At Spoor Bunch Franz, we focus on growing our team organically over time, and because our services are in high demand, we are always hiring and looking for interns. As part of my role as SBF’s Chief People Officer, I recently participated in a FICPA panel focused on recruitment at the Accounting Educator Summit, and it inspired me to reflect on our hiring process in general.
I thought it would be helpful to share some thoughts as we continue to gear up for the 2022 busy season. If you know someone who would be a great fit at SBF, I encourage you to share this post with them.
What traits does someone need to succeed at SBF?
Many things have changed in the 50 years we’ve been in business, but there’s still a lot that hasn’t changed. One thing that hasn’t changed is our approach to recruiting: We have always focused on hiring people who share our passion for client service, our commitment to working hard, and our essential values.
What skills are necessary for success?
Technical skills can be taught and are secondary in determining how successful a new team member will be. The more intangible, soft skills – engaging with the team, communicating well with co-workers and clients, being self-motivated, responding well to feedback – these are harder to teach and cause more issues in the workplace when they’re lacking. The candidates who really stand out are those who clearly possess these soft skills.
What makes a good interview?
Authenticity is something I like to see come through in our initial conversations with candidates. I am trying to get a feel for how someone communicates, how they approach challenges, and how they would fit in with our culture. It’s in our interest to hire people who can fit in with the culture of our office, but it’s also in the candidate’s interest, as those who work well with others in our environment will be the most successful.
What mistakes do people make when interviewing for jobs at SBF?
Candidates should be prepared to talk about themselves authentically. I have seen many who don’t know what to say and are too brief, and then the interviewer feels they have to drag information out of them. But I’ve also seen candidates go into every detail of their life and experience and then the interviewer doesn’t have time to ask other important questions.
Another area where I’ve seen people get into trouble is when they’re asked to discuss a challenge they’ve faced or a mistake they’ve made. Sometimes, either they disclose too much, talk negatively about a prior employer, or dodge the question. My advice here is to talk about something real that happened but focus on the measures that were taken to overcome the challenge, make amends, and learn from what happened. And if discussing a mistake that was made, make sure to add what you’ve done to avoid letting it happen again.
How do we prepare new staff for career success?
When each new staff person starts, they are connected with a coach, a more experienced team member who is responsible for showing them the ropes. We set up regular check-ins to ensure that new team members feel they are being onboarded effectively and set up for success at SBF. We have a new personal development plan program to support each person in their individualized career goals. After 6 months, each team member chooses a mentor at the firm to provide career-related guidance.
How can educators prepare students to succeed at a firm like SBF?
The more prepared interns and entry-level staff are, the better. This helps alleviate the stress on our existing team members during the training process. To me, this means not only having a strong understanding of accounting theory and concepts, but also having a strong understanding of real-life applications. When professors have students do real tax returns, real audits, and real general ledger work, their students are better prepared to be successful at firms like ours.