Go Home, Accounting Firms

While demand for professional accountants and financial planners increase, the Northeast finds an acute shortfall of qualified talent. One approach to solving the shortfall--hire stay-at-home moms and retired accountants as part-time employees. Not only do women and retirees have the skills and work ethic required for the job, but the marketplace has tended to overlook part-time professional employees. The employees, on the other hand, appreciate the work schedule flexibility, the reasonably good pay and the chance to reuse their skills.

I have some bias on this issue, as my wife worked part-time when I was teaching in Alabama 10 years ago. Hopefully, more firms will consider part-time employment for professional as well as non-professional employees.