Thinking about a move in public accounting can feel overwhelming. Every CPA firm promises great culture, better balance, strong compensation and clear advancement – but the reality often varies widely. When turnover in the profession regularly exceeds 25% (more than double the national average of 11.6%), it’s clear many tax and audit professionals aren’t finding what they need.
Research like the Intuit QuickBooks’ CPA Career Satisfaction Survey shows that support, culture and connection matter most, but those are exactly the things that are hardest to judge from the outside. How do you know whether a firm genuinely values work-life balance, development and sustainability or if their “great culture” pitch is just marketing?
To help, we asked our public accounting recruiters what tax and audit professionals should actually look for when evaluating a new firm.
Define your non-negotiables
Before you even start interviewing, get clear on what actually matters to you. Our data shows the top reasons CPAs choose to change firms are:
- Ready for a change (28.3%)
- Progression (16.5%)
- Location (11.8%)
‘Ready for a change’ can include anything from unclear advancement to simply wanting a different pace. But if you don’t define your non-negotiables upfront, it can be hard to recognise the right opportunity when it appears.
Ellie Butler sees this all the time: “Start by identifying what really matters to you. If culture is key, ask what they do socially. If flexibility matters, ask what a typical week actually looks like – not just the headline policy.”
Ask yourself:
- Do I thrive with structure, or do I want autonomy and broader exposure?
- What resources (tech, training, CPE, support staff) would actually improve my day-to-day?
- What do I need from a manager or Partner – mentorship, accessibility, communication style?
Understand working expectations
Hours are one of the biggest variables across CPA firms, not just during busy season, but year-round. Billable expectations, how work is allocated, how often emergencies happen and how leadership behaves all tell you more about a firm than any benefits list.
Abigail Stephen recommends focusing on systems, not just hours:
“Don’t just ask how many hours you’ll work. Ask what happens when workloads spike. Who steps in? How do they support the team? The answer tells you far more than any vacation policy.”
Laura Serena Rose agrees, adding, “A good firm won’t sugar-coat busy season. They’ll be upfront about expectations – and that’s what you want.”
Questions to ask in the interview:
- What does a typical busy season look like for this team?
- How do you prevent staff from being overscheduled?
- When unexpected work comes in, how is it redistributed?
- Do you do anything to give back to the team after busy season?
Read culture cues
Culture isn’t defined by a mission statement, it’s experienced in the day-to-day. How people collaborate, communicate under pressure and support new joiners reveals far more than any careers page.
Ellie suggests one simple question that cuts through rehearsed answers: “Ask your interviewer what their favourite thing is about working at the firm. It puts them on the spot and you usually get an honest answer.”
A bit of outside research also goes a long way. As Alex Alcock advises – “Look at their website, LinkedIn and social media. If it’s a larger firm, message current employees and ask what their experience has been like and when you go to interview, talk to the receptionist. People are surprisingly open.”
If the firm can clearly explain how they onboard new joiners, distribute work, communicate internally and support people under pressure, that’s typically a good sign.
Questions to ask in the interview:
- What does onboarding look like for someone at my level?
- Can you tell me about the last person who wasn’t the right fit – and why?
- How does the team stay connected when things get busy?
Ideally, with each of these, you’re looking for specific examples.
Assess growth and progression
Most CPA firms say there’s ‘room to grow’, but the reality varies massively. Progression depends on structure, mentorship and whether leadership is committed to developing people – not just filling gaps.
Alex sees assumptions derail candidates: “People often assume bigger firms equals faster progression, but that’s not always true. Smaller and mid-sized firms can move people up much faster because there are fewer layers.”
Laura adds that examples matter: “Firms that can give you real-life progression stories – like someone who’s moved from Senior to Partner – are the ones where opportunity is genuine.”
Further, Abigail highlights the importance of opportunity, not just titles: “Progression isn’t just promotions. It’s access to new clients, new software, more complex work – anything that builds your skill set.”
Finally, Rebecca Sherman emphasizes the importance of mentorship: “Find out who you’ll be learning from. Who will you work closely with? That impacts both your day-to-day and your long-term progression.”
What to look for:
- Clear, measurable promotion criteria
- Realistic timelines
- Internal promotion examples
- Opportunities to stretch (complex engagements, management exposure, niche specialisms).
Consider longer-term fit
Even if the role looks perfect now, will it still be right in three or five years? Long-term fit is about aligning with the firm’s direction, priorities and values.
Rebecca says this is where candidates often overlook the bigger picture:
“It’s easy to focus on salary or title. But long-term satisfaction comes from understanding where the firm is going and whether you actually want to go there with them.”
Alex advises asking:
- What’s your vision for the next 3-5 years?
- How would this role contribute to that?
- What would success look like in my first 60-90 days?
- What challenges are you working to solve as a firm?
Partnering with Distinct
This is where working with a recruiter genuinely matters.
Not to ‘sell you a job,’ but to:
- Give you realistic hours and compensation data
- Flag red or green flags based on what we hear from other candidates
- Help you articulate your non-negotiables
- Ensure you only interview with firms that match your criteria.
The more honest you are with us about what you’re looking for – and not looking for – the better we can guide you toward roles that truly fit your values, goals and working style.
At Distinct, we help public accounting professionals make moves that work not just on paper, but in practice. If you’re exploring what’s next, we’re always here to talk through your options.
