Ask the Expert: Matt Thulson, Finance and Accounting

In this edition of ‘Ask the Expert,’ Matt Thulson, Division Manager for Addison Group’s Finance and Accounting Direct Hire practice in Denver, shared some of his insights on popular workforce trends. We spoke with Matt to hear his thoughts on the state of the labor market and how companies and candidates can navigate the current market.

How would you describe the current state of the labor market?

The market is a mix of optimism, cautiousness, urgency, anxiety, hope, and pessimism. There are a lot of differing opinions about the labor market. I think someone’s perspective is going to vary depending on what industry they’re in. If you’re in manufacturing, you may feel a little uncertain given the tariff landscape. But other industries may not feel these changes as much.

I also think how your company is backed may contribute to how you feel about the current labor market. Government-funded companies may feel more cautious right now due to the changes being made in Washington. On the other hand, there is definitely still an appetite in certain PE firms to expand their portfolios, move on key targets that make enough business sense, and in some cases, even try to take advantage of a softer market.

Ultimately, the labor market is full of nuance right now. There is no black-and-white answer to “the state of the market”. Your feelings very well depend on your industry and the backing of your company.

What advice do you have for clients trying to attract talent?

My biggest piece of advice for clients is what are you doing to separate yourself?

To stand out to candidates, you need to be efficient in your interview process, offer competitive compensation and benefits, provide a clear career growth path, and be decisive. In the same vein of being decisive, don’t get paralysis by analysis. I’ve worked with hiring managers where the first candidate they meet is a strong fit for the role, but they start to talk themselves out of hiring them because they haven’t met with more candidates. My advice is if you have the right candidate, make a move and be decisive. If you don’t, there is another client that will.

Additionally, I’ve noticed a lot of clients assume there is a larger candidate pool due to slower hiring over the past few years. However, this is not the case. The labor market isn’t flooded with new talent. Most top talent is staying put in their current positions. The top candidates that are looking aren’t just applying to a bunch of job postings hoping something sticks. They’re strategically partnering with firms like Addison Group to help them find a new job that makes sense for their career goals. Your company can stand out to candidates by also partnering with a talent solutions firm. Since we already have strong relationships with passive job seekers, it opens your job posting to a larger talent pool.

Finally, it’s never worth talking yourself into a match. Amid all the ups and downs in the labor market, stay patient and don’t make a job offer or hiring decision out of desperation. You should feel good about the match that is being made and stay true to your principles and values. If you don’t feel good about it, you’ll just end up back in the same spot down the line.

What can candidates do to stand out?

If you’re a job seeker, there is more desire and urgency for companies to hire than you think there is. What you see posted on LinkedIn or other job websites only tells part of the hiring story. My advice to job seekers is to be active within your network. Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and appealing, and use a talent solutions firm as a resource. Working with a firm can be beneficial for your job search because we have access to open jobs that aren’t posted online. And for the job seeker, our services are free.

Also, while you can still apply to jobs directly, in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and algorithms, who knows who is looking at your profile. It’s important to stand out to hiring managers. A great way to do this is to look up that organization, find the hiring managers, and introduce yourself. Candidates who go the extra mile will rise above the noise.

Need to hire finance and accounting talent for your team?

Need qualified finance and accounting candidates to add to your team? Addison Group can help. For more than 20 years, we’ve focused on quality, not quotas. We place qualified finance and accounting talent to help move your business forward. Let’s talk about how we can help fill your open positions.