Never has Corporal Jones catchphrase been more relevant.

In the past 12 months, the ramifications of both domestic and international politics have created a tsunami of uncertainty, anger, fear and division.

Is there any wonder why? We have been hit with a barrage of headlines about the dire predictions for the UK economy including;


“Pretty grim reading” 
“Two decades of lost earnings growth”
“Declining living standards”
“The endless living squeeze”

Throwing in the mix about Brexit threatening to move your jobs to mainland Europe, the rise of Artificial Intelligence, plastic pollution and the all the other horror stories. The idea of hiding under the bed with Moz, the John Lewis monster seems most appealing.
 
However, there are grounds for optimism especially if you are fledgling accounts trainee, newly qualified or an established and seasoned accountant.

Singularly the biggest issue facing Professional Service clients who are recruiting is not the competition.  It is not unrealistic salary demands but it is the ongoing skills shortage amongst candidates particularly around Audit / Assurance / Tax / Advisory / Risk and Insolvency.

Demand for accounting staff has remained consistent throughout the year and will continue into 2018. We do not hear from our clients about the imminent collapse of the UK economy.  Far from it.  The expectation is a push on hiring next year.

The question to ask job seekers should be, what are you doing to make your profile stand out? what skills do you need to develop? where can you focus your efforts to secure your next role?  How are you approaching your job search?

For those employers out there, the message from the UK working population is very clear.  The drip feed for improved flexibility and work life balance driven by the millennials is now matched by all generation types.

It is by far the biggest motivator for job change.  Money, reward and career development is following closely behind. The thinking is; if purchasing a house is a distant dream and materialism and the requirement for “things” less important, life experiences and time to enjoy them is the compensation.

A business with innovative ideas, working flexibly with clear objectives whilst operating as an achievement focused meritocracy is an easy and compelling sell.

So, accepting change, embracing it and leading change for candidates and clients alike is the optimistic message as Christmas and a New Year approaches.  Time for calm and hold of nerves, panic is no use to anyone.

Are you the ultimate number cruncher -the king of the spreadsheet? Want a career where money isn’t just the reward but the focus?

If you’re often the one left deconstructing the bill after dinner, have a sharp eye for detail and a mathematical mind then working in finance could be the perfect career for you. Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered.

Here are some careers to consider in the finance industry and some of our top tips to help you get ahead:
 

Finance assistant

What they do
Support the finance team by taking responsibility for numerous administrative duties. This includes managing purchase ledgers, keeping an eye on financial policies, setting up direct debits and standing orders to make sure the department runs smoothly.

What you need 
An organised and methodical approach to your work is essential, as is a strong aptitude for numbers. You won’t need previous experience for many entry-level roles, but being able to use excel would be preferential.

Earning potential
Starting salary will be around the £16,000 mark, rising to around £20,000 and above with additional experience. 

Perfect for
People who like to keep everything organised.

Accountant

What they do
Manage organisations’ accounts, ensuring their financial position is constantly updated and reported on. Oversee all incoming & outgoing costs of the company ensuring these are in line with the company budget as well as providing reports on improvement.

What you need
Numerical ability is a must, not to mention a passion for arithmetic and rigorous attention to detail. Qualifications are preferred but not always essential although a familiarity with financial accounting customs is favoured for most entry level positions.

Earning potential 
Entry-level salaries start at around £22,000 rising to £30,000+ with the right level of experience and qualifications.  

Perfect for
People who like deconstructing analysis.

Auditor

What they do
Support the finance department by reviewing risk, identifying opportunities and keeping up to date with any legislative changes ensuring the organisation is fully compliant with industry best practice.

What you need 
Excellent industry awareness and a duty of care to provide the business with the best possible advice.

Earning potential 
Initial salary may start at around the £22,000 mark, but successful auditors can be paid up to £40,000+

Perfect for
People who are great with advice.  

Finance manager

What they do 
Leading the finance department in the direction of the business objectives, ensuring team duties are delegated efficiently, working with the team to provide a strategic vision for the future. Control over analysis, reviews and forecasts of the business strategy.

What you need 
Excellent analytical skills, confidence and the ability to make decisions under pressure. Leadership will also be of paramount importance to your team. A degree is preferred, but experience in a similar financial capacity could work in some cases.

Earning potential 
Anything between £40 – £50,000 is typical for a finance manager depending on the size of the company.
 

Top tips

1. Set your Goals
   The first step is the hardest step. Visualise the job you want. If the end goal is a stretch too far at this point, break it down into realistic and achievable steps.
    
2. Know your abilities
   It’s time to look in the mirror and get to grips with your own strengths and weaknesses. Be brutally honest, know where you are in relation to your goal, but don’t let this put you off. You’re on a journey and that journey may take you onto some ‘B’ roads before you hit the motorway.
    
3. Get a Personal Development Plan
   Craft a Personal Development Plan and decide what actions you need to take to reach your goals. Be specific, make your actions measurable and write a date in which you are going to hit the mile-stones and stick to them!
    
4. Take advantage of the many opportunities 
   Maximise the in-house training that working in the finance sector offers. Talk to your line-manager about doing external courses or gain additional experience by shadowing others. If you’re working with suppliers they often offer free events to join that will add to your knowledge base. Take advantage of any free learning that is going on offer.
    
5. Talk to someone who is where you want to be
   Find someone doing what you want to do. Now that you have a role model ask yourself what is it about them that has made them successful. Maybe sit and have a coffee with them and talk about their career journey. Find out their secrets-of-success. You will find that people are often more than happy to talk about themselves and offer this key information quite freely.
    
6. Connect with others
   Build connections with people who can help you. Join communities and professional networks – these may be specific functional groups or skill specific associations. Build a LinkedIn profile. Be relevant to their conversations and be prepared to hold your own opinions. It’s important to share your passion but stay on piste and develop an antenna to tamper down when necessary.
    
7. Be prepared for change
   Change is constant – get on board or get left behind. Keep your eyes-open to new deployments in your sector and do not be afraid to offer your services and get stuck in to any new project.
    
8. Brush-up on your knowledge
   Keep abreast of your profession, read sector related magazines and journals attend events and talk to people in commerce to get a fresh and up-to-date perspective.
    
9. Adopt a commercial mind-set
   Providing value-for-money in the finance is not good enough. The whole sector wants to see a measurable cost benefit and accountability for service delivery. Demonstrate that you can not only achieve targets but know how you can make these relevant to your audience.
    
10. Finally...
    Passion and ambition is infectious. Your drive and energy will elevate you to stand out in the crowd. Be generous with your ideas and treat others how you wish to be treated yourself.

 
Morgan Hunt is a leading finance recruiter with a wealth of finance & accounting recruitment experience. We appreciate the essential function of finance and the importance of finding the right finance & accounting professionals – not only in terms of skills and experience, but also in terms of cultural fit and long-term development. 

Contact us or call the team on 0207 419 8900 to find out more.

Think again..

LinkedIn is not only a useful tool for job seekers in recruitment terms, but it has also become a necessity for business and professional users, yet as a social media channel it’s easy to fall into some bad habits.

LinkedIn is a professional forum for the working world and some content that you might post on your Facebook page is not appropriate. You can be conversational, but keep the conversation focused on the professional.

LinkedIn is often the first port of call for anyone thinking of hiring you. Your profile needs to make a good impression and it should not be taken lightly. Unfortunately, there are many pitfalls that you can succumb to when putting a profile together or posting content and a small thing can make a lot of difference – here are some tips on what not to do.

Remember that it’s not a dating site
Profile pictures are important and you should pick one which makes you look professional and well-presented. However, posting pictures of yourself in swimwear, with a bunch of friends on a night out or on your skiing holiday is not appropriate for LinkedIn. Your picture is the first thing anyone looking at your profile sees and, if yours looks unprofessional, prospective employers will immediately switch off and click away.

This is not to say you can’t show a bit of personality in your profile picture, and you should by all means use one which shows you in your best light, but it must demonstrate that you are a competent, confident professional, rather than someone with a great tan who likes to drink blue lagoons.

Know your audience
Technically, LinkedIn is a social media site, but please note the use of the word technically. The platform is unique in that it uses the format, functionality and structure of a social media portal but targets a very different audience.

When people spend time on Facebook or Pinterest, they are looking to be entertained, amused or inspired. When people spend time on LinkedIn, they are in a completely different mode and are more often than not looking for something that can help them enhance their own career or achieve a specific goal.

This means that unusual content or anything that is not strictly to the point and providing necessary information is a useless (and annoying) distraction. What you may think are inspiring quotes or amusing asides on your profile page are very likely to turn off anyone who has taken the time to check you out, so you should make sure that everything you post is relevant and provides useful and insightful information about you and your expertise.

Keep it neutral
The above can make you look unprofessional, but if you really want to risk alienating prospective employers, the best way to do this is to clearly demonstrate your political or religious opinions. LinkedIn, as an extension of the work environment, is no place for politics or religion, and although discrimination on either ground is not allowed officially, if someone doesn’t agree with beliefs that you hold strongly they are that much less likely to hire you.

You can fall foul of this most easily in the ‘causes you care about’ and ‘organisations you support’ sections. Marking yourself down as a member of the Suffolk Society for Bird Conservation is probably fine, but anything relating to the Brighton & Hove Trotskyist Collective, Young Donald Trump Supporters of Reading or anything to do with God is not recommended.

For any more tips on how to make the best of your LinkedIn profile, contact Morgan Hunt’s recruitment specialists.