Industry Insights

Checking references can be time-consuming but it is a vital part of the hiring process. It verifies the information provided by the candidate on their CV, during the interview, and as part of the testing and assessment process. It also allows for any red flags & concerns to be debunked or confirmed.

The blog discusses whether, in the age of AI, accounting students still need to learn traditional fundamentals like debits and credits, or if education should focus more on practical tools like QuickBooks, Xero, and AI-powered analytics.

While testing is commonly used in the hiring process to improve decision-making, many employers fail to use the valuable insights gained from these assessments after the hire. The blog urges companies to keep using the data for onboarding, personal development, and long-term growth.

Maintaining a robust selection process with choosy candidates in a labour shortage is just another day in the challenges of management. Here’s a guide for landing great selection decisions in a tough job market.

Hiring globally brings valuable diversity but adds complexity, especially when assessing cognitive ability in candidates who speak English as a second language (ESL). Accountests has developed a Bookkeeper and Admin Ability (Cognitive Test) Suite that is accessible and insightful across language backgrounds.

This blog reflects insights gathered from webinars and workshops with aspiring partners, Managing Partners, and HR teams. It identifies six key personality-related obstacles that commonly hinder accountants' progression toward partnership and offers guidance on how to address them.

When reviewing resumes (CVs), hiring managers may overlook the growing influence of AI. Job seekers are increasingly using AI tools to tailor their resumes to specific job ads—often by uploading both the job description and their own CV to platforms like ChatGPT for optimization suggestions. This raises concerns about authenticity, especially when 70% of candidates already admit to lying on resumes.

The blog concludes that employers should focus less on credentials and more on testing actual skills and job readiness, using assessments to make fairer, data-driven hiring decisions. In today’s job market, capability outweighs academic qualifications.

The blog critiques the widespread admiration of grit—commonly portrayed on LinkedIn and in self-help circles as the ultimate key to personal and professional success. While grit is often desired by employers and managers, especially during hiring and development discussions, the post urges a more balanced view by uncovering its hidden downsides.

The blog emphasizes that customer questions often reflect wider concerns—many people share the same questions. This week’s focus was on a client who had experienced a failed hire for a remote tax senior position and wanted to avoid repeating that mistake.

The blog highlights the growing challenge of talent churn in accounting firms and emphasizes the urgency of addressing it. At Accountests, the team is collaborating with the Accounting MOVE Project, the Center for Accounting Transformation, and CPA Trendlines to support a study that aims to provide accounting firms with insights on how to reduce turnover and foster better workplace cultures.

Restructures often carry negative connotations—job cuts, uncertainty, and a demoralized workforce. However, a staff-centered approach can transform this process into a positive one, improving engagement, reducing turnover, and increasing ROI.