Have you tried hiring a CPA candidate straight out of college lately? It’s just this side of impossible. If you don’t come prepared to offer them the sun, the moon and few of the stars, they’ll smile politely, turn their backs and sign up with your deep-pocketed competitors.

Yep, the competition for top accounting talent is pretty intense these days. Just what does one have to do to hire one, anyway?

In this CPA Journal article, four accounting educators offer one possible solution: Start working now to develop relationships with top students … and their professors as well.

“Long-term relationships between employers, faculty, and students are critical,” the article states. “Long-term relationships help employers make efficient use of recruiting resources, help faculty understand the needs of both employers and students, and help students identify suitable employers. Without long-term relationships, employers are less likely to attract students to their job openings and faculty members are less likely to recommend that students pursue those openings.”

The article offers a number of tips for employers, including the following:

• Focus on a few key campuses.
• Get to know the department chair and the accounting program.
• Build a relationship with a campus by taking part in on-campus activities. (Provide speakers for an accounting class, for example, or sponsor events with the accounting club.)
• Make your recruiting efforts consistent from year to year.
• Provide internships.

There are many other helpful tips in the article. Read it here, then click “Comments” below and tell us what works for you. Or maybe you want to keep that to yourself …