Accountancy Practice Market Report, March 2021

How busy is the jobs market in Public Practice?

Here is the March market report for Public Practice…

If there’s an area of the jobs market that has remained buoyant and consistent in terms of opportunities then it will come as no surprise that it’s within the Public Practice arena.

Whether leading national firms, regional powerhouses or small independents, all seem to have an eye on meeting with and introducing new talent to their ranks.

Just this week, a candidate who had initially turned down an offer received a call from the firm’s Regional Managing Partner to allay any reservations, which resulted in the offer being finally accepted. Just as in this case, we are always pleased to assist and guide you through the interview process.

In the past quarter we’ve managed to assist several candidates in making their first commercial move, but it is still tough to transition due to the saturated candidate market on the industry side. If you are looking for change of employer, it might happen sooner if you seek new challenges within the Public Practice sector.

Harvey John’s Principal Consultant, Claire Jones, agrees with this assessment. She says, “The Public Practice market continues to be extremely buoyant, with vacancies across all sizes of firms, specialisms and at all levels, but mainly qualified and upwards.”

“There is, as always, a shortage of quality candidates on the market, but people are moving jobs, and seem much less cautious than they were during the first lockdown last year.”

Ready to return?

Many firms are currently making preparations to re-open their offices in readiness for the easing of the lockdown, but there have been several surveys that suggest not everyone wishes to return.

Claire comments, “One of the main drivers for people who are seeking new roles seems to be flexibility – I have had numerous candidates say that they are worried that their current employer will want them back in the office full time later in the year and they are reluctant to return to full time office working.”

If your current firm is opting for a working policy which you are not comfortable with, then we’ll be happy to discuss the alternatives out there.

Don’t wait for a job advert

If you are currently looking for a new role, please don’t just wait for the right vacancy to be advertised before reaching out to either myself, Claire or Stephanie.

Many of our clients will meet with candidates experienced in one of their service lines, whether it is General Practice, Audit, Corporate Finance, Payroll or Outsourcing.

We are confident of helping you secure a new opportunity. In most cases, unlike in the commercial sector, you will most likely have a choice of several firms competing for your signature.

We’re happy to schedule a call to discuss any element of your job search.

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