Question of the Week: Is Good Help Really That Hard to Find?

Those of you, who know me, know that it’s a rare occurrence when I find myself completely flat footed and unable to answer a question posed to me. At the very least, I’ll stall with a quasi-response until I can regroup and become better informed.

But in full disclosure I found myself in that exact position earlier this week when a client of mine – who was in the throes of an unsuccessful search to hire a tax manager – asked me why so many recent college graduates and even those with 3-5 years in the profession prefer to remain with the large firms - those residing on the super-regional and Big Four tiers- rather than opt for a position with a middle market practice?

Um, I don’t know I responded.

He then proceeded to recite a litany of advantages of onboarding with a downsized potential employer – i.e. greater client contact, more complex work more quickly and perhaps the ultimate brass ring – a far more accelerated path to partnership.

“Do you think these kids at a Big Four firm even see a client for at least two years?” he asked. I didn’t know whether that was rhetorical or he wanted an actual answer. So for one of the few times in my adult life I remained silent and let him carry on, or perhaps more accurately, rant on.

He continued: “They’re probably working 2,600 hours over there. Here they would work 2,300 at the max. And again they would have a quick path to partnership provided they have the necessary skill set.”

I’m not a CPA but even I was tempted to sign on the dotted line. The owner revealed to me that he has since retained a national executive recruiter to help in his quest to land a good candidate.

So afterwards I thought about it.

I’m sure some of the appeal of the Big Four and the firms just below that is visibility – whether on ad posters or their omnipresence on college campuses during recruiting season. Maybe the young professionals sense a greater degree of stability with a global auditor than having to worry about their next paycheck.

Whatever the reason, I assured him he was not alone in his predicament. He has a lot of brethren in the profession in a similar situation.

“Is good help really that hard to find.”

“Yes,” I told him. And this time I answered without hesitation.