The following is a guest post from John Dorer, CEO at Eb3.work. Opinions are the author’s own.
There’s no gentle way to say it: the accountant shortage isn’t a temporary dip. It’s a long-term problem that isn’t just about a struggling talent pipeline.
It comes down to how the profession is perceived, and unless CFOs start shifting their approach to hiring and retention, they’ll become stuck in the back-filling hole. This, importantly, provides an advantage to the competition; as your company constantly rebuilds its teams, the competition can move ahead with a leaner and stable operation.
Experienced accountants are leaving the field faster than new ones can be found. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts the shortage deep with more than 126,000 open positions for accountants and auditors every year for the next decade.
John Dorer
Permission granted by John Dorer
It’s a recipe for burnout unless companies change how they compete for talent. Mid-market CFOs in particular need to recognize something important: you can’t out-compete the Fortune 500 on salary alone. You can, however, outmaneuver them by offering a better, more rewarding experience. It starts with rethinking how we frame accounting roles and the career path we’re actually selling.
1. Sell a path, not just a job
The vast majority of job postings read like a laundry list of tools, tasks and skills needed for the job. This antiquated approach to finding true talent ignores a critical aspect of the next generation of workers. They’re not just looking for a job, they’re seeking a trajectory that will afford them growth and security for decades to come.
If you’re hiring an entry-level accountant and can’t clearly articulate where that person could be in three to five years, you’re probably losing top candidates before they even apply. People want to know they’re joining something that provides them a bright future, and that they’ll play a meaningful role in shaping it.
In the pursuit of improving the negative impact of this shortage of accountants on your business, it’s critical to ask, is this role simply a compliance seat, or will this person eventually be a part of the budgeting, strategy and even the ESG reporting? Will they join leadership at the table, or will they stay stuck in a nightmare of spreadsheets day in and day out? These are the questions that matter today.
2. Flexibility isn’t a perk, it’s the price of admission
Like every other profession, accounting changed during the pandemic. But unlike tech or marketing, finance departments have been slower to let go of the idea that people need to be in the office full-time.
That’s a mistake. Flexibility is now the default expectation, not the bonus. Remote work, hybrid schedules and even compressed workweeks are not just nice-to-haves. They’re what people are choosing instead of traditional jobs. If your company isn’t offering them, someone else will.
3. Rethink the 150-hour barrier
Let’s be honest, the 150-credit-hour requirement for CPA licensure is a giant roadblock for a lot of would-be accountants. CFOs can’t rewrite that rule, but they can rewrite how their companies support people through it.
Sponsor a master’s program. Provide CPA exam bonuses. Set up structured internship-to-CPA pathways with universities. These are relatively low-cost moves that send a clear message: we’re invested in you, not just your output.
4. Hire for potential, not just the right resume
Not everyone on a strong accounting team followed a textbook career path. Some came from operations or customer service. Some used to do data work or run small businesses.
Too much emphasis is put on the accountant’s degree, rather than their mindset. Getting back to the basics is an important point that’s overlooked time and time again. Is the potential hire reliable? Are they detail-oriented? Are they good with numbers and processes? Do they care about getting things right?
When you hire for aptitude and build in real training and mentorship, you create a team that’s not just technically capable, but engaged and loyal.
5. Retention should be the top priority
A lot of companies are so focused on recruitment that they forget to ask why people are leaving in the first place.
Look at your onboarding. Is it helping people integrate and thrive, or is it just a blur of forms and logins? Are you developing your mid-level managers — the people who shape daily work culture? Are new hires connecting with peers and leaders, or feeling adrift?
Real, true feedback is critical. It’s all about one-on-ones with their manager, regular check-ins, small group discussions, not just exit interviews. Treating feedback as a regular part of the role is where real insights surface and it helps employees to feel seen and heard, improving the likelihood that they’ll stick around.
Build something better and show the future
Signing bonuses and snazzy LinkedIn posts aren’t going to make the accounting shortage disappear. This problem demands a much deeper shift in the way in which companies think about their finance teams.
It may all sound daunting, but there is good news in all of this. It doesn’t take an enormous budget to win this fight. All we need to do is demonstrate to people that they have a bright future within our company. Make room for flexibility. Support the team’s growth. Expand the idea of who “belongs” in accounting.
CFOs who take this seriously won’t just ride out the shortage, they’ll build teams that are stronger because of it.
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