Industry Trends

Hiring Tips

Survey Results

Salary Data

2015HIRINGROADMAP

+FINANCE ACCOUNTINGTM

Helpful information to guide your staffing plan in the right direction.

SURVEY QUESTION: What key initiatives are you focusing onin 2015?

Mergers & acquisitions: 6.3%

Adding new revenue streams: 25.3%

Restructuring departments due to business needs or talent changes: 21.1%

Performance metrics: 12.6%

New technology conversions or upgrades: 29.5%

Planning for response to compliance changes: 5.3%

When it comes to locating top talent, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Hunter Hamilton is here to help you take a step in the right direction, including this

helpful guide with staffing tips, compensation data, and employment survey results.

A Look at Employment Down the Road

According to the United States Department of Labor Statistics, employment is projected to

increase 10.8%, or 15.6 million, during the 2012-2022 decade. During this time, 50.6

million total job openings are expected. Employment growth has topped 200,000 for most

months in 2014 and is expected to exceed 200,000 a month into 2015.

Among jobs with the highest demand are several finance and accounting positions,

including projected increases of 27% for financial advisors, 16% for financial analysts, and

11.7% for accountants and auditors. With fewer top candidates than jobs, employers need

to use creative recruitment tactics and competitive compensation packages to attract and

retain talent.

Source: http://www.bls.gov/emp/

Hiring is Taking a Turn

According to the latest American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Economic

Outlook Survey, financial executives are optimistic about the US economy. The CPA

Outlook Index, a score that reflects the economic views of AICPA members, has steadily

increased since mid-2013.

The improvement in the economic outlook has bolstered plans for expansion, spending,

and hiring. While more than half of the companies surveyed report that they already have

the right number of employees, 20% plan to hire, up from 15% in early 2014. The hiring

demand places pressure on the supply of talent. In fact, according to respondents of the

survey, availability of skilled workers is one of the top

challenges facing organizations.

Source: http://www.aicpa.org/Interest

Areas/BusinessIndustryAndGovernment/

NewsAndPublications/Downloadable

Documents/3Q_2014_EOS_ES.pdf

SURVEY QUESTION: Based on current workloads, which best describes your current finance and accounting department headcount level?

Adequately staffed: 73.7%

Understaffed: 26.3%

Overstaffed: 0%

Navigating Finance & Accounting Hiring Trends

With advances in technology and a changing economy, finance and accounting hiring

continues to evolve. Here are four of the latest trends that the Hunter Hamilton team is

seeing in the field:

New grads are in demand. While experience has often been valued over

education, it’s becoming difficult to find in this competitive market. Many employers

are now gravitating toward new graduates with relevant internship experience.

Candidates must be technology-savvy. According to Hunter Hamilton’s

Employment Survey, 29% of businesses are planning technology conversions or

upgrades in 2015. With this, candidates need to be comfortable with changing

technology. Employers are looking for candidates with advanced Excel skills and

experience with a large ERP system.

Communication skills are key. Employers are looking for more than number

crunchers. Candidates need to display a proven ability to effectively present

information and help others understand the numbers.

Companies are leaning toward direct-hires. In today’s market, there’s a

greater risk for contract workers to be swayed by an attractive direct-hire offer from

another company. To reduce the likelihood of being short-staffed and incurring

replacement costs, many companies are now favoring direct-hire over

contract-to-hire.

Raises are Steadily Climbing

The average raise in base pay in the US in 2015 is expected to be 3%, up from 2.9% in

2014, 2.8% in 2013 and 2.7% in 2012, according to Mercer’s 2014/2015 US

Compensation Planning Survey. Salary increases for top-performing employees, on the

other hand, are forecasted to be 4.8%. As employers continue to focus on retaining and

engaging high achievers, they are rewarding top performers (roughly 8% of an

organization's workforce) with incentive programs, profit sharing, team bonuses, and

more. While pay is important, companies are also providing rewards beyond

compensation, such as training, flexible hours, compressed work weeks, and

career development.

Source: http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/compensation/Articles/pages/pay-raises-

2015.aspx

SURVEY QUESTION: What is your 2015 hiring plan to meet your current finance and accounting workloads?

Hire additional permanent staff: 18.9%

Status quo: 74.7%

Eliminate staff: 1%

Utilize consultants, contractors or temporaries: 5%

SURVEY QUESTION: In which area do you anticipate the highest demand for finance and accounting professionals in the next two years?

Leadership roles: 14.7%

Financial analysis: 27.4%

Budgeting: 0%

General ledger: 13.7%

Internal audit: 5.3%

Tax: 5.3%

Treasury: 1.1%

Cost accounting: 8.4%

Credit: 3.2%

Accounts payable: 6.3%

Accounts receivable: 11.6%

Payroll: 3.2%

More ahead

Succession Plans: Paving the Way for Tomorrow’s Leaders

Talent management and succession planning is a top trend impacting the future of

accounting firms, according to an accounting firm preparedness survey conducted by

Wolters Kluwer, CCH, a tax, accounting, and audit service provider. Within the report, it’s

noted that more than 60% of equity partners in US public accounting firms are over the

age of 50, and 75% of the membership of the American Institute of CPAs will be eligible to

retire by the year 2020. This translates into a significant talent void.

The best way that firms can prepare for the loss is by developing future leaders: create a

mentoring program, include young associates in important meetings, and plan strategic

career paths with your team. In other words, help your talent get to a place in their career

that they could not achieve on their own. This will also improve retention, as top talent are

more likely to stay at a firm with an active succession plan.

Source: http://www.cchgroup.com/PreparednessSurvey

Take Your Hiring in a New Direction

When you need finance and accounting talent, Hunter Hamilton will help you get from

point A to point B.

No shortcuts here. To create a custom hiring strategy, we take time to

consult with you and ask the right questions to

learn about your business. We then locate the

right talent for you, every time – true professionals

who are pre-screened and thoroughly qualified.

You know where you want to go.

Let Hunter Hamilton help you get there.

LEADING THE WAY: HUNTER HAMILTON’S TOP JOBSWhat’s trending for 2015? Here are the top jobs that our hiring experts are seeing in the field:

Ø Accounts Payable (management and associate levels)

Ø Accountant

Ø Accounting Manager

Ø Controller

Ø Cost Accountant

Ø Credit

Ø Financial Analyst

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