Mastering recruitment: trends, tips and ICAEW Training Vacancies

In this blog, discover market trends and exclusive research, recruitment top tips, and ICAEW Training Vacancies, our free-to-use trainee recruitment platform.

The numbers, the trends and most importantly, the talk. What are students really saying about their career choices and how they see the accountancy profession? 

Insights from some of the latest UK graduate and school leaver research by High Fliers, Bright Network and Cibyl shed light on how students view their options.  
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School leavers: apprenticeships on the rise

Cibyl’s 2025 UK School Leaver research shows interest in apprenticeships has grown rapidly with 18% of school leavers now considering this route. If we look back just two years, only 10% of students were interested in an apprenticeship. At the same time, interest in attending university is at an all-time low, with only 60% of students considering this study route, down from 78% in 2024.

So, why is apprenticeship interest going up and university interest going down? High Fliers Graduate 2025 research states for many it’s the massive appeal of earning a wage whilst working towards a qualification comparable to a Masters, especially as graduates are reportedly leaving university with an average debt of £44,000. Overall interest in the university route has continued to decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic. 
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Graduates: drawn to accountancy

Among graduates, accountancy and finance remain a popular career choice, with one in 12 graduates being interested in the sector, according to High Fliers. 

When asked, graduates advised their top three most appealing roles in accountancy were audit, consulting and corporate finance. Only a quarter were interested in tax and 8% interested in insolvency roles.   

Aspiring accountants are also starting to plan their careers earlier than most students. They increasingly seek purposeful work but can be put off by perceptions of heavy workloads, exam pressure, and limited connection to wider issues such as climate change.

From crafting an engaging job advert to creating a positive onboarding process, let’s explore what motivates and discourages students during the recruitment journey.

What students want in a job advert

Students look for clear information about the role, this includes the work/study structure, exam funding and expectations about time spent in the office (and for many, they actively want to have contact time in an office). 

A dull, uninspiring job advert is off-putting; crafting a standout job advert can be a challenge but making it clear and including key details makes it more appealing. Students want to understand their basic day-to-day responsibilities and can often get confused with corporate jargon. Adverts should have a clear outline of your recruitment process, including the number of interview stages and timeframes for communication.

The most effective inclusion is salary. If you don’t include it or simply put ‘competitive’ you could be missing out on a pool of strong candidates who will skip over your role. Whilst salary is essential to any job advert, however the firm, the work/life balance, office culture all play an important part in attracting candidates. 

Geographically, London remains the most popular location for students to work, but it’s worth noting that students are increasingly saying that offers with better career progression and work life balance, could make them consider taking a job outside a main city location. In fact, Bright Network records 92% of graduates now expect employers to offer wellbeing support.

You can’t offer everything but ensure what you do is clear in your adverts to attract as many applicants as possible. 

Candidate barriers

Cibyl’s 2025 UK School Leaver research shows over 50% of students name anxiety as the main reason they drop out of the recruitment process; two in five feel that having a disability or learning difficulty affects their chances of getting a job; and over 30% would drop out if there are too many interview stages.  

Cibyl’s Graduate research also found 30% of students state anxiety around assessment methods as the reason they drop out of the interview process; 37% would also drop out if there are too many stages to complete. 

Interestingly, students don’t seem to have a preference between online and face-to-face interviews, they are comfortable with both formats. However, almost all say they do not like recorded video interviews, stating they find it impersonal and cold.

It’s vital to create a supportive and inclusive recruitment process. Making one small change, like asking candidates if they require adjustments for interviews, can make a real difference
 

Creating a good interview experience

For the majority of your candidates, this is the first time they will be going through a professional recruitment process. If they feel supported and get a personalised experience they are more likely to stay engaged. If the process feels cold, overly complicated or unclear, they could quickly disengage.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to improve this. Firstly, use tailored emails and phone calls (avoiding auto email responses). A message from a real person builds trust and shows you value the candidates time and effort they put into the process.

Secondly, set expectations early. Acknowledge applications, outline the interview stages and give clear timelines. Lastly, always provide feedback. Thank candidates for their time, while this can be time consuming (especially with high volumes), a thoughtful response can leave a positive impression. One of the biggest complaints we hear from students is that they simply don’t hear back. 

Learn more about communication tone, time, transparency and touchpoint best practice.

Positive onboarding

Sending an offer to someone can often feel like the end of the process, but it’s vital here to keep a candidate engaged. Building a meaningful onboarding experience doesn’t need to be resource heavy but can help your new starter feel more welcome. 

As a first job, it is normal for candidates to be nervous about starting their job. Simple things like a welcome pack, a personalised message from their manager, or arranging a meet up with the team can make a big difference. In fact, Cibyl found around 60-70% of both school leavers and graduates  value a welcome pack, a personalised email, and an induction day as part of their onboarding experience.    

Consider allocating some focus into your onboarding process and help your new starters feel valued. 

Mastering the art of recruitment may feel overwhelming, but sticking to these key points and ensuring your candidate’s motivations and concerns are in focus will ensure a successful and adaptable recruitment process for your organisation. 

Remember, keep your recruitment process short and clear, personalise all your recruitment communication, and take care with every interaction. Discover more in our on-demand Mastering recruitment: trends, tips and ICAEW Training Vacancies webinar below.

If you’re authorised to train with ICAEW, you can take advantage of ICAEW Training Vacancies, our free-to-use trainee recruitment platform. Sign up and successfully recruit future finance leaders with all the insights and best practice gained from this blog.