Talent acquisition is a draining endeavor for many accounting firm owners.

Chris Johnson of CJ CPAs knows the pain of trying to hire the right people. The time wasted, the money lost, the endless cycle of hiring and rehiring.

After coming up short again and again, he knew something had to change.

So, he did something bold: he offered a $50,000 sign-on bonus to attract top-tier talent to his firm, CJ CPAs.

No tricks. No clawbacks. Just a clear, upfront investment in the right person.

But this strategy wasn’t about throwing money at a problem — it was about rethinking how firms approach talent altogether. Chris turned recruiting into a marketing funnel, refined his messaging, and doubled down on culture. And while the bonus got attention, it’s what happened next that really matters.

If you’ve ever struggled to find the right people — people who align with your values and want to grow with your firm — this episode of the Accounting Talent podcast is for you.

Accounting firms succeed when their people thrive. Join us each month as we uncover the best strategies, tools, and insights for attracting, managing, and leading high-performing accounting teams. Subscribe now to build a stronger, more successful firm!

In this final episode of the Accounting Talent podcast, Rob Brown reflects on the journey of the show, discussing the challenges and opportunities in recruitment, retention, and talent development within the accounting profession. He shares ten powerful takeaways that firms can implement to remain competitive and attract talent, emphasizing the importance of hybrid work, employer branding, onboarding, wellbeing, leadership development, upskilling, inclusion, succession planning, agile recruitment, and creating a talent stack. As the podcast concludes, Rob looks ahead to the future of talent in accounting and his ongoing mission to help firms differentiate themselves as employers of choice.

Key Takeaways

• Master hybrid work to thrive in the new era.
• Build a strong employer brand to attract talent.
• Onboarding with excellence is crucial for retention.
• Prioritize wellbeing for a productive workforce.
• Develop leadership at all levels for better retention.
• Upskill your people to stay competitive.
• Inclusion is essential for a diverse workplace.
• Plan for succession to ensure continuity.
• Stay agile in recruitment to meet demands.
• Create a talent stack for holistic growth.

You can watch this specific episode on our YouTube Channel here: https://youtu.be/Bb5Y9sgYxd4

This is the Accounting Talent Podcast, dropping every Thursday to accounting professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. If you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.

Check out the Accounting Talent page on LinkedIn for more relevant content on getting ahead in the hiring game:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/talent-in-accounting

Thanks to our sponsors:

ACCOUNTINGFLY. Accountingfly connects employers with top U.S.-based accounting talent through a variety of services including dedicated searches, Always-On Recruiting, and freelance placements for seasonal or temporary needs. They specialize in remote accounting recruitment, recognizing early on the significant advantages that remote work offers to employers, job-seekers, and their own operations. They pride themselves on their track record of matching the right candidates with the right opportunities and building a robust team of industry experts. Additionally, their partnership with Going Concern—an esteemed source for accounting news and insights—further enhances their ability to stay on the cutting edge of remote recruiting by tapping into a natural pipeline of job seekers.

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