Resources

Recruitment has a reputation problem. Most people have a story where they felt like a number, a CV was sent without permission, or a conversation suddenly turned pushy the moment money was involved. If that’s been your experience, you’re right to be cautious. But here’s the honest truth about how we’ve built Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions: I’d rather lose a fee...

Counteroffers are one of those moments where leadership gets tested. Handled well, they can save a key person and reset trust. Handled badly, they can create a bigger problem than the resignation itself: pay resentment, a wobble in team confidence, and a culture where people learn they only get valued when they threaten to leave. This guide is a practical,...

In recruitment, both sides can feel like they’re the one with the power, right up until they don’t. The recruiter’s value is making sure neither side overplays their hand. It sounds simple. It rarely is. I’ve been doing this long enough to watch the same dynamic play out repeatedly, across legal sector hiring, accountancy recruitment, and just about every salary...

Why Your Job Ad Isn’t Converting (and the 6 Lines to Fix First) If your job advert is getting views but not the right applications, it’s rarely because “there aren’t any candidates”. Most of the time, the advert is missing clarity in the first few lines. Good candidates skim. They decide in seconds whether a role is worth their time....

Hybrid Working:  What Candidates Mean vs What Firms Hear Hybrid working should be simple. In reality, it’s one of the biggest sources of frustration I see on both sides of the market, because “hybrid” isn’t a standard term. In this guide, I break down what candidates usually mean when they ask for hybrid working, what firms often hear, and how...

Are These Killing Your Ability to Hire? Most hiring issues are not “a candidate problem”. They are process problems. If you are struggling to land the people you actually want, here are three common culprits I see in professional hiring markets (legal and accountancy included). Use these as credible internal conversation starters, not as hard promises externally. 1) Speed wins...

It was Dec 2023 that I decided to make a career move and sat down to think what that would look like. That decision launched my career forward and now I have a business I am excited to work at every day (mainly thanks to my team, clients and candidates). The festive season is upon us, and while most people...

Why Professional Recruitment Isn’t About CV Volume Last week, I encountered a situation that perfectly illustrates the fundamental difference between professional recruitment services and the “spray and pray” approach that’s damaging our industry. The Client Experience That Changed Everything A Yorkshire-based accountancy practice approached H-FTS about filling a senior accounts role. Following our proven recruitment process, I: Their response? “Thanks...

Published by David Hawthorne-Finch | Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions The accountancy recruitment landscape has never been more competitive. With the Big 4 firms wielding massive budgets, prestigious brand names, and structured graduate programmes, you’d think independent accountancy practices wouldn’t stand a chance in attracting top talent. But here’s the thing – I’ve just witnessed something remarkable that completely challenges this assumption....

Let’s talk money.I was working with a brilliant candidate recently, the kind that makes you do a smug little desk dance when they accept the offer. We’d done our due diligence: market mapping, salary research, and real conversations with real firms. We knew the candidate’s salary expectations were in line with the going rate. So, I was a bit surprised...

Hands up if you’ve heard this lately: “We just can’t find good people.” Well… you’re not wrong. The accountancy recruitment crisis is real, and it’s keeping practice managers and partners awake at night from London to Liverpool. If you’ve been trying to hire Audit Seniors, Tax Associates, or even Bookkeepers, you’ll know exactly what I mean. I’m hearing it daily...

It’s been an incredible journey so far for Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions, making waves in the UK Legal Recruitment industry and being nominated for the Independent Business of the Year 2025 at the Yorkshire Choice Awards. But now, there’s even bigger news – we’re expanding into Accountancy Practice Recruitment! To mark this milestone, we sat down with David Hawthorne-Finch, Founder of...