Essential data for finance leaders who can't afford to wait months for critical accounting hires
The accounting talent shortage has created measurable hiring challenges for US businesses. According to SHRM's 2026 benchmarks, nonexecutive positions take a median of 39 calendar days to fill, while more than two-thirds of organizations report difficulties hiring qualified candidates.
For CFOs and Controllers managing lean teams, these delays can affect financial reporting, increase workloads, and divert attention from strategic initiatives. Competition for experienced professionals makes efficient recruitment especially important.
The data highlights the importance of realistic qualification requirements, strong candidate evaluation, and access to experienced accounting professionals. Finance leaders increasingly explore AI-powered talent matching to identify rigorously vetted global professionals while maintaining hiring quality.
Time-to-hire measures the period between a candidate entering the recruitment pipeline and accepting an offer. For accounting roles, this metric helps finance leaders evaluate recruitment efficiency and identify delays.
Broader hiring benchmarks also provide context, although actual timelines vary depending on experience, credentials, compensation, and role complexity.
SHRM's 2026 recruiting benchmarks report a median time-to-fill of 39 calendar days for nonexecutive positions across surveyed organizations.
Although this benchmark covers multiple industries, it offers a reference point for accounting recruitment. Finance leaders can compare their hiring timelines against this measure while accounting for technical assessments, credential requirements, and seniority.
According to SHRM research, more than two-thirds of surveyed organizations reported difficulties hiring for open positions in 2026.
These challenges extend across occupations and industries. For accounting employers, the finding emphasizes the importance of maintaining candidate pipelines, setting realistic compensation expectations, and establishing efficient evaluation processes before vacancies become urgent.
SHRM's 2026 recruiting data shows that the median percentage of nonexecutive positions filled externally reached 97%.
This indicates substantial reliance on external recruitment among surveyed employers. For accounting departments, effective sourcing, candidate screening, and interview coordination remain important when replacing departing employees or recruiting specialized expertise unavailable within existing teams.
Extended vacancies can increase recruitment expenses and place additional responsibilities on existing finance employees.
Beyond direct hiring expenses, organizations must consider workload distribution, employee retention, and the resources required to replace experienced professionals.
SHRM reported a 67% increase in median requisitions per recruiter among extra-large organizations in 2026.
This finding concerns recruitment workload rather than accounting-specific hiring speed. Higher requisition volumes can make structured screening, consistent communication, and timely hiring decisions particularly important for organizations recruiting across multiple finance and accounting positions.
Gallup estimates that replacing professionals in technical roles can cost approximately 80% of salary.
This estimate is not specific to accounting employees, but it illustrates the financial implications of professional turnover. Finance leaders should consider recruitment expenses, lost productivity, training requirements, and employee retention when evaluating the broader costs associated with replacing experienced team members.
Gallup's employee retention research found that 42% of employees who voluntarily left their organizations believed their departure could have been prevented.
This finding highlights the importance of retention alongside recruitment. For accounting teams, regular employee conversations, manageable workloads, professional development, and responsive management can help address concerns before experienced professionals decide to leave.
Understanding these metrics helps finance leaders establish realistic expectations and identify recruitment bottlenecks.
Time-to-fill measures the broader recruitment process, typically from requisition opening to offer acceptance. Time-to-hire focuses on an individual candidate's progression through the hiring process.
Neither metric necessarily includes the period between offer acceptance and the employee's first working day.
Deloitte's 2025 CFO survey found that only 15% of respondents reported no shortage of accountants or other finance talent within their organizations.
The survey covered 200 CFOs at large North American companies. For finance leaders, this finding demonstrates the prevalence of workforce constraints and the importance of proactive recruitment planning.
According to Deloitte's CFO research, 45% of surveyed finance chiefs identified a lack of skilled talent among their biggest workforce challenges in meeting executive expectations.
The finding reflects concerns beyond filling individual vacancies. Finance departments need professionals with suitable technical knowledge, business understanding, and experience to support expanding organizational responsibilities.
Deloitte found that 44% of surveyed CFOs identified increased workloads for existing employees as their leading concern about accounting talent pipeline challenges.
For lean finance teams, unfilled positions can redistribute responsibilities across fewer professionals. Hiring plans should therefore consider employee capacity, operational deadlines, and the sustainability of temporary workload arrangements.
The supply of accounting graduates and continued employer demand shape the competitive environment for qualified professionals.
Entry-level graduates, experienced accountants, and licensed CPAs represent different talent pools. Effective workforce planning requires understanding these distinctions rather than treating every accounting vacancy as interchangeable.
The AICPA's 2025 Trends findings recorded 55,152 bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting during the 2023–2024 academic year.
This figure represents educational output rather than the complete supply of available accounting professionals. Employers seeking experienced candidates must also consider career mobility, specialization, and qualified professionals already working within the accounting workforce.
According to the AICPA's findings, accounting degree completions declined 6.6% during the 2023–2024 academic year.
Lower graduation numbers affect the flow of new professionals entering the accounting workforce. Employers developing long-term hiring strategies should consider graduate recruitment, mentorship, employee development, and broader candidate sourcing to supplement traditional university hiring channels.
The AICPA found that 75% of surveyed firms that hired graduates in 2024 expected to hire the same number or more in 2025.
This finding reflects hiring intentions among responding public accounting firms. It provides context for competition over entry-level candidates and highlights the importance of developing recruitment relationships before specific vacancies arise.
The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report found that 63% of surveyed employers considered skills gaps a major barrier to business transformation through 2030.
This finding covers multiple industries. For accounting employers, it reinforces the importance of evaluating technical expertise, software proficiency, analytical abilities, and adaptability when assessing candidates.
The World Economic Forum estimates that 59% of workers will require training by 2030 to address changing skill requirements.
This global workforce projection highlights the importance of professional development. Accounting organizations should consider how evolving technology, reporting requirements, and analytical responsibilities affect both recruitment criteria and ongoing employee training.
Recruitment efficiency depends on clear job requirements, timely evaluations, and access to appropriately qualified candidates.
For finance leaders, improving these processes can reduce administrative friction without eliminating technical assessments or necessary hiring safeguards.
The World Economic Forum reports that 70% of surveyed employers expect to hire employees with emerging skills by 2030.
This reflects changing workforce requirements across industries. Finance leaders recruiting accountants and analysts should evaluate candidates' ability to work with modern financial systems, analyze data, and adapt to evolving responsibilities.
Deloitte's 2026 CFO findings show that 49% of surveyed finance chiefs identified process automation that frees employees for higher-value responsibilities as their leading finance talent priority.
This underscores the relationship between workforce planning and technology adoption. Organizations should consider how hiring decisions complement automation initiatives and support employees undertaking analytical and strategic responsibilities.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5% employment growth for accountants and auditors between 2025 and 2035.
This exceeds projected average employment growth across occupations. Companies planning finance team expansion should account for increasing workforce demand while maintaining recruitment processes that identify candidates with relevant qualifications and practical accounting experience.
Fast recruitment is valuable when it leads to qualified professionals who can meet organizational expectations.
Technical assessments, credential verification, communication evaluations, and relevant work experience remain important when hiring accountants, financial analysts, and finance leaders.
Deloitte reported that 87% of surveyed CFOs expect AI to be extremely or very important to their finance department's operations in 2026.
This finding highlights the changing technical environment within finance functions. Employers should assess candidates' familiarity with relevant technologies alongside accounting fundamentals, professional judgment, and the ability to work effectively with existing financial systems.
PwC's 2025 workforce survey found that 62% of financial services workers had learned new skills at work during the previous year that were helping their careers.
The finding reflects financial services employees broadly, not accountants exclusively. Finance leaders should consider candidates' ongoing professional development alongside their existing qualifications and experience.
MAVI's five-stage vetting process evaluates candidates through experience screening, technical assessments, communication interviews, and credential verification. Employers can interview shortlisted professionals to assess their suitability for specific accounting responsibilities and existing team structures.
Expanding beyond local talent pools provides access to experienced professionals with different industry backgrounds, compensation expectations, and technical capabilities.
For US finance departments, global recruitment requires careful consideration of accounting standards, communication skills, working-hour overlap, and experience supporting American businesses.
BLS projections anticipate 115,300 annual openings for accountants and auditors from 2025 through 2035.
These openings include employment growth and replacement demand. For finance leaders, the figure demonstrates sustained recruitment activity and reinforces the importance of maintaining candidate pipelines rather than beginning every search after a vacancy appears.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports median annual earnings of $83,680 for accountants and auditors in May 2025.
This national benchmark provides compensation context for recruiting accounting professionals. Actual salaries depend on experience, location, specialization, and responsibilities, making role-specific compensation planning essential when evaluating domestic and international hiring options.
Finance teams can strengthen recruitment by adjusting hiring practices to match each position's responsibilities:
PwC's 2025 workforce research found that 50% of financial services employees believed AI would improve their job security over the following three years.
This reflects expectations across financial services rather than accounting alone. Employers recruiting finance professionals should communicate how technology supports employee responsibilities, professional development, and long-term career opportunities.
Geography affects compensation expectations, candidate availability, and working arrangements.
For US companies considering global finance professionals, relevant factors include working-hour compatibility, employment regulations, communication proficiency, and experience with US accounting practices.
PwC's 2025 global survey found that 51% of non-managerial employees believed they had the resources needed for learning and development, compared with 72% of senior executives.
This difference highlights uneven access to professional development. Finance organizations recruiting internationally should consider structured training and support alongside existing candidate qualifications.
MAVI's global talent platform helps US companies identify experienced finance and accounting professionals across international markets. AI-powered matching and human-led screening support candidate selection based on role requirements, accounting knowledge, professional experience, and technical capabilities.
Accounting recruitment challenges require more than faster interviews. US companies need qualified professionals who can contribute to finance operations while integrating with existing teams and workflows.
MAVI helps companies hire experienced global finance and accounting professionals through AI-powered matching, rigorous vetting, and human expertise.
With MAVI, finance leaders can:
Whether hiring a Senior Accountant, Accounting Manager, or Controller, MAVI helps organizations approach recruitment with greater flexibility and confidence.
Explore vetted finance talent and discover a simpler way to strengthen your accounting team.
There is no single authoritative average covering every accounting position. SHRM's 2026 data reports a median time-to-fill of 39 calendar days for nonexecutive positions across industries. Actual accounting recruitment timelines depend on seniority, credentials, location, compensation, and candidate availability.
Organizations can establish clear role requirements, prepare structured technical assessments, coordinate stakeholder interviews, and evaluate candidates promptly. Expanding searches to rigorously vetted global professionals can also improve access to suitable talent while maintaining appropriate qualification checks.
Time-to-hire measures the period from a candidate entering the hiring process to accepting an offer. Time-to-fill generally starts when a requisition opens and ends at offer acceptance. Tracking both helps finance leaders identify whether delays originate during sourcing, screening, interviews, or hiring decisions.
Global recruitment expands the potential candidate pool and can help employers identify qualified professionals beyond immediate geographic markets. Actual recruitment speed depends on candidate availability, vetting, interviews, employment arrangements, and onboarding requirements. Organizations should prioritize technical qualifications and team compatibility alongside speed.
Common challenges include specialized experience requirements, competition for qualified professionals, compensation expectations, limited candidate availability, and lengthy evaluation processes. Finance leaders can address these issues through structured recruitment, clearer role definitions, proactive workforce planning, and access to broader professional talent networks.
