January is a decision month for finance staff
The new year makes people take stock. Controllers, senior accountants, FP&A analysts and AP leads have just finished a hard December close. Many are asking whether they want another year of the same.
Some will act on it. Resumes get updated in January, and recruiters get more calls from finance people in the first six weeks of the year than in most other stretches. If you manage a finance team, assume that at least one person you rely on is thinking about it.
The same calendar puts pressure on you as an employer. Budgets are approved, audits are starting, and filing deadlines are close. In the US, W-2 and 1099 forms are due at the end of January. In Canada, T4 slips are due by the end of February. A vacancy in the first quarter costs more than one in July.
Talk about careers before someone else does
Most finance managers hold a career conversation only after a resignation. By then it is a negotiation, and you are usually bargaining from behind.
A better habit is a short, direct conversation with each person in January. Ask three things:
- What do you want to be doing in two years?
- What would you like to learn this year that you are not learning now?
- What would make you consider leaving?
The answers are often smaller than you expect. A staff accountant wants exposure to month-end reporting. An analyst wants to present to the leadership team. A senior person wants a title that matches the work they already do.
You cannot promise every outcome, but you can commit to something specific. A named development goal and a date to review it is worth more than a general statement that you value them.
Check pay before the market does it for you
People who are thinking about moving usually look at pay first, even if it is not the main reason. If someone has been in the same role for two or three years without an adjustment, compare their pay to what the role would cost to fill today.
Do this quietly and early. Use current postings in your city, Job Bank data in Canada and Bureau of Labor Statistics data in the US as a starting point, and talk to a recruiter who places in your market. Replacing a good finance person usually costs more than the raise that would have kept them, once you count recruiting time, ramp-up and the work that goes undone in between.
Hiring in Q1: work backwards from the deadline
If you already know you need to add someone, fix the date you need them productive, then count back.
A typical finance hire, from opening the search to a start date, takes longer than most managers plan for. Add notice periods, which in finance are often two to four weeks and sometimes longer for senior people, and you can see why a role opened in February may not contribute to a March close.
This is where contract help earns its place. If the work is concentrated around year-end, audit support, a system conversion or a backlog of reconciliations, a contract accountant or analyst can start quickly and cover the peak. That gives you time to hire a permanent person properly instead of settling for whoever is available.
A simple way to decide:
| Situation | Likely fit |
|---|---|
| Ongoing work, growing team | Permanent hire |
| Peak workload, 3 to 6 months | Contract |
| Key person leaving, role undefined | Contract while you define the role |
Write the role the way a candidate reads it
Good finance candidates are selective. They scan a posting for three things: what they will actually do, who they report to, and where the role leads.
Many finance postings are a list of software and a vague line about "supporting the team." Be specific instead:
- Name the scope. Is this a full-cycle AP role or a reconciliation seat? Do they own the close or assist with it?
- State the systems you use and whether you are mid-migration.
- Say who the role reports to and how big the team is.
- Describe what a strong first year looks like.
- Give a pay range. In many provinces and states this is now required, and candidates skip postings without one.
If the role is a step up for the right person, say so. Candidates who want to move from general accounting into FP&A, or from senior accountant into reporting management, look for roles that offer that path. Employers who are open to a candidate who is ready to grow often find stronger people than those who insist on an exact match to the title.
Move faster than you think you need to
Good finance candidates are rarely on the market for long, and January is competitive. A process that takes six weeks with long gaps between interviews will lose people to employers who finish in three.
Tighten it:
- Decide who interviews and block the time before the search opens.
- Limit it to two or three rounds.
- Give feedback within 48 hours.
- Have the offer approved in principle before the final interview.
None of this lowers your standard. It only stops you from losing people through delay.
What to do next
This week, book a short career conversation with each person on your finance team, and check whether any role has fallen behind the market on pay. Then list the work that will peak between now and the end of the second quarter and decide whether it needs a permanent hire, contract help or both.
A Traverse recruiter can help with finance and accounting searches, contract coverage and a realistic read on pay in your market.