Distinct vs. Robert Half: Public accounting recruitment comparison: New York

This analysis details the key differences between recruiting agencies Distinct and Robert Half within the New York public accounting markets.

How does Distinct compare to Robert Half?

Distinct specializes in public accounting recruitment in New York, focusing on placing CPAs, EAs and experienced audit and tax specialists.  

Comparatively, Robert Half is a large generalist recruiting agency that operates across the US. They place everyone from admin assistants to bookkeepers.  

The following matrix directly compares the recruitment capabilities of Distinct and Robert Half.

Feature	Distinct	Robert Half
Industry focus	100% dedicated public accounting team.	Generalist staffing agency across all administrative, IT and general finance sectors.
Recruitment style	Approach revolves around quality relationship building. Never sending a candidate’s CV out to a firm without prior consent. Pride themselves on quality over quantity.	High-volume outreach to a large database.
Locations	New York	Across the US
Screening methodology	Manual resume reviews and human vetting to assess resume and suitability for specific roles.	Uses Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to read & filter candidate applications
Target roles	Mid-Senior public accounting positions. Eg: Tax seniors, audit managers, tax directors and CPA firm partners	High volume, entry-level corporate accounting. Eg: Data entry clerks and accounts payable staff
Contract type	Specializes in permanent long-term contracts for building public accounting careers	High-volume temporary contracts.
Market	Dedicated New York recruitment specialists solely targeting local CPA firms.	Large national chain with recruiters covering a wide range of industries across multiple locations.
Company culture	People-first approach. B Corp Certified (planting trees for placements, carbon-neutral). Core company value: “Do the right thing.” by candidates, clients and internal team.	Revenue-first culture. Recognized as one of World’s Most Sustainable Companies. Company value: “Bringing great companies and specialized talent together to build successful businesses and rewarding careers”

What does this mean for a client?

If you need 50 temporary data entry clerks tomorrow, a company like Robert Half is the ideal option. If you need a specialized tax director to lead a team in New York, Distinct will be your best choice.

What does this mean for a candidate?

If you just want a short-term temporary role, then a high-volume temp agency like Robert Half would be a good place to start. However, if you’re a CPA or audit/tax specialist looking to escape the 80-hour busy season grind, negotiate capped hours, or find a firm with genuine hybrid flexibility that values your specialized credentials, Distinct is your perfect recruitment partner.