By Ellie Moore-Giles, published 8 November 2025

As someone who recruits audit, tax, and accounting professionals across the Midlands, I’ve been closely observing the trends shaping the profession and how practices need to approach hiring as we move into 2026.

Key Pressures Affecting Practices Today

The accounting and finance sector is evolving rapidly, and several pressures are affecting teams across the Midlands:

• Rising workloads: Regulatory changes, growing advisory demands, and increasingly complex audits are stretching teams to capacity.
• Skill shortages: Mid- to senior-level accountants who combine technical expertise with commercial awareness are in short supply.
• Candidate expectations: Flexibility, career development, and meaningful advisory experience are becoming increasingly important, particularly in hubs such as Birmingham, Nottingham, and Leicester.
• Technology impact: Automation is taking over routine tasks, meaning firms now require accountants who can deliver strategic insights and provide advisory support.

What This Means for Recruitment

Traditional hiring methods alone are no longer sufficient to secure the top talent your practice needs. Instead:

• Proactive head-hunting is key to reaching skilled professionals who may not be actively seeking a new role but have the experience and capabilities your firm requires.
• Offering flexibility, clear career progression, and advisory-focused roles provides a significant competitive edge in attracting and retaining talent.

Looking Ahead to 2026

• Demand for skilled accountants will remain high.
• Supply will remain tight, making proactive recruitment more critical than ever.
• Firms that act early, adopt strategic hiring approaches, and focus on retention will be best positioned to secure the strongest candidates.

If you’d like tailored insights based on collated data for your business, I’m happy to share guidance on how these trends are likely to affect your team and recruitment strategy.

For Midlands-based practices looking to strengthen their audit or tax teams - or for accountants considering their next move - I specialise in head-hunting top talent across the region and connecting firms with professionals who make a real difference.

Reach out to discuss how we can help your practice navigate the challenges ahead.