Recruitment Realities: Spotting Red Flags in Accounting Resumes (some are obvious)

Every business leader understands the intricacy of piecing together a successful finance team. It's not just about creating a top-tier financial strategy or nailing that major investment deal. An equally important element is assembling your financial dream team, particularly when considering senior accounting roles.

In the modern business setting, this isn't just a setback; it could potentially ruin your entire operation. The cost of hiring for such elite roles is far from being minor. According to the SHRM Talent Acquisition Benchmarking Report, the average cost for hiring an executive can be around $14,936. In certain situations, it might spiral to more than double the candidate's salary, once you account for expenses like talent acquisition agencies, job advertisements, travel, relocation, and even HR administrative costs.

The silent losses, which aren't easily measurable, are another story altogether. Reflect on the hours dedicated to interviews, orientation, onboarding, and training, all to realize you need to restart the process. It's a risk no business leader wants to take.

Ensuring that a candidate's accounting credentials are not just valid but also align with the role’s demands is a step that calls for diligent attention. So, how can you sidestep the trap of recruiting a dishonest candidate for your senior accounting roles? Continue reading to learn the potential warning signs that could save you a significant amount of time, money, and frustration.

Messy resume

When a resume graces your desk that seems more like a mystery rather than a clear, well-structured professional summary, it can say a lot about the applicant's mindset. First off, it gives a glimpse into a potential lack of meticulousness; they didn't put in the effort to showcase themselves appropriately. This sounds alarm bells for anyone hiring, specifically for senior accounting roles where precision is required.

On top of this, attempting to get related facts from an untidy resume feels like navigating through a jungle. A study by The Ladders shows that a resume typically gets a once-over for about 6 seconds. Thus, a hiring manager wouldn't want to spend time trying to understand a confusingly structured resume. Their task isn't to make sense of a muddled accounting resume, but to pinpoint the right individual for the role.

Spotting the drifter

Picture this: a candidate breezes through the interview, lands the job, but then abruptly resigns after just a few months on the job – this person is what we call a 'drifter.' And this might not be their first rodeo. As a leader, you may wonder, could you have prevented this? In many cases, the answer is 'yes.'?

Take a magnifying glass to the prospective accounting applicant's employment history and tenure at each position. If you see a pattern of frequent job changes, say multiple swaps within a six-month interval, you might just be looking at a drifter. These individuals are often hard to satisfy, show little interest in personal growth or achieving results, yet they still have a hefty paycheck on their wishlist, prompting their next impromptu departure. Recognizing such a pattern early in the recruitment process can save you from hiring a candidate whose commitment could be as fleeting as their tenure. A hire like this could result in lost time, resources, and, ultimately, negatively impact the overall harmony of your finance team.

Inappropriate email address

Your inbox pings – another resume for the senior accounting role has landed. A resume should be a prospect's golden ticket, showcasing their standout qualities, high value, reliability, appealing competencies, and giving an overall impression of a serious future candidate. But instead, you spot an email address that reads something like [email protected] or [email protected] . Would you want to take a bet on them progressing to the interview stage?

Time is of the essence for leaders sifting through stacks of resumes, but offbeat email addresses ought to leap out. If a candidate couldn’t gather the effort to craft a professional-sounding email account for their job hunt, it questions their overall professionalism, regardless of what their resume might suggest.

Numerous typos

You might think, in the age of advanced grammar and spellcheck tools, a perfectly written resume would be a natural expectation. Yet, you'd be surprised at how often finance recruiters stumble upon resumes for senior accounting roles with obvious typing and spelling errors.

A candidate's resume is their first ammunition; it’s their chance to impress. Although hiring managers might let a single, isolated typo slide, seeing multiple mistakes can trigger alarm bells. In finance where precision is critical, such errors could hint at a reasonable lack of care and diligence – qualities that are non-negotiable for senior accounting roles.

However, it's not quite fair to disqualify a promising candidate based solely on a few typos. Should they progress to the interview stage, assessing their attention to detail becomes important. Through a series of tailored questions, one can measure their thoroughness.

Foggy objectives

Every role comes with its unique set of demands, so employing a cookie-cutter resume just won't cut it when trying to pique the interest of high-level employers. Leaders are on the hunt for precise skills, qualifications, and achievements relevant to the open position. This calls for a resume that's as crisp and pointed as an arrow. That's the only ticket to determining whether a candidate's attributes are a match for the role on offer. Without this clarity, they're not a seasoned professional, rather more similar to a "handyman."

Taking into account that a candidate is eyeing a specific senior accounting position, it follows that their resume should be a mirror reflecting this intent. To put it plainly, it should broadcast their abilities, why they would be an asset to the company as both a specialist and team player, and how this links with the business's goals.?

Missing accomplishments

You know, a resume, especially when we talk about senior accounting roles, needs to do more than just list past job titles and duties. It should be telling a clear story of success, kind of like a ledger showing a business in the black, not the red. Specific actions taken, and big wins scored, all backed by hard numbers – that's what we want to see.

Let's say our candidate previously led an accounting team. They should be able to handle these questions without breaking a sweat:

• How did you go about building and running your accounting team?
• Did your team have a good track record with meeting financial deadlines?
• Did your team hit the financial goals under your watch?
• Can you give an example of how you made the financial processes better in your department?
• Ever cracked a serious financial problem that made you feel like a super accountant?

If you're going through a resume for a top-tier accounting role, and you find it clearly empty of these accomplishments, you might want to hit the pause button before pushing them onto the next round.

Unclear career gaps

It's common for top-tier candidates to hit pause on their careers for a number of valid reasons – travel, further education, or simply recharging their batteries with some quality family time. So, a resume with some blank spaces isn't an automatic cause for concern.

However, things get a bit tricky when we're talking about senior accounting roles. If you see an unexplained hiatus, it may leave you scratching your head. Your mind may start to wander around wild fantasies: "Did they take a year-long siesta? Encounter legal troubles or dabble in some under-the-table business? I smell something fishy!" It becomes the recruiter's job, especially those specializing in accounting roles, to learn the truth behind these career intermissions. If they don't, it might be time to consider finding a recruiter who upholds their responsibilities.

Here's a tip for jobseekers: be upfront about any career gaps. By being open and honest, you eliminate the risk of being misunderstood and keep the focus on your qualifications and skills.

Inappropriate presentation

Sometimes resumes for senior accounting roles can be a bit off. You might spot some boasting, too many unrelated achievements, or maybe extra pages. Even photos or first-person writing could be there, turning the professional tool into an awkward read.

Sorting through these resumes might take a bit longer, but don't toss them aside just yet! Their actual skills and achievements could still be in there, hidden behind the not-so-great presentation. Maybe they've got the right qualifications, but they just don't know how to put together a professional resume.

If a candidate seems promising despite the sloppy resume, why not give them a chance? A chat on the phone or an interview can help you figure out if the less-than-perfect resume is a minor hiccup or a red flag.

Unproven claims

References form a major part of a candidate's credentials. In an ideal world, those applying for senior accounting roles should list referees who can vouch for their current professional demeanor, regardless of whether those contacts are from their current workplace.

According to a startling CareerBuilder report, about 75% of executives have spotted knowingly falsehoods on resumes. So, if an applicant's references bear no relevance to the accounting role they're vying for, or they've had minimal direct interaction with them, that's a sirens-blaring kind of warning.?

Sadly, many hiring managers end up overlooking these red flags due to the urgency of filling the vacancy or being fascinated by the candidate's supposed qualifications. But this could lead to disastrous outcomes. Therefore, it is really necessary for hiring managers to conduct due diligence by verifying these references. This kind of demanding screening can help spot warning signs and protect the organization from making costly hiring mistakes.

Lengthy resume

Have you ever found yourself flipping through an astonishingly long resume, wondering if the end is in sight? An overly lengthy resume may serve as a significant warning sign. While it's essential for senior accounting applicants to present a comprehensive overview of their skills and accomplishments, resumes extending far beyond the standard two-page limit may indicate a candidate's struggle in effectively condensing and prioritizing information.

In senior accounting roles, the ability to convey information concisely and precisely is of high importance. A resume is a candidate's first chance to demonstrate this skill. As such, a lengthy resume might raise concerns about a candidate's ability to perform essential tasks in an efficient manner. Can they deliver brief financial reports, or will every communication be a lengthy novel? It’s worth considering if you wish to avoid potential communication issues in the future. While reviewing resumes for senior accounting roles, always remember - length isn't everything. It's the ability to present pertinent information in a concise, effective manner that truly counts.

Inspecting the digital footprint

In the contemporary hiring scene, many organizations take an extra step by peeking into the digital lives of potential employees, even before they set foot in the interview room. Steer clear of applicants who exhibit a combative online persona or a penchant for posting derogatory comments or reactions to others. It's a must to measure if a candidate's code is in harmony with the company's culture and values.

On the flip side, a candidate's digital footprint can reveal appealing aspects of their character. For instance, their knack for innovative thinking, a flare of wit, or outstanding social skills. In the case of aspiring leaders in accounting or those eyeing client-centric roles, their online behavior could be insightful. How they engage with their online circles can offer a transparent window into their communication style, which could be a significant attribute to consider.

Statistics indicate that all these red flags may be identified in a resume within 30 seconds. Allocate this time to reviewing resumes prior to an invitation to an interview, and you will save much more effort – both yours and the applicant’s one.

Curious about how to spot potential pitfalls, personal bias, or concealed warning signs in an accounting candidate's resume? At Frederick Fox, we provide invaluable insights on the strategies employed by seasoned leaders to swiftly and safely secure their ideal candidates. Call us today, and don't leave it to chance. It's time to take the first step towards effective hiring!