Temporary and interim professionals have always played an important role across UK accounting, finance, audit and tax teams.
Sometimes they're brought in because somebody has left unexpectedly. Sometimes it's maternity or sickness cover. Sometimes month-end, year-end, audit, tax deadlines, transformation, systems implementation or a particularly enthusiastic acquisition has created more work than the existing team can reasonably absorb.
And sometimes the requirement is rather more straightforward:
“We need someone. Preferably yesterday.”
The temporary and interim market covers an enormous range of people. At one end are transactional accounting and finance professionals providing essential short-term support. At the other are qualified accountants, audit and tax specialists, professional contractors and senior interims brought in to provide specialist expertise, deliver projects or lead change.
Their motivations aren't necessarily identical.
So rather than guessing what good temporary and interim professionals want, Sheridan Maine asked 100 people working across the UK temporary and interim accounting, finance, audit and tax market eight quick questions.
We wanted to understand what makes someone choose one assignment over another. How important is rate? What's flexibility actually worth? What's the hybrid sweet spot? How quickly should employers make decisions? What makes a good candidate walk away? What makes an assignment stand out? And once you've found somebody excellent, what makes them want to stay?
The overall message is encouragingly straightforward.
Pay fair. Be clear about what you need. Offer sensible flexibility where the assignment allows it. Move quickly. Give people worthwhile work. And when they arrive, treat them like professionals you've specifically brought into the business to help.
It sounds remarkably simple.
Recruitment occasionally is.
