INTHEBLACK February / March 2026 - Magazine - Page 33
A disconnect between
accounting firms and graduates
poses a challenge for talent
retention.
As technology advances,
firms must adapt recruitment
strategies to attract young
professionals.
Remuneration is just
one important factor for
graduates who are on the
hunt for work.
Rethink
graduate
recruitment
Forward-thinking firms are reimagining recruitment, training and
culture to stay relevant in the profession. The right strategy today
could be the key to securing tomorrow’s top talent.
Words Alexandra Cain
TRAINING AS AN ACCOUNTANT IS
an entree into an array of different fields, from
traditional accounting and auditing to broader
business roles, including CFO positions,
directorships, startup jobs and more. Yet the
pressure is on employers to rethink graduate
recruitment, with research indicating that
accounting firms may be bypassed as a career
destination unless they pay more attention to
what graduates want.
SHIFTING ROLES
The study, which focuses on how to
attract and retain the next generation
of grads into accounting and auditing,
suggests that it is up to the accounting
profession to ensure the pipeline of
people coming into the field is excited
about their career prospects, even as new
technologies such as AI change the way
accountants work.
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 33
