2025 was an interesting year for accounting and finance staffing in the Twin Cities. To get a sense of what really happened in the market and where we might be headed, we sat down with Sara Kendrick, Senior Executive Recruiter at Ambrion. Sara has been recruiting since 2008 and has extensive knowledge of the accounting and finance space. She also regularly speaks with high-level contacts in the Twin Cities, which gives her a precise pulse on the market.
In this blog, Sara shares her observations from the past year and what she expects to see in the months ahead.
Q: What is one thing that surprised you most about 2025?
Sara Kendrick: How consistently busy we were throughout the entire year. There was never a lull. Going into 2025, I had no idea if we were going to have a quieter year due to market uncertainty. Instead, we found that more clients reached out to us to fill complex and difficult searches. Finding the right talent was more challenging and time-intensive in 2025, and I don’t anticipate that going away in 2026.
Q: What is something you consistently saw or recurring themes you noticed in 2025?
Sara Kendrick: Hiring managers are being pickier when it comes to what they want in a candidate. They are willing to wait it out until they find someone who checks all the boxes. This sometimes worked in their favor, but it also lengthened the time-to-hire, which meant losing out on strong candidates to other offers (from companies that made decisions faster).
Q: What’s a theme you saw in 2025 that you expect to see in 2026?
Sara Kendrick: We are seeing more companies bringing employees back to the office, which has triggered some employees to look for work closer to home or at companies with more flexibility. I think companies that continue to offer a hybrid or flexible work environment will win a candidate over, even more so than compensation, in certain situations.
Q: What are some of the most common objections you came across from candidates in 2025, so employers can think about how to preemptively address them?
Sara Kendrick: A few come to mind. The need for flexibility continues to be the #1 thing I hear from candidates. Hiring managers need to be ready to explain what flexibility means at their company and for their team. Most candidates I meet with want to be in the office a few days a week, but they’re looking for companies that recognize they have lives outside of work and are willing to accommodate those realities.
Candidates also want opportunities for promotion. Hiring managers should be prepared to talk through what that looks like, including the metrics for success and what growth could realistically look like over the next 2-3 years.
Another common objection I hear is about titling. If an open position has a manager title with no direct reports, hiring managers need to be able to sell it as a managing function. People are savvy enough to recognize when a title doesn’t match the responsibilities, so be clear about what candidates would be managing- whether that’s projects, processes, budgets, or cross-functional relationships. Help them understand how this role positions them for future leadership opportunities.
Q: What’s your short-term forecast for Q1 2026? What did you see in December 2025? And what are you seeing now?
Sara Kendrick: As we closed out 2025, we noticed an uptick in positions opening for a variety of reasons, like retirements, internal promotions, organizational restructuring, etc.
We’re hearing approvals for positions being put through now that fresh budgets are in place for the new fiscal year. Hiring managers are ready to hire, which is encouraging to see in Q1. That being said, the market will still be tight for mid-level accounting and finance talent. These roles are highly competitive because they require a specific blend of experience and technical skills, and there simply aren’t enough qualified candidates to meet demand.
If you’re hiring or planning to hire in the next couple of months, expect to move quickly when you find the right person or risk losing them to other offers.