If you need to hire high quality tax staff in the New Year, then you may well benefit from using a specialist recruitment agency
The tax industry
The focus on taxation has increased over 2012, as the government’s tax policy discussions; big business tax evasion schemes; and HMRC’s new task-forces, designed to discover tax evasion and avoidance; all hit the national headlines. As a result of this, taxation is now on many individuals’ and businesses’ minds and good taxation professionals are in high demand for their services.
This is great for the professionals working in the industry, but it can mean that it’s hard for businesses to secure quality staff and talent for their organisation in a highly competitive environment.
Recruitment – the reality
Recruitment isn’t only an expensive process – it’s a time-consuming and complex process requiring good legal knowledge, an understanding of recruitment and selection best practices and the ability to attract and select the right candidate for your organisation into the role you are advertising. These activities can take up a lot of management time and divert that resource away from other core business activities. For this reason, it’s well worth considering a tax recruitment agency to help you find the staff member you need.
Why an agency?
Specialist recruitment agencies really know the industry for which they are recruiting. When it comes to taxation, many of the recruitment consultants will be former taxation professionals themselves. This gives them the edge when it comes to understanding the role on offer and finding the right person to fill it. They will know the language, qualifications and demands of the tax role and have the contacts and network needed to seek out the right candidate.
You can commission a recruiter to find a staff member for you as a one off job, or hire them on a retained partnership basis, if your recruitment needs are large and diverse. This can be a very successful approach for larger businesses who can build up a successful partnership arrangement with a key recruitment agency.
Finding the right agency
The success of the recruitment relationship will be strongly dictated by the account manager who works on the client’s account. This person will be the day to day contact and liaison and will need to have strong rapport and an excellent working relationship with the main client contact. Look for a well-respected and known recruitment agency, ideally with recommendations made to you by people who have previously used their service and seek out signs of business accreditation and quality marques. Check that you have the necessary rapport with the account manager and that they really ‘know their stuff’ rather than overtly selling to you.
Sarah Reed is a careers adviser and relies on the service of pro-tax.co.uk to inform her of any upcoming jobs in the tax industry.
