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The last two years forced companies across the U.S. to make tough decisionsâdownsizing teams, restructuring departments, and significantly reducing internal Talent Acquisition (TA) functions.
The last two years forced companies across the U.S. to make tough decisionsâdownsizing teams, restructuring departments, and significantly reducing internal Talent Acquisition (TA) functions. Now, as hiring steadily returns, CFOs, Finance VPs, and People Leaders are facing a new challenge:
In todayâs post-layoff market, forward-thinking companies are shifting away from large internal recruiting teams and moving toward a lean, flexible hiring modelâpowered by specialized recruiters operating on a performance-based, variable-cost structure. This shift is not just practical. Itâs financially strategic, operationally efficient, and the fastest way to secure elite Accounting and Finance talent.
Talent Acquisition and HR layoffs hit hard across major industries including:
While these cuts made sense during slow hiring cycles, companies are now hiring againâwith far less internal recruiting support.
Many organizations are facing:
This creates major productivity gapsâespecially in Accounting and Finance, where roles like Controller, FP&A Manager, Technical Accountant, or Finance Director often sit open for months when handled internally.
Instead of rebuilding fixed recruiting headcount, companies are shifting to a variable-cost hiring model where expenses align directly with results.
A full TA team comes with salaries, benefits, ATS systems, sourcing tools, training, and management overheadâcosts that directly conflict with post-layoff efficiency goals.
Recruiting needs fluctuate. Some months require zero support, others demand urgent high-volume hiring. Specialized recruiters allow companies to scale instantlyâwithout idle payroll.
Recruiters are compensated only upon successful placement, making them the most cost-aligned option in uncertain hiring cycles.
Internal TA primarily relies on inbound applicants. Specialized recruiters actively engage passive candidatesâthe high performers who are not applying but are open to strong opportunities.
This includes access to:
Roles that typically take internal teams 6â12 months to fill can often be closed in a fraction of the time through specialized recruiting.
The most effective companies today use ahybrid hiring approach.
Internal TA works best for:
Specialized recruiters work best for:
After layoffs, internal teams can no longer cover every hiring need. Specialized recruiters fill the gapâefficiently and strategically.
Pacific Executive Search was designed for environments where agility, cost-efficiency, and quality of talent matter most.
Our focus:Recruiting top Accounting and Finance professionals across California and major U.S. markets.
Key roles we specialize in:
Our model delivers:
We operate as an extension of your leadership teamâwithout requiring you to rebuild a full internal TA department.
The companies winning post-layoffs are embracing flexibility. Instead of rebuilding bloated teams, they rely on recruiters that provide:
This hiring model isnât reactiveâitâs strategic. It allows organizations to remain financially disciplined while still securing elite talent exactly when they need it.
If your company is rethinking its hiring approach after layoffs, this is the moment to move toward a leaner, smarter model.
Connect with Pacific Executive Search to learn how a variable-cost, finance-focused recruiting strategy can accelerate your hiringâwithout rebuilding fixed-cost recruiting infrastructure.
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