Finding the right CPA is only half the challenge. Securing them, at the offer stage, depends on how effectively your interview process communicates the key details and merits of the opportunity. In today’s market, where top candidates often have many options available to them, enhancing your hiring process is critical to securing your top prospect.
Here’s how to structure your interviews to ensure the right candidate says yes.
Clarify the Role Beyond the Job Description
Strong CPAs don’t just want to know what’s in the job description, they want to know how the role fits into the team and the broader scope of deliverables their work is contributing to. Outlining core responsibilities is expected, but it’s not enough. Candidates want to understand how their time will be split, which priorities they’ll own, and what a normal week or month will look like, so they can picture themselves in the job. Without this level of clarity, high-potential candidates may hesitate, uncertain if the role aligns with their skills or interests.
Connect the Role to Business Strategy
What’s changing in the business? What’s next for the team? Is this role being created in response to growth, restructuring, or succession?
Providing context around current initiatives, future plans, exciting projects upcoming, and how this role contributes helps candidates envision themselves adding value and making an impact.
Strategic CPAs want roles that are future-focused and tied to the direction of the organization. Don’t leave that connection implicit.
Define Growth and Career Development
Generic promises like “room to grow” are no longer persuasive. Candidates want to know what progression looks like—based on actual examples—and how professional development is supported in real terms.
Be ready to talk about:
- What does advancement typically look like for someone in this role
- Timeframes for promotion based on prior examples and peer benchmarks
- Mentorship, cross-functional exposure, or visibility to senior leadership
Top candidates are thinking beyond the tasks and duties. They’re evaluating whether your role fits their career trajectory and the experiences they are looking to gain.
Sell the Intangibles, Specifically
Culture, flexibility, and stability make a difference, but only when described with substance. Vague cultural claims won’t stick. Share what matters from a candidate’s perspective: hybrid working arrangements, summer hours, employee longevity, team dynamics, management style, leadership accessibility, office environment, additional PTO, or any unique perks.
When competing offers are similar in salary, candidates choose the one that aligns with their priorities, and these intangible benefits can make all the difference.
Describe the “Communication Circle” of the Role
Who will this person interact with regularly? Will they present to senior leadership? Collaborate with cross-functional teams? Serve as a key contact for external partners?
Mapping out the communication structure shows where influence happens and where their voice will be heard.
CPAs aiming to grow into leadership roles want to understand where their work is seen, and by whom.
Outline the First 90 Days to Build Confidence in Joining
The final interview and offer stage is the time to reassure, not surprise. Set expectations early by walking through onboarding. Discuss what training looks like, who will provide support, and how the individual will learn the business.
Candidates feel more confident accepting an offer when they can visualize how they’ll get up to speed and who will help them succeed.
Allow Time for Candid Questions
Leave space for the candidate to ask what matters most to them, career trajectory, management style, compensation structure, and team dynamics. Encourage them to bring up any concerns. Transparency earns trust, which leads to hiring success.
When candidates feel pressure rather than partnership, it’s a red flag. Creating an open dialogue increases acceptance rates.
Attract and Secure Toronto’s Best CPA Talent
Hiring top CPA talent doesn’t end when you identify the right person. It ends when they accept. Each step of the interview process is a chance to build credibility, communicate value, and show why your opportunity stands out.
Partnering with the CPA recruiting experts at CAC can help you refine your process and tailor your pitch to high-performing CPAs. We’ll ensure your top candidate doesn’t just get the offer but has all the information and confidence required to accept it.
