Resources

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...

Offer drop-outs are one of the most frustrating parts of hiring. You do the hard work, you find someone good, everyone agrees they’re the right fit and then it wobbles at the last moment. The good news: most drop-outs aren’t random. They’re usually the result of avoidable gaps in process, communication, or expectations. Here’s a practical guide UK firms can...

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...

Accounts Roles Salary Bands in Accountancy Practice (London vs UK-Wide) Hiring or job-hunting in practice can feel messy because “accounts” titles aren’t always consistent between firms. Below is a clear, practical guide to typical salary bands for core accounts roles in accountancy practice, split into London and UK-wide (outside London). These figures are designed to be a helpful benchmark, not...

Why tailoring your CV matters (and why good candidates get ignored) If you’re applying for roles and not getting traction, there’s a good chance it’s not your experience. It’s how your experience is being presented. We recently advertised for a Recruitment Consultant role and received 109 applications. A few people told us in messages or cover notes that they had...

Personal Branding – Forget the Noise (David Did It!) Starting the year off with a topic that’s a bit left-field for me: personal branding. Yes, it’s a little “me, me, me” (what do you expect from someone who named his blog and business after himself? 😂). But stick with me, because this one’s for anyone navigating legal, accountancy, or recruitment...

I get asked a lot by clients about their offer, how does it stand out against the market. A lot of the time people are still trying to pitch a standard benefit such as Pension (and I mean standard pension not enhanced pension) as a lucrative benefit. Thankfully we have seen less fruit baskets and team pizza days in the...

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 December is the Best Month for a Career Move (and Why Waiting for January Could Hold You Back) December. For most, it’s a time of mince pies, Christmas jumpers, and winding down. But if you’re thinking about a career move, especially in the legal or accountancy sectors, this is the golden window you shouldn’t ignore. If you want to...

By David Hawthorne-Finch, Managing Director at Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions Last Updated: 13 October 2025 If you’re an accountancy practice trying to hire an Audit Senior right now, you’ve probably experienced the frustration firsthand. You post the advert, wait weeks for applications, sift through CVs from candidates who aren’t quite right, conduct multiple rounds of interviews, and then, six months later,...

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...

In the fast-paced world of legal and accountancy recruitment, timing isn’t just important—it’s everything. At Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions, we’ve identified a critical gap in the market that’s costing our clients the very best candidates. Today, we’re proud to announce our industry-first 48-Hour Feedback Guarantee, a game-changing commitment that puts our clients ahead of the competition. The Problem That’s Costing You...

Today brought one of those moments that perfectly encapsulates why we do what we do at Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions. An email landed in my inbox from a law firm client that made me pause and reflect on the stark difference between transactional recruitment and true consultative partnership. The Email That Started It All “Another recruiter contacted me today who knows...

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....

The talk of the Reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer has got me thinking of all the shows I grew up with coming back around and how it is like a candidate I placed last week that had applied years before and not been successful and now landed their dream role. So it got me thinking, let’s talk about the...

When I first heard about the four day work week legal sector trend, I’ll be honest – I was skeptical. Traditional industries like law and accountancy have always been built on billable hours, client demands, and the “always-on” mentality. But over the past few months, I’ve witnessed something remarkable that’s completely changed my perspective. The Reality Check That Changed Everything...

Why Your Pay Structure Is Blocking Your Growth If you’ve ever been shocked by a candidate’s salary expectations, don’t worry you’re not alone.I had a conversation with a client recently (a brilliant Accountancy Practice in Leeds) who nearly fell off their chair when I shared the market rate for a highly skilled candidate they were interested in. “That’s way above...

Why Reminding Your Team About Benefits Matters More Than You Think So, I was chatting with the team this morning, plotting our next Team Day (because let’s face it, remote life is great until you miss gossiping over who microwaved fish in the office). We started sharing stories about the wildest workplace “benefits” we’ve seen clients brag about. One of...

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...

Let me spill the (recruitment) tea. This week I had a brilliant chat with a client at a leading law firm in London, the kind of firm where you’d assume they scrutinise every comma on a CV with a magnifying glass. But what they said completely confirmed what I’ve been seeing across the market: CVs? They’re not dead. But they’re...

Let’s rewind to 22-year-old me, strutting into my first ever management job like the Beyoncé of student recruitment, ready to lead the team to victory… by sacking four people in my first week. Yes, really. And no, this isn’t a “how to inspire loyalty in your team” guide — more like a what not to do if you want anyone...

365 Days. Countless Coffees. One Fabulous First Year in Business. You’ve heard of The 12 Days of Christmas, right? Well, here’s The 365 Days of David, told through a cheeky, candid, and (slightly caffeinated) interview to mark the first year of Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions Ltd. Let’s roll the tape… The Big Bang What made you finally take the leap and...