Hiring decisions often favour familiarity—candidates who’ve done the job before, in similar environments, with resumes that mirror the job description. It feels like a sensible choice. But in doing so, some employers overlook something far more valuable: potential.
The most successful hires aren’t always the ones who arrive fully formed. They’re the individuals with the foundation to succeed, the mindset to grow, and the motivation to evolve with your organization. When hiring decisions are made through that lens—not just for today, but for longevity—you build teams with staying power and reduce turnover.
Experience-Based Hiring Is Comfortable—But It Comes With Risks
It’s no surprise that many employers prioritize direct experience when hiring. Under pressure to fill a role quickly, choosing someone who can step in and perform with minimal training and ramp-up feels efficient. But that mindset often leads to hiring for replication rather than evolution.
These candidates are often lateral movers—professionals who are changing employers without meaningfully advancing their responsibilities. While that can work for roles where steadiness is the goal, it can become limiting in positions where engagement, adaptability, or future leadership potential are priorities. Once in the seat, these employees may quickly find themselves unchallenged, and employers are soon back in the hiring cycle.
Rethinking Role Design Through the Lens of Longevity
If your goal is to reduce turnover and nurture future finance leaders for succession planning, begin by evaluating how the structure of your role—and the experience it demands—supports that outcome. Requiring 5–10 years of nearly identical experience may attract capable candidates, but it often draws professionals who are well past the learning curve of the role and unlikely to be satisfied and engaged in that role for long.
To attract stronger, high-potential talent, consider how you define what success looks like in the role:
– Which capabilities are essential from day one—and what can be learned?
– Does the opportunity offer meaningful stretch to build new skills and expand scope?
– Can the candidate see a future in this role beyond the first year?
– What core skills and traits are critical for success in this role?
High-potential CPAs often leave not out of dissatisfaction, but because they’ve outgrown their current environment. They seek meaningful development—taking on new responsibilities, learning new skills, and opportunities for progression. By valuing adaptability and growth potential over checklist experience, employers open the door to candidates who are more motivated and more likely to commit long-term.
Hiring With Development in Focus
Longevity isn’t about finding someone to perform the same tasks indefinitely—it’s about hiring individuals whose capabilities and ambitions align with where the role is heading, not just where it is today. The most valuable CPA hires view the position not as an endpoint, but as a platform for continued contribution and career growth.
To hire for lasting impact, employers should consider taking a broader view of role design. Ask yourself: Are we offering a career path and trajectory, or simply filling a vacancy?
When a position is thoughtfully crafted to include future-facing responsibilities—and the hiring criteria reflect that progression—it sends a clear message to candidates: there is room to grow here. This alignment between role evolution and individual ambition is what drives engagement, retention, and long-term performance. Candidates who can visualize their future with your company are far more likely to invest in it.
Find CPA Talent in Toronto That Grows With You
CPA hiring for longevity goes beyond matching resumes to responsibilities. It requires a strategic lens—considering the growth offered, the key strengths and traits for success in the role, and the potential to evolve together.
Experience alone is no longer the key differentiator. Employers who hire for calibre and high potential to grow with the organization are the ones who retain the top professionals and build resilient finance teams.
Discover high-potential CPA talent in Toronto today with CAC.
