March is one of the most underestimated months in the recruitment calendar.
On the surface, it feels transitional. Teams are busy. Year-end is approaching. Delivery takes priority. Recruitment often feels like something that can wait until April.
But interestingly, March is rarely quiet in the talent market.
In fact, it’s often when some of the most important hiring decisions are quietly forming - long before they become visible.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve noticed a pattern in conversations across accountancy practice. Professionals aren’t necessarily actively applying for roles yet. They’re not handing in notices. But they are reassessing.
And firms are beginning to ask subtle but important questions about structure, workload and succession ahead of the new financial year.
March, in many ways, is the month where intentions become clearer - even if actions haven’t yet followed.
The Psychology of the First Quarter
January and February are reflective months.
Performance reviews take place. Bonuses are discussed. Progression conversations happen. People evaluate whether expectations were met - on both sides.
By the time March arrives, many professionals have already decided internally whether they feel aligned with their current firm for the year ahead.
The key distinction is this:
In March, those decisions are still private.
By April, they often become public.
This creates a subtle but significant strategic advantage for firms willing to engage earlier.
What Changes After April?
The start of the new financial year brings clarity to budgets, headcount planning and growth forecasts. It also brings:
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Formal resignations following bonus payments
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Multiple firms entering the market simultaneously
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Increased interview competition
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Counter-offer activity
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Longer decision timelines
Once April begins, recruitment shifts from proactive to reactive for many practices.
Hiring becomes about replacing leavers rather than strengthening teams.
March offers a different opportunity - one based on positioning rather than urgency.
The Advantage of Acting in March
Firms that choose to move before April often benefit in four key ways.
1. Access to Undeclared Movers
Not every strong candidate is actively job-seeking.
Many are open to conversation but not yet motivated to apply publicly. Engaging in March allows firms to speak with these professionals before they enter a competitive market.
These conversations are typically calmer, more exploratory and less transactional.
2. Reduced Market Saturation
When fewer firms are interviewing at once, competition naturally decreases.
Candidates are not juggling multiple processes. Decisions feel considered rather than rushed. Firms have more space to communicate culture and long-term opportunity.
This alone can significantly improve offer acceptance rates.
3. Improved Retention Planning
Recruitment is often seen as separate from retention. In reality, they are closely linked.
March provides a valuable opportunity to assess:
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Where pressure points are emerging
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Which team members are carrying disproportionate workloads
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Where succession gaps may exist
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Whether progression pathways feel clear
Addressing these early reduces the risk of reactive hiring later.
4. Stronger Employer Positioning
When a firm hires in March, it signals confidence and planning.
Candidates often interpret early hiring as a sign of organisational stability and foresight. It feels deliberate rather than crisis-driven.
And perception matters.
Listening Before Reacting
Today also marks World Hearing Day, which feels particularly relevant in the context of hiring strategy.
Recruitment is often associated with speed - moving quickly to secure talent.
But the strongest hiring outcomes tend to come from listening first.
Listening to:
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The team member who seems slightly more stretched than usual
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Subtle signs of disengagement
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Client demand trends that may increase pressure
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Market expectations around flexibility and progression
Often, by the time a resignation lands on a desk, the signals have been there for months.
March offers time to hear them.
What We’re Seeing in the Market Right Now
Across accountancy practice, we’re noticing:
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Increased movement at Audit & Accounts Semi Senior and Assistant Manager level
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Professionals asking more structured questions about progression pathways
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Greater focus on hybrid flexibility and sustainable workloads
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Firms reviewing team shape ahead of April year-end
There is a quiet recalibration happening.
It’s not dramatic. It’s not frantic. But it is meaningful.
Professionals want clarity on development. Firms want stability and capability ahead of peak pressure.
March is where those needs intersect.
The Risk of Waiting
Waiting until April can feel sensible.
Budgets are confirmed. Forecasts are clearer. Year-end distractions ease.
But waiting also means entering a busier market.
When multiple firms recruit simultaneously:
Hiring becomes more complex, not less.
This doesn’t mean every firm should rush into recruitment in March. It does mean March should be used intentionally - for conversation, benchmarking and planning.
Strategic Hiring vs Reactive Hiring
The difference between strategic and reactive hiring is rarely about speed.
It’s about timing.
Strategic hiring:
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Anticipates capacity gaps
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Engages before resignations occur
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Strengthens teams ahead of pressure
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Positions the firm competitively
Reactive hiring:
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Follows unexpected departures
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Operates under time pressure
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Limits candidate choice
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Increases workload strain during transition
March allows firms to remain in the strategic category.
A Case in Point: Semi Senior Movement
At the Semi Senior and Assistant Manager level, we often see heightened movement around this time of year.
These professionals are typically ambitious, technically strong and increasingly aware of their market value.
If progression feels uncertain, or workload feels unsustainable, March is when reflection turns into action.
Firms who engage early can shape that decision positively.
Firms who wait may find themselves competing for the same talent weeks later.
The Bigger Picture
Recruitment patterns follow predictable cycles.
But the firms who consistently secure strong talent are not those who follow the cycle - they anticipate it.
March is not simply a prelude to April.
It is a strategic window.
A month where listening, planning and engaging early can create meaningful competitive advantage.
Final Thought
Instead of asking:
“Can we wait until April?”
It may be more useful to ask:
“What would we gain by acting now?”
For some firms, the answer may still be to wait.
For others, March may represent the calm before a very busy hiring season.
The key is being intentional - not reactive.
Because in recruitment, timing rarely feels urgent until suddenly it is.