Origin Staffing - Thoughts on Recruitment
Lessons from Switching Sides: What Accounting Taught Me About Better Hiring Decisions
For most of my career, I worked in accounting and risk roles where precision, judgment, and accountability mattered. The work demanded discipline, technical rigor, and the ability to operate under pressure. Those experiences shaped how I think, how I prepare, and how I evaluate outcomes today.
Accounting is a profession built on trust. The people who succeed in it are thoughtful, resilient, and detail-oriented. I was fortunate to build my foundation there and earn my CPA, experiences that continue to influence how I approach my work.
Over time, though, I became more aware of how my strengths showed up most clearly. I’ve always been energized by people – by understanding how they think, what motivates them, and helping them work through decisions that matter. While accounting sharpened my technical skill set, I wanted to apply that foundation in a way that allowed for deeper human connection and broader impact.
That realization ultimately led me to recruiting, and more specifically, to Origin Staffing.
Why I Made the Move and What I Was Looking For
My decision to move into recruiting was not about leaving accounting behind or diminishing the importance of the work. It was about finding a role where I could combine technical credibility with relationship-building and long-term problem solving.
I wanted to help people navigate complex career decisions without discarding the years of effort it took to build expertise and earn credentials. Recruiting offered a way to do that. It allowed me to stay close to the accounting and finance world while engaging more directly with candidates and hiring leaders.
At Origin Staffing, that combination is central to how we operate. The firm’s philosophy is rooted in depth, thoughtfulness, and long-term outcomes. That environment elevated how I think about recruiting and pushed me to go deeper than surface-level matching. My perspective as a CPA is one lens, but it’s complemented by the collective experience and standards of the entire Origin team.
The Hardest Part of Switching Sides
The transition into recruiting required getting comfortable being uncomfortable again.
While I brought deep experience in accounting and risk, recruiting demanded fluency across adjacent areas I had not personally worked in. Intake calls with clients meant understanding a wide range of roles. Candidate preparation required anticipating how different hiring teams would evaluate experience and potential.
I had to study, ask better questions, and continuously expand my technical range. At the same time, I had to shift from thinking primarily about my own deliverables to understanding how companies approach hiring decisions at a broader, market-wide level.
That shift from execution-focused thinking to advisory thinking was challenging, but it fundamentally changed how I add value. Origin Staffing’s emphasis on preparation, calibration, and honest market feedback played a major role in that development.
What Experience Allows You to See
One of the perspectives I bring to Origin Staffing comes from having been in the same seats as many of the candidates we work with.
I understand what it feels like to lead engagements, present to executives, manage deadlines, and balance competing priorities. That firsthand experience helps me ask more meaningful questions and evaluate how someone actually operates, not just what appears on a resume.
That perspective does not stand alone. It works because Origin Staffing values structured evaluation, collaboration, and thoughtful search execution. Together, that allows us to act as a true first line of defense for clients, focusing on quality and fit before time is ever invested in interviews.
Why Narrative Beats Bullet Points Every Time
Resumes tell you what someone has done. Narratives explain how and why decisions were made.
Hiring leaders care deeply about judgment and intent. When candidates struggle to explain why they made certain moves, why now is the right time to change, or why a specific opportunity makes sense, it introduces uncertainty.
This comes up often with relocation or career transition conversations. Without a clear explanation of the “why,” companies hesitate. My role, and Origin Staffing’s role more broadly, is to help candidates articulate their reasoning clearly and honestly so hiring teams can feel confident in the decision.
What Accounting Professionals Often Misunderstand About Hiring
Wanting change and being a fit for change are not always the same thing.
Many professionals underestimate how hiring risk is evaluated on the other side of the table. Titles, compensation, and responsibilities are shaped by more than ambition. Market dynamics, team needs, and timing all play a role.
Education is a critical part of recruiting. At Origin Staffing, we prioritize transparency so candidates understand what is realistic and where flexibility exists. That clarity leads to better decisions, even when it requires patience.
What Hiring Managers Miss When They Focus Only on Compensation
From the client side, I’ve seen how often firms underestimate what motivates A+ talent.
Compensation can attract interest, but it rarely secures commitment. Growth trajectory, leadership quality, culture, and feeling valued as a long-term contributor matter just as much.
Interviews are mutual evaluations. When companies fail to articulate their vision or invest time in selling the opportunity, they lose strong candidates to organizations that do.
Helping clients tell that story well is part of how Origin Staffing partners with hiring teams.
Culture Fit Is an Operating Reality
Culture fit is not a buzzword. It’s an operating reality.
Understanding how teams communicate, how leaders manage, and what behaviors are rewarded is essential. Some environments value quiet focus and precision. Others prioritize collaboration and connection.
Evaluating this requires real conversations and careful listening. It’s one of the areas where experience, patience, and judgment matter most.
What This Means If You’re Considering a Move
If you’re thinking about a career move, start by identifying what truly motivates you. Growth. Compensation. Autonomy. Balance. Purpose.
Then focus on narrative. Companies can see your resume. What they need to understand is how you think and how your decisions connect.
Finally, approach interviews as opportunities to learn. The best outcomes happen when both sides are thoughtful and honest.
What This Means If You’re Hiring
For hiring leaders, depth consistently beats speed.
When recruiters are treated as true partners and given the context they need, they save time and reduce risk. That partnership model is foundational to how Origin Staffing operates.
FAQ
Why does industry experience matter in recruiting?
Industry experience allows recruiters to evaluate how someone actually operates, not just whether keywords appear on a resume. At Origin Staffing, firsthand exposure to the work helps us ask better questions, assess judgment, and identify real fit faster.
Why do lateral moves often fail?
Lateral moves in title and compensation rarely provide enough upside to justify the risk of change. Without expanded scope, clearer growth, or stronger alignment, candidates often regret the move or re-enter the market quickly.
How should candidates explain career moves in interviews?
Candidates should focus on decision logic rather than outcomes alone. Hiring teams want to understand why a move made sense at the time and how it fits into a longer-term trajectory.
What does “culture fit” actually mean in practice?
Culture fit reflects how someone works day to day, including communication style, management preferences, and how decisions are made. It is about operating alignment, not personality alone.
How does Origin Staffing evaluate fit beyond resumes?
Origin Staffing emphasizes intake depth, narrative clarity, and proof-based screening. We assess how candidates think, lead, and adapt, not just what roles they have held.
Why do companies lose strong candidates late in the process?
Many companies underestimate how much candidates evaluate them during interviews. When growth paths, leadership vision, or culture are unclear, A+ candidates often choose other opportunities.
How should candidates think about timing a move?
Timing matters as much as opportunity. Candidates should consider market conditions, personal readiness, and whether a move creates real progress rather than just change.
What makes a recruiter a true partner rather than a vendor?
A true partner understands the business, educates both sides, and prioritizes long-term outcomes. At Origin Staffing, partnership means depth, honesty, and accountability.
Work with Origin Staffing
At Origin Staffing, we partner with candidates and hiring teams who care about making thoughtful, long-term decisions. Our work is grounded in preparation, transparency, and depth, shaped by a team that brings diverse perspectives and shared standards to every search.
This blog was authored by Brian Henry – Recruiting Manager at Origin Staffing