How to Showcase Your Business When Interviewing

In today’s competitive talent market, strong accountancy and finance candidates are in high demand and it is commonplace for them to receive multiple job offers. Many also encounter more than one counteroffer from their current employer when they resign and/or during their notice period. Firms must go beyond merely assessing a candidate’s skills during interviews; the interview process is now a critical opportunity for businesses to “showcase” themselves to potential hires. This increases the chance of securing successful offers and helps to achieve long-term staff retention.

How can you ensure that your firm and role stand out as the best career option during the interview process?

1. Understand the Interview’s Dual Purpose

When interviewing a good candidate, remember that this meeting is as much about the candidate evaluating your firm as it is about you evaluating the candidate. Approach the interview as a “sales meeting”. Spend time preparing and thinking about what makes your firm unique. How will you, as the interviewer, demonstrate your firm’s culture, values, and commitment to employee development during the process?

2. Tailor the Interview to the Candidate’s Priorities

The best way to connect with an individual candidate is to ask them what is important to them. This step not only helps to make the candidate feel valued but also allows you to tailor the conversation around their priorities and core reasons for coming to the market. Perhaps they are particularly interested in your firm’s mentorship programs and internal promotions. Identifying the candidate’s priorities and discussing the aspects of the business that can support these can demonstrate to a candidate that your firm is genuinely invested in its employees as individuals.

3. Demonstrate Your Firm’s Culture

A firm’s culture can be a deciding factor for many candidates. They’re often looking for a good work-life balance, flexible working arrangement and clear pathways for career progression. During the interview ensure your firm’s culture is clearly “showcased”.

Here are a few ways to do this:

• Involve multiple team members: Let candidates meet their future colleagues, not just hiring managers. This helps them experience firsthand your team dynamics in an open way.
• Share real examples: Highlight stories that demonstrate your firm’s values, such as how team members’ professional development has been supported or how the firm has actively encouraged team members to maintain a healthy work-life balance or some examples of internal promotions.
• Showcase your space: If the interview is in person, offer a tour of your office to help them get a feel for the working environment.

4. Account for a Blended Culture Post-Acquisition

If your firm has recently undergone an acquisition or merger, this should be a key consideration before entering the interview process. Acquisitions can result in a blended culture, where different workplace styles combine. Be transparent about any recent changes and how the firm is managing the transition. Candidates will appreciate honesty about the company’s evolution and will better understand how they might fit into the new culture.

5. Keep the Focus on Long-Term Value

While financial compensation is important, many candidates are looking for more than just a competitive salary. During the interview, focus on the long-term value your firm can offer. Highlight areas such as professional development, growth opportunities, and how your firm nurtures talent. This is particularly appealing to senior-level candidates seeking a place where they can continue to grow and make an impact.

Remember, candidates have options. To secure the best talent, you need to differentiate your firm by emphasising your culture, values, and opportunities for growth. Be transparent, engage with what matters most to the candidate, and ensure that your interview process showcases the best of what your firm has to offer. Ultimately, successful interviews leave both parties excited about the potential to work together.