Quiet hiring is an organization’s way of obtaining new talent without hiring new employees or being able to focus on specialized employee onboarding. It allows an organization to use the current headcount to complete the job duties of employees who are no longer with the company or hire more qualified talent through targeted recruitment. This can be beneficial to both the organization and the employees 👀 Let me give you a few reasons why.
Continuing Education. Gone should be the days when employees are required to work additional hours to accommodate the demands of the business while picking up the slack of former employees. However, utilizing or enhancing the skill set of current employees allows an organization to save the expense of additional headcount while repurposing some of those savings on the employees still with the organization. Quiet hiring offers the opportunity for current employees to “raise their hand” to take on new projects or opportunities while also requesting education reimbursement or for the company to sponsor a new certification. It’s a win-win! For example, if you are a woman in accounting looking to grow in your profession, your company will pay for your licensure, but may not sponsor you for the course to study or prepare for CPA exam. This is your opportunity to present the benefits of having the organization sponsor your education. Because you are gaining a higher level of training, you can work through tasks more efficiently. The idea is not to overburden current employees but to allow the company to understand the benefits and savings from investing in their current employees while receiving a higher-trained employee. You can even proactively offer to stay with the organization for a year or so after your certification to ensure they see the benefits of their investment. Side note: Your minimum year of work experience must be supervised by a CPA to obtain licensure, so this is also a good reason to stay put for the immediate future. See? Win-win 😉
Targeted Recruitment. During my tenure in corporate America, we often sought the assistance and guidance of recruitment firms for certain positions as opposed to using our internal HR team. Why? While we respect and appreciate the efforts of Human Resources, the recruiters we worked with were people who knew us, knew who we liked to work with, and understood what was required of an accountant with our specific company. Oftentimes, these were recruiters who specialized and even had a background in accounting. They understood what type of person would “gel” with our group. They understood what specifics to look for in a resume. For example, the external recruiter understood that we could substitute an experience requirement of three to five years with two to three depending on the company the employee is coming from. Or how certain experience requirements can be replaced by specific education. As a result, it reduced the amount of resumes we were required to review before deciding to interview. This is not only beneficial for the organization, but it also helps the team. While every team can appreciate the good news of receiving additional help, it can also prove bothersome when you are the person recruited to train the new employee and now spending your days trying to do your work and training them how to do theirs. However, if the employee is coming in with a specific skill set, and just needs guidance on the system you use, or even better, they have used your ERP before as well, nothing can bring more joy to a team. This also offers the opportunity for the new employee to be received a little easier and faster by their new teammates. (Because we all know there will be a side-eye moment while the team evaluates the newbie.)
Opportunities for Advancement. Storytime: I worked with a company that hired six people for various roles within their accounting department. (The company had just gone through a major transition and needed additional headcount, or so they thought.) Since there were so many of us coming on board at once, they set up an orientation day for the new hires to come in, meet and greet, learn about the company and the team, and have lunch with the current staff. Pretty cool, right? Well, that day I learned two people, myself, and another person, let’s call her Naomi, were both hired for the senior accounting role. (I was initially under the impression they only needed one person.) This meant Naomi and I would be working together. This also meant she was my competition. (Sorry, this is just the way my mind works. Not sorry.) I enter every opportunity with a game plan for acceleration. I am not one to stay stagnant. Anywho, back to the story. I started with the company a week earlier than Naomi. This was good and bad as I started during our month-end close and was forced to “figure it out” as the person who was in our role before our hiring surprised management and left the company abruptly. So, I had no one to train me. (Story of my life, unfortunately 😒) When Naomi started, she and I had a meeting, we decided who would handle what accounts, and prepared to get our accounts cleaned up so we were ready to take on what was to come. Although we had the same title (I honestly thought Naomi was more experienced than I was), I worked more with management. Anything they needed, they came to me, and I would go to Naomi and make sure we got it done. She soon started calling me her manager. I guess she saw something in me I didn’t. (Another unfortunate story of my life. Sound familiar?) Things were going “smoothly” until one day, about eight months into the role, through a series of unfortunate events, a planned layoff was accelerated and required to take place that day (a story for another time). I found out Naomi was part of the layoff when our manager came rushing by and said to me, “Everything is going to be okay, we will talk soon”. What the H is he talking about?! Am I next on the layoff list? 😨 It was when I went to tell Naomi about the cryptic message when I found out the reason for the cryptic message. Naomi had been caught up in the rapture. She had been let go! My manager then pulled me to the side, oh gosh, I’m next, and told me that they had full faith in my ability to take over both positions. (You know they butter you up when they need you 🙄) He told me he appreciated my work ethic and he felt like I was doing the bulk of the two roles anyway. He was right. I was. He never mentioned any additional funds though 🤔 But neither did I. I’m all about show and proof. I knew my performance appraisal was coming up soon, and I was planning to go in for the kill. Well, I never got the opportunity to do so. About three months later, I was pulled back into that same conference room and given a promotion. I still had to perform the duties of my role, but I was now also responsible for a set of employees from a recent acquisition. The company was about to go into a hiring freeze, so they wanted to make sure I received my increase before the freeze was official. (See how God has your back 🙌🏾) Of course, they lowballed me on the increase and I had to counter to get what I wanted…and I did! (you know the drill, another story for another day 😜) While that was a long story, I attempted to show how layoffs, while they can be devasting for those involved, can be used to the advantage of the employees who are still with the company. No, I am not a proponent of anyone losing their job. However, I have come to realize that life will throw lemon after lemon at you (which will sometimes feel like a full-blown tennis ball), but you have the choice to decide how you will handle the obstacle as there will be many more to come.
While the benefits of quiet hiring are multifold. This strategic approach enables employers to target and engage with highly skilled professionals who might not be accessible through conventional channels or leverage their current employee base for skills that may have previously been overlooked – by the loudest in the room. Quiet hiring can ensure that only qualified and interested individuals are considered for a position. A tactical method for organizations looking to make strategic hires, maintain confidentiality, and tap into their broader pool of talent.
If you are a woman in accounting who is feeling the burden of a profession you love that no longer loves you back. If you seek one-on-one coaching to enhance your accounting or professional skills, click on the following link for a Complimentary Consultation. I believe in a judgment-free zone where all contributors work towards a common goal. I can also let you in on the behind-the-scenes of all my “a story for another day” because I am chock full of them😄
With over 15 years in corporate accounting within PE-backed and privately held organizations, Sherrika Sanders established Transform the GAAP (Goals Assigned Achieving Purpose) to leverage her knowledge and experience as an accomplished corporate accountant to empower overlooked women in accounting who lack the career development or progressive growth required to confidently assert themselves and secure a promotion. She helps realign them with who they are (values), how they show up (beliefs), and how to thrive in any professional setting (promotion) as they advance in corporate America. Sherrika was once in this same predicament and learned how to use her voice to get respect, recognition, and pay increases that aligned with her promotions. She wants to help other women do the same.
Sherrika has successfully managed teams of various sizes with employees in the US, Canada, and Latin America. Despite her growth, Sherrika felt her voice stifled, working without balance or flexibility. She was constantly reminded she should be proud of being the only one in the room who looked like her (especially with her non-traditional education). Sherrika felt her voice was taken. After years of no work-life balance, taking work vacations based on the company's schedule, and being expected to always be available for the needs of the organization, Sherrika decided enough was enough and started the transition to find and use her voice. Sherrika ultimately resigned from her role as Corporate Controller to take a leap of faith and start her own company, Transform the GAAP (Goals Assigned Achieving Purpose), where she specializes in empowering other women in accounting to understand and overcome obstacles currently hindering them from excelling in their careers. Sherrika holds a Bachelor's in Accounting, an MBA, and a Master's in Organizational Leadership.
Sherrika's passion is to equip accounting professionals with the skills necessary to thrive in any setting. Visit https://www.transformthegaap.com/ to learn more.
The Transform Tuesdays newsletter was created to help professionals navigate the world of corporate America by overcoming the hurdles hindering them from growing to the next level in their careers, including knowing their value, using their voice, and being authentic to themselves.
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