Hiring Process

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