How Tax Effective Turned 523 Applicants into 1 Successful Hire in 4 Weeks
When London accountancy practice Tax Effective needed to replace a departing team member, finding the right combination of bookkeeping experience, technical skills and professional ambition was essential. Nexstema managed a four-week recruitment campaign, screening 453 candidates from 523 applications and conducting eight first-stage interviews. The result was a successful Accounts Assistant appointment, with recorded interviews helping the management team make decisions more efficiently.
About Tax Effective
Tax Effective is a London-based accountancy practice providing accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, tax compliance and financial reporting services. Established in 2017 and operating in the Notting Hill and Bayswater area, the firm supports businesses with day-to-day financial management and wider advisory requirements.
Its services include specialist support for small businesses, dental professionals and franchises, alongside financial advisory and fractional CFO services. Led by Bilal Attique, the practice combines modern accounting technology with personalised support, helping clients manage their financial obligations and make informed business decisions. As the practice developed, maintaining sufficient accounting capacity was important to ensure work could be distributed effectively across the team.
The challenge
- Needed to replace a departing employee and restore accounting capacity within its London practice.
- Required a combination of bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, accounting software knowledge and strong Excel capability.
- Existing Indeed campaign had produced applications, but identifying technically suitable candidates remained time-consuming.
- Needed an efficient screening process that would allow them to focus on clients while maintaining confidence in hiring decisions.
Our Solution
- Launched a dedicated recruitment campaign through Indeed, LinkedIn and additional distribution channels.
- Assessed applicants against practical accountancy experience, qualifications, software knowledge, location and salary expectations.
- Recruiters explored candidate experience beyond CV claims, identifying technical limitations and potential suitability.
- Tax Effective’s managers could review candidate answers and interview evidence without repeating the full initial screening process.
- Regular reviews helped refine candidate selection, maintain visibility of the pipeline and progress suitable applicants.
“Nexstema did a brilliant job with the interviews, saving me a tremendous amount of time by providing videos and transcripts that I could review at my convenience.”
RESULTS
- 1 successful hire in a reported 4-week recruitment period, filling the Accounts Assistant position.
- 523 applications generated, with 453 candidates screened against the requirements.
- 34 candidates shortlisted, leading to eight first-stage interviews and six candidates assessed as qualified for client consideration.
- Reduced management screening demands, supported by the client’s positive feedback on video interviews and transcripts.
- 75.8 hours of estimated time saved.
The Challenge: Finding Practical Accounting Expertise Without Overloading Management
Tax Effective needed additional accounting capacity after a previous recruit unexpectedly left the business. The vacancy required more than general administrative or bookkeeping experience.
Tax Effective was therefore looking for someone who could contribute quickly, work with limited supervision and continue developing professionally. Assessing these qualities required more than reviewing qualifications and employment histories. The management team needed confidence that applicants understood the practical responsibilities of the position and could demonstrate relevant experience.
With senior employees already responsible for client delivery, lengthy CV reviews and repeated introductory interviews also created additional demands on management time. The challenge was to identify a suitable hire efficiently without compromising the selection process.
Previous Approach: Existing Applications Still Required Significant Screening
Before launching the new campaign, Tax Effective had been recruiting through Indeed.
Nexstema’s initial work included reviewing 117 applicants generated by that existing recruitment activity and conducting four first-stage interviews.
Although the process produced candidates for consideration, Tax Effective still required a stronger selection of applicants who closely matched the position’s technical and operational needs.
Receiving applications was only one part of the problem.
The practice needed a way to distinguish applicants with relevant hands-on accounting experience from those whose CVs suggested a suitable background but did not sufficiently demonstrate their practical abilities.
For Bilal and his senior colleagues, personally reviewing candidates and conducting introductory interviews took time away from other responsibilities.
A more structured, managed approach offered the opportunity to broaden the candidate pool while reducing the screening burden.
Nexstema’s Approach: Broad Candidate Reach, Focused Screening and Recorded Interviews
Nexstema launched a dedicated recruitment campaign on 14 August 2026.
Using Indeed, LinkedIn and other recruitment distribution channels, the team expanded the pool of prospective candidates.
The process combined AI-assisted screening with recruiter judgement and direct candidate interviews.
This approach helped the team move beyond the information contained in CVs.
Rather than forwarding every potentially relevant applicant to Tax Effective, Nexstema evaluated candidates in stages.
Recruiters investigated practical work experience, technical confidence, salary expectations and suitability for an office-based role.
A particularly valuable part of the process was the use of recorded first-stage interviews supported by transcripts and notes.
These gave Tax Effective’s management team access to candidate answers without needing to conduct every introductory conversation themselves.
They could examine relevant technical responses, compare candidates and decide where to invest their own interview time.
Regular recruitment reviews maintained communication between Nexstema and the client, allowing the team to discuss candidate quality, selection priorities and progress.
The result was a process designed to give Tax Effective visibility and control over hiring decisions while Nexstema handled much of the initial assessment work.
Candidate Pipeline:
Applications
523
Screened
453
Shortlisted
34
First-stage interviews
8
Qualified candidates
6
Successful hires
1
The Result: An Accounts Assistant Appointed in Four Weeks
Tax Effective successfully recruited an Accounts Assistant following a reported four-week campaign.
The appointment addressed the practice’s need for additional accounting support after the previous recruit’s departure.
The selected candidate brought practical experience across bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and financial accounts, alongside familiarity with multiple accounting platforms.
For Tax Effective, the central benefit was a successful appointment supported by a managed recruitment process that reduced screening demands on the business.
Secondary Benefits: Supporting Management Capacity and Future Hiring Decisions
The recruitment process delivered benefits beyond filling the immediate vacancy.
By taking responsibility for initial screening and interviews, Nexstema helped Tax Effective’s senior team spend less time reviewing applications and repeating candidate assessments.
The recorded interviews and transcripts also provided a transparent record of candidate responses, supporting more informed comparisons and discussions.
This was a particular benefit for a practice whose managers needed to balance recruitment with ongoing client responsibilities.
The appointment also aligned with Tax Effective’s wider ambition to develop its team.
As the new Accounts Assistant increased his contribution, the practice had an opportunity to redistribute accounting production work and allow senior colleagues to devote more attention to client relationships and business development.
Spend Less Time Screening. More Time Hiring the Right Person.
When your team needs specialist talent but cannot afford to spend weeks reviewing applications, Nexstema helps you identify, assess and interview suitable candidates through a managed recruitment process.