Chief Accountant Recruitment – Is It Worth Hiring Mid-Year? - NAJINTERNATIONAL Executive Search | Recruitments

Is It Worth Recruiting a Chief Accountant During the Year? Debunking a Popular Financial Market Myth

In one of our recent client conversations, an interesting statement came up:

“I’m hesitant to start chief accountant recruitment during the year because reputable accountants don’t leave before the fiscal year closes.“

This belief caught our attention—it’s widely repeated yet worth examining more closely.

Is it really true?

Do accounting professionals never consider changing jobs mid-year?

Or is this just another industry myth that persists regardless of reality?

As a recruitment firm with years of successful projects in finance and accounting, we want to clear up the doubts.

📊 The Accounting Job Market – What’s the Reality?

In recent years, we have successfully recruited for positions such as:

Chief accountant
Accounting specialist
Financial controller
Financial analyst

and have done so in various months throughout the year.

Many candidates who started mid-year have smoothly integrated into organizations and remained for years, supporting the company’s financial growth.

✅ Why Recruiting Accountants Doesn’t Have to Wait Until December

1. Not all companies close their fiscal year in December

Many organizations, especially subsidiaries of foreign groups, have unconventional fiscal years ending in March, June, or September.

For these candidates, the “year-end” is just a different reporting cycle — and they’re often ready to change jobs when it suits both parties.

2. Top professionals seek new challenges year-round

Reasons for leaving vary: desire for growth, life changes, lack of support, or feeling stuck.

A responsible chief accountant plans a professional handover, even if the job change falls at a challenging time.

3. Effective onboarding reduces risks

Bringing a new hire onboard doesn’t have to be difficult — shadowing current staff, clear procedures, and team support enable the new accountant to quickly take over duties and bring fresh energy.

4. Waiting to recruit may pose bigger risks

Delaying recruitment until January might cause staffing shortages for months — affecting reporting quality, deadlines, and team stress.

5. Work life doesn’t always follow ideal timing

Sometimes company restructures or downsizes occur unexpectedly. Candidates don’t always choose when to switch jobs.

Being open to candidates looking for stability regardless of the calendar month is key.

🔚 Summary: Recruit When Your Company Needs It

Common beliefs are convenient but not always accurate.

A candidate’s quality depends on skills, motivation, and professionalism — not on the month they leave.

Instead of waiting for year-end, react when your company truly needs financial team reinforcement.

Well-planned recruitment + proper onboarding = safety and peace of mind for your organization.

Looking to hire an experienced chief accountant or financial controller?

We’re happy to advise on when and how to run your recruitment process efficiently.

👉 Contact us to learn how to attract top talent without waiting until December.

Ewa Borek
Senior Search Consultant