Ask any partner at an accounting firm what their biggest challenges are and the top three list is bound to include recruiting and retention. As an aging workforce begins to retire, firms look to colleges to find their future leaders.
Client Care Top Priority
“We recruit accounting students—as early as their junior year—to find the future leaders of our firm. We are also always looking for experienced candidates. One of our top priorities is client care, so we look to identify candidates who not only have future potential, but are committed to serving our clients. As our industry’s long-tenured partners transition to retirement, our firm has become strategic in hiring future leaders who fit our culture and put them on a path to grow at Landmark,” says Katie Lejong.
Katie was recently featured in a USA Today article about businesses that hire high-skilled workers even if there’s no job for them. In the article, Lejong remarks, “In the short term, it does tend to add costs since newcomers handle work that could be done by existing staff. But, there’s a balance. We want to create capacity for the future.”
Recruiting on Campus
Landmark recruits on many college campuses in Arkansas, including the University of Arkansas, the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Arkansas Tech University, UCA and Harding. “We find that growing our talent internally tends to create the leaders our firm needs and gives us loyal employees who are committed to our clients,” says Lejong.
Landmark PLC, Certified Public Accountants has a team of 115 staff members, including a member group of 16, 78 certified public accountants and candidates, and 40 additional staff members. As one of the largest locally-owned public accounting firms in Arkansas, Landmark provides a full range of assurance, advisory, accounting and tax services to a diverse client base. The firm’s talented employees offer clients the best of both worlds: the personalized attention and enthusiasm of a local accounting firm combined with the skills, depth of knowledge and breadth of services expected from a national organization.
Check out what it’s like to work with Landmark on our Career page. To join our team, see our career opportunities here or submit your resume here.