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Building an effective finance team has never been easy, and it has always been about a lot more than just placing an advert and waiting for the right CVs to roll in.
As we head into the middle months of 2026, that hasn’t changed. In fact, there are several new considerations when it comes to attracting the strongest candidates.
Why is finance recruitment so specialised?
The truth is that finance recruitment is unique. While the wider UK employment market has cooled in some areas, finance recruitment remains a highly competitive space. We can tell you first hand that this is the case because we see it every day.
One of the reasons it is so specialised is that employers need people with the right mix of technical knowledge, commercial understanding, reliability and cultural fit. Frankly, that’s a list that is not easy to tick off, and many potential candidates are also passive rather than actively looking for a new position.
So, with all this in the mix, despite the fact that employment numbers overall may be falling, employers can’t assume the strongest finance candidates will be easier to attract.
In specialist recruitment areas, and particularly in complex marketplaces like Lancashire and the wider North West, the challenge is not just about whether there are ‘x’ number of people in the recruitment market overall. It is more about whether the right people are actively looking, whether they will be available at the right salary level, and, possibly most importantly, whether they are motivated by the opportunity on offer.
Why finance recruitment is still a competitive arena
As we all know, finance teams are central to the stability of a business. They are not just processing numbers, they are supporting cashflow, reporting, meeting their compliance requirements, forecasting, helping with strategic decision-making and even a driver behind commercial planning.
That means the cost of getting recruitment wrong can be a significant one. At the same time, we all know that a good finance hire strengthens a business, we also know that a poor one can create disruption, errors, pressure on existing staff and a loss of confidence in the numbers.
That’s one of the reasons why finance recruitment remains competitive. The strongest candidates are often already employed, likely to be valued by their current employer and well aware of their own worth. So, they will consider a new role, but only if it represents a clear improvement or offers a significant benefit.
However, what constitutes that improvement is not just money. Yes, of course, it might be salary, but it also might be an upward move, flexibility, culture, progression, training, better leadership, more interesting work or, increasingly important to the next generation of workers, a stronger long-term career path.
Usually, it is a combination of several of these things that will create the motivation to apply.
Passive candidates need a reason to move
As recruitment specialists, we can categorically tell you it’s a mistake to think only in terms of active candidates. Active candidates are important, of course, but the fact is that the strongest person for your role may not be actively applying for jobs.
These passive candidates tend to be settled but may be open to a conversation. They are not under pressure to leave, though, and that fundamentally changes the recruitment dynamic.
Let’s imagine someone is currently earning £28,000, perhaps as a credit controller or assistant accountant, in Blackburn, for example. It’s simply not realistic to assume they will move to a job that means a drive to Chorley for £30,000. The point here is that a modest increase may not be enough to justify the risk, disruption and uncertainty of changing employers. They may be comfortable where they are. They may like their manager. They may be close to a promotion. They may have flexibility that works for their life outside work.
It also works the other way. If an employer says, “We want to pay £30,000, so we should be attracting people currently on £28,000,” the next question should be, “What level of candidate does that actually secure in today’s market?”
Sometimes, yes, it is possible that a small increase will attract the right person. ‘Sometimes’ is not a good word to be associated with the growing strength of your team, though. There is a real danger in building a recruitment strategy solely around what the business wants to pay, rather than what the market requires. That doesn’t mean every business has to overpay, it just means we all need to be realistic about expectations around experience, qualifications, role complexity or speed of appointment if salary is the only differentiator for your role.
Be prepared for counteroffers
If a good finance professional tells their employer they are leaving, there is a strong chance the current employer will try to keep them. That may involve a pay rise, a change in responsibilities, greater flexibility, a promotion discussion or promises about future development. If the only reason a candidate is moving is a relatively small one, a counteroffer can quickly undo the process. However, if the new opportunity is clearly better in several ways, the candidate has stronger reasons to stay committed.
This is why employers need to think beyond the basic package. What is the role really offering? Why should someone leave a secure position to join you? What is better about your business, your team, your culture, your leadership or your development prospects?
Your employer brand and the prospects for the potential team member need to align as much as possible. Again, salary is only part of this.
The best candidates judge the whole process
Recruitment is not just about the assessment of the candidate by the potential employer. It is also an assessment by the candidate of the employer.
Every individual touchpoint matters.
These touchpoints are everything from the job description, the first conversation, the speed of response, the interview experience, the professionalism of communication, the clarity of feedback and the way the offer is handled.
The candidates are not looking for just any role. They are looking for a reason to want your role.
This is really where a solid, specialist and experienced recruitment partner is an essential part of getting the right applicants, partly because we create a higher level of clarity. Good candidates want to feel that the employer is organised, professional and serious about their people. A positive and clear recruitment process helps create that confidence.
Clarity is more attractive than cliché
Finance candidates do not need vague promises about a “fast-paced environment” or a “great opportunity”. They need substance.
They want to know:
- What will I actually be doing?
- Who will I report to?
- What does success look like?
- How stable is the team?
- What systems will I use?
- Is there progression?
- Will I be supported?
- What are the expectations around office, hybrid or flexible working?
- What is the culture really like?
Clarity matters because it reduces risk for the candidate. It also helps employers attract people who are genuinely aligned with the role.
Speed matters, but so does preparation
Good candidates do not usually stay available for long.
That does not mean employers should rush into decisions, but it does mean the recruitment process needs to be organised. Delayed feedback, unclear interview stages or long gaps between conversations can quickly damage momentum.
Before going to market, we always make sure to be clear on:
- The salary range
- The essential skills
- The desirable skills
- The interview process
- Who is involved in the decision
- The timescale
- The benefits package
- The flexibility available
- The reason the role exists
These are the main ‘selling points’ of the opportunity
That preparation makes the whole process smoother and more attractive across a range of candidates. From there, we have a wider pool to give you the right choices.
Benefits, development and culture are now part of the offer
While, of course, a competitive salary matters, it isn’t the full picture.
Finance professionals are also looking at the wider employment proposition. That could include a range of hard and soft benefits such as flexibility, training, study support, development opportunities, team structure and the quality of leadership.
If the role looks limited, the culture feels unclear, or the work-life balance appears poor, the candidate simply may not apply. In fact, a role with genuine progression, strong mentoring and a positive team environment may be more attractive than a higher basic salary elsewhere.
This is especially important when attracting passive candidates. They are weighing up whether the opportunity improves their career and their working life. If it doesn’t, well, why would they not just stay where they are?
Building the right finance team in 2026
Creating a strong finance team in 2026 means being realistic, prepared and competitive.
- It means recognising that the best candidates may not be actively looking.
- It means understanding that salary expectations have changed.
- It means accepting that passive candidates need a compelling reason to move.
- It also means making sure the recruitment process itself reflects well on your business.
The strongest candidates will usually have options. They may also have an employer willing to fight to keep them. So, if you want to attract them, the question is not simply,
“What do we want to pay?”
Or even
“How much can we afford to pay?”
The better question is:
“How can we make sure the right candidates choose us?”
When we can answer that with clarity, and back it up with the right package, the right process and the right recruitment support, you are much more likely to build the finance team your business needs and not the only team it can get.
Let us help you attract the right finance candidates
At AFR Consulting, we work closely with employers to understand the role, the market and the candidate profile needed for long-term success.
The value is in understanding the market, knowing what candidates are likely to respond to and being able to advise honestly when expectations need adjusting. That might mean discussing salary, role structure, job title, working pattern, benefits, candidate availability or the way the opportunity is being presented.
Our work is built around finance and accountancy recruitment across Lancashire, North Manchester and the surrounding areas. As a director-led financial recruitment agency, AFR focuses on a personal, professional and consultative service, matching the right people with the right businesses rather than simply filling vacancies.