Newly Qualified Accounts Are Earning More From Their Accounting Jobs

Newly Qualified Accounts Are Earning More From Their Accounting Jobs
Newly qualified accountants are earning more

A recent survey published by Chartered Accountants Ireland shows that newly qualified accounting jobs have increased by 3%. This is up 6% percent from the previous year. Newly qualified chartered accountants receive on average a base salary of €58,967, car allowance, plus a bonus.

Increase in Accountant’s Salaries

Accountants salaries are rising in their accounting jobs
Accountants salaries are rising

Most members stated that their total remuneration has increased by 86% in the past three years. 37% of respondents, or more, reported that their wage has increased by more than 25% this year in their accounting jobs.

A pension is available to 88% of members, up from 85% in 2021 and 2020, with companies paying an average of 9% of members’ salaries. The pension contribution is the component of their compensation that 51% of respondents value the greatest after their base pay.

Accounting Jobs Bonus Expectations

67%) stated they anticipated receiving a bonus this year from their accounting job
67%) stated they anticipated receiving a bonus this year,

Despite the fact that fewer chartered accountants (60%) compared to (67%) stated they anticipated receiving a bonus this year, the study indicated that members’ outlooks were more upbeat than in recent years.

Approximately 83% of Chartered Accountants Ireland members stated they anticipated a rise in their overall compensation during the upcoming year, with nearly a fifth (18%) anticipating an increase of more than 10%.

Four in five accounting respondents (79%) think the market will continue to grow, which is a big improvement over 2021 (67%) and 2020 (25%) when the Covid-19 pandemic first appeared.

“This year’s survey shows a number of very positive market trends. It points to continued strong earning prospects for Chartered Accountants working across Leinster, including for newly qualified members,” said Ann Marie Costello, chairwoman of Chartered Accountants Ireland Leinster Society.

“While expectations around bonus payments have fallen back somewhat, overall remuneration packages are rising across the board, and the vast majority of those surveyed remain confident that salaries will increase again in the year ahead and that there is buoyancy in the market,” she said.

Flexible & Hybrid Working in Accounting & Finance Jobs

Work from home options are more common in accounting jobs
Work from home options are more common in accounting jobs

The study also captured a broader trend toward flexible and hybrid working arrangements for accounting jobs. The most common option was a hybrid arrangement, which 73% of members said their company supports, while 13% of members work from home full-time.

A healthy work/life balance is supported by their employer, according to almost 80% of respondents, in a non-monetary way by allowing them to work from home. 36% of Chartered Accountants Ireland members claim they are working more hours at home than when working in the office, down from 48% in 2021.

A healthy work/life balance is supported by employers, according to 4 out of 5 members, in a non-financial way by allowing employees to work from home.

Martina Quinn Managing Director Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment said “The findings from this survey indicates that employers have adapted well to new ways of working. We are seeing this in the market as many of clients are offering remote working and hybrid working models for accountants and finance professionals. Its also reassuring to see newly qualified accountants being offered great packages after years of study and working to become qualified. Once again, we are seeing these excellent packages being offered to our newly qualified candidates regularly”

Enhanced Accounting and Finance Skills

Working from home has improved accountants skills
Working from home has improved accountants skills

The survey also identifies some of the beneficial and long-lasting effects that the pandemic had on accounting jobs:

According to 3 out of 4 respondents, the pandemic has not fundamentally altered their employment as a chartered accountant in their organization, but rather improved methods of operation and skill sets.

3 out of 5 people think that switching to remote work has improved their ability to communicate with others in their organization and improved their performance in their accounting jobs. More than half (53%) claim that switching to remote working improved their IT and finance software skills and 50% claim that it boosted their presenting skills.

Huge Opportunities in the Accounting Jobs & The Finance Jobs Market

The outlook for accounting jobs is very positive
The outlook for accounting jobs is very positive

The survey conducted by Chartered Accountants Ireland reflects what we have been experiencing in the market. Newly qualified accountants are being offered some great packages which consist of excellent salaries and benefits. One of which is work from home and hybrid working options which would never be on offer to accountants.

Employment for accounting and finance professionals is projected to grow. The demand for accountants in Ireland is on the rise with the following sectors experiencing growth in 2022:

  • Practice, audit, tax, advisory, corporate finance
  • Pharmaceutical and healthcare
  • Technology and fintech
  • Financial Services/Insurance
  • FMCG and transport
  • Energy

Our Solutions

Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment specialises in the placement of qualified accountants up to executive level nationwide. Our teams have extensive experience (67 years combined) in recruiting in the Irish Market.

Our leading finance recruitment agency is based in Limerick, and we have excellent accounting and finance jobs in Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary. Check out some of our roles in our job portal.

Reach out to the team here in Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment for the best advice and support in building your finance teams contact us today.

Get The Finance Candidates You Deserve – A Guide

Top accounting and finance organizations are reporting that it is challenging to source employees with the necessary skillset.

Getting the right candidates is proving difficult for accounting and finance organisations
Getting the right candidates is proving difficult for accounting and finance organisations

Due to a high demand and a limited supply, finding qualified accounting and finance specialists is difficult. It’s critical now more than ever that financial recruiters understand how to locate and hire talent in today’s competitive employment market given that jobs in the finance industry are predicted to grow to 50% hiring intention rate.

According to CPA Ireland who estimates a shortfall of almost 15,000 trainees in the accountancy profession over the last decade. This has led to a shortage in quality qualified candidates in the market.

To help you in your search for excellent hires, we’ve broken down the main recruitment challenges such as:

  1. Lack of qualified candidates
  2. Skills shortages
  3. Intense competition for talent
  4. Quick and ever evolving digital landscape

In this article we will share tips to overcome these challenges and land great hires for your business.

Develop Your Company Employer Brand:

If you want to compete for top talent and stand out in the financial industry, you must invest in your company’s employment brand name. Find out how your potential new hires view your brand and what information they are most interested in learning.

Developing your employee brand is crucial to attract at retain top accountants and finance professionals
Developing your employee brand is crucial to attract at retain top accountants and finance professionals

Recognize how it differs from what you are demonstrating to them. Try to alter their presumptions as much as you can to ultimately draw in more prospects.

Keep in mind that you’re competing with fledgling fintech start-ups, who probably have a fun, interesting employer brand. You must promote your business to your ideal candidates if you want to be truly competitive.

Use Recruitment Marketing Techniques For Hiring

The process of hiring continues after you establish your employer brand. To create a sizable pool of qualified candidates for present and future job openings and prospects, you should concentrate on targeted tactics.

Using recruitment marketing methods is a sure-fire way to draw in interested job seekers, but in order to do it successfully, you need to be innovative and think outside the box. It is a great technique to get and keep their attention to offer them pertinent electronic content and interesting employment ads.

Think outside the box to attract top accounting and finance talent to your organisation
Think outside the box to attract top accounting and finance talent to your organisation

Additionally, you can utilize technological tools like programmatic job advertising (often known as recruiting “bots”) to help you get your job openings in front of the appropriate candidates. This will enable you to target your ideal clients.

In order to significantly increase their ability to attract digital talent, 24% of firms in the financial services sector change brand perception through marketing and advertising according to PWC

Expand Your Sourcing Processes

You need to be looking in all the right places if you want to find the best financial services experts out there. Expanding your sourcing options is a terrific place to start because of this, but it might be easier said than done.

Make sure to promote your opportunities in as many pertinent locations as you can, including social media platforms and online job boards. Additionally, you can use LinkedIn to upload positions and try to source people.

Use as many different sources as you can to find prospects. A terrific way to meet entry-level applicants is to attend college and university graduation fairs and other recruiting events.

Establish a Graduate Employment Strategy.

One of the largest employers of entry-level workers is the financial solutions industry. Because of this, the majority of financial companies today use a graduate employment strategy to identify recent graduates who are just starting their careers.

While it is a great start, it is insufficient to retain momentum after you get them on board or to compete in such a competitive employment market. Establish a process for employing graduates from universities, but don’t just stop there.

Create a graduate programme that enables graduates to become future leaders in your business
Create a graduate programme that enables graduates to become future leaders in your business

Continuously work to improve their abilities and develop them into future leaders who will undoubtedly advance your business. “Train people well enough so they may leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want,” as Richard Branson once famously said.

Apply Inclusive Hiring Practices

It is clear that the finance sector has diversity issues. According to a recent study, fewer than 25% of people are aware that their companies are actively working to hire more women and people from ethnic minorities. There is always room for improvement even if finance organizations are making slow but steady progress in hiring even more diverse candidates.

You can utilize a variety of techniques to make your efforts at inclusive employment better. For instance, try crafting thorough job postings to attract a diverse pool of applicants and employ the principles of blind hiring to eliminate unconscious bias.

Make it a point to hire people based on their qualifications and skill sets to make sure they closely match what you’re looking for.

It’s critical to keep in mind that communicating your initiatives to both current and potential employees can help your inclusion and diversity policies as you grow your workforce. There is still a long way to go, but financial organizations are attempting to increase diversity in their workforce.

Create A Network of Corporate Alumni

When it comes to recruitment there should be a heavy emphasis on hiring experienced professionals and mid-career professionals not just young personnel and recent graduates. Due to their anxiety that history would repeat itself, many former employees left the sector during the economic downturn and never returned.

But why cut all ties with experienced finance specialists when lines of communication can easily be put in place. Maintaining contact with outstanding individuals is a great idea if you want to create a corporate alumni network that enables you to connect with former workers who left under favourable circumstances.

Consider creating a networking group on Facebook or LinkedIn that you can use to connect with former employees who might be hired again.

Job and Employee Growth Programmes.

It’s fantastic for your company to find and hire the appropriate people, but what do you do with them once they start working? You must have a suitable program for ongoing professional development that benefits you, your new hires, and your current personnel.

Create a suitable program for ongoing professional development that benefits you, your new hires, and your current personnel.
Create a suitable program for ongoing professional development that benefits you, your new hires, and your current personnel.

The foundation of your company’s employee growth  proposition is a well-functioning development program, which is a great method to show your dedication to assisting employees in advancing their roles and careers.

Remember that having thorough hiring procedures in place is not enough; you also need to provide your team with the tools, resources, and opportunities necessary for them to grow professionally. Your commitment to creating an inclusive workplace must be genuine and sincere.

Connect Online

We have access to a variety of technology tools, therefore it only makes sense to use them while making employment decisions. It is quite effective to connect with job candidates via email and social media platforms, 

Use LinkedIn to find accounting and finance professionals who are already actively looking for new roles
Use LinkedIn to find accounting and finance professionals who are already actively looking for new roles

Social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are excellent places to engage with potential customers. According to a LinkedIn research, 49% of professionals contact with businesses on social media networks primarily to advance their job search. Why not therefore find them there where they are already actively looking?

Set Up an Employee Referral Programme.

Employee recommendations are a great approach to recruit new employees. By saving costs on candidate sourcing, this method shortens the time needed to fill a vacancy. Additionally, you’ll hire new workers that already fit in well with your current team and company culture, making the situation all around advantageous.

Use A Trusted Specialist Finance Recruitment Agency.

Competition is fierce and talent is scarce. To find the best individuals for finance jobs, you must be confident in your recruitment strategies. Everything starts with explaining to them what it means for your company to hire both recent graduates and seasoned employees.

Let us take the pain away from the accounting and finance recruitment task
Let us take the pain away from the accounting and finance recruitment task

The simple solution is to leave it to the specialists, like us, If you think you lack the specialized knowledge or just don’t have the time since you are already juggling many jobs already, Once you’ve done that, everything else will be simple to arrange, and you’ll soon be recruiting A-list employees.

Our Solutions

Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment specialises in the placement of qualified accountants up to executive level nationwide, Our teams have extensive experience (67 years combined) recruiting in the Irish Market. Reach out to the team here in Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment for the best advice and support in building your finance teams contact us today.

What Separates Good Accountants from Great Accountants

Accountants are considered essential cogs in the wheel of an organisation as they are responsible for variety of tasks inside a business.
Accountants are considered essential cogs in the wheel of an organisation as they are responsible for variety of tasks inside a business.

Accountants are considered essential cogs in the wheel of an organisation as they are responsible for variety of tasks inside a business. Business choices can be significantly impacted by even a seemingly minor error made by accountants, such as forgetting or adding an extra digit, misplacing a decimal, or any other similar mistake.

Balancing of the accountant’s books serve as a foundation for company decisions and a way to gauge an organization’s financial health. Therefore, it’s crucial for accountants to have a few traits that would enable them to excel in their roles

Below is a list of seven qualities that the ideal accountant should possess.

Attention To Detail

This quality is crucial since accountants must make sure the figures; they are using are accurate. Accountants shouldn’t need reminding to be careful and precise; it should come naturally to them.

Attention to detail is an important trait for an accountant to have
Attention to detail is an important trait for an accountant to have

According to data from Chartered Accountants Ireland, the majority of accountants work full-time, and many more put in over 40 hours per week. Accidental mistakes like incorrect manual entry or omitting a digit are simple to make, but attention to detail is what sets the great apart from the good. A minor error can have a big impact, therefore saving them sets you distinct.

Practical

Great accountants possess a growth-oriented proactive practical mindset. They should be keen to identify inefficiencies and make immediate improvements.

Outstanding Accountants should be focused on determining the problems or difficulties that they or their company are experiencing and working to resolve them. It not only benefits the organization but also keeps them at the forefront of their field.

Great accountants are goal-oriented by nature, accountants are constantly considering where the organization will be in the next five years and what has to be done to get there.

Reliability

The accounting department is one of the most valuable sectors for an organization. People responsible for the company’s financial records and data can alter the numbers for their own gain in addition to the accuracy that is expected of them.

Reliability is an important trait for an accountant to have
Reliability is an important trait for an accountant to have

It typically happens in places where an employee has access to change financial records. But you never know when old ghosts from auditing will return to haunt them. In order to uphold standards and adhere to accounting principles, it is crucial for accountants to have integrity and are reliable and trustworthy.

Only those with an innate sense of right and wrong are suited for this line of work.

Leadership

A strong leader understands how to guide, instruct, and be approachable to their staff. There must be a balance between leading by example and taking command, in addition to being a member of the team.

It requires persistence, self-assurance, and delegation skills. Long-term planning and strategic thinking are also included in the list of leadership abilities for accountants. The capacity to anticipate needs is essential because consulting services are offered by numerous accounting firms.

Structured and Well-Organised

Being organized would make a significant impact in an accountant’s everyday activities because they frequently deal with enormous volumes of data and deal with figures for numerous clients. If they are organized, they can handle their workload and be more efficient.

Being organised is hugely important to an accountant and finance professional
Being organised is hugely important to an accountant and finance professional

Setting priorities is important, but so is maintaining a tidy desk and email folder. If there is a lot of work, they should feel at ease picking what needs to be done right away and what can wait until another day.

Communication Skills

This is a skill that accountants frequently neglect. The ability to properly convey and interpret complex accounting concepts to others who are not familiar with financial jargon yet require them for decision-making is essential for a skilled accountant.

The processes used to create reports needed for decision-making are also discussed by the accountant with clients. They must also collaborate closely with auditors, who examine accounting records for correctness and make purchasing or investing decisions.

Time Management

Accountants must manage a variety of activities while using a decision-making process to do everything on time. The accountants’ financial data is used by the corporation to guide a number of crucial choices.

Being able to perform and work to deadlines is a must for finance ang accounting professionals

This information can be deemed irrelevant if it is not delivered on time. A competent accountant establishes an organized system that enables work to be completed and filed on schedule. Their capacity for meeting deadlines and setting priorities is what propels them forward.

Conclusion

It should go without saying that being a great accountant needs a lot of work and the essential personality traits of a successful person.

Accountants must to be able to develop extraordinary talents, demonstrating to their clients that they are trying to better both their present and their future.

Good accountants are well-versed in both internal and external financial reporting requirements, and they know how to meet them. They are trustworthy, accurate, and pertinent. They are familiar with a variety of solutions to uncommon accounting issues.

Outstanding accountants have the ability to observe, understand, conclude, and interpret in the face of complicated financial crisis circumstances. They are aware of and skilled in evaluating numerous best-practice solutions to issues that frequently or recently arise for them. They have a remarkable aptitude for subjects where numerical data dominates.

Here at Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment where we have many years experience working with the best accountants in the industry have noticed that the best accountants have abilities not only to solve financial brainteasers, but it’s also the ability to translate environmental knowledge into organized problems and rebuild problematic situations such that they are logically solvable. They are also able to communicate their findings in a way that everyone in the organisation or their clients who don’t come from financial backgrounds understand.

Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment specialises in the placement of qualified accountants up to executive level nationwide,
Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment specialises in the placement of qualified accountants up to executive level nationwide,

When making decisions in those ambiguous situations, the best accountants put themselves in the position of the financials report reader. They do this while still producing elegant reports suitable for those who need the information most.

Our Solutions

Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment specialises in the placement of qualified accountants up to executive level nationwide, Our teams have extensive experience (67 years combined) recruiting in the Irish Market. Reach out to the team here in Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment for the best advice and support in building your finance teams contact us today.

Accounting & Finance Soft Skills to Upgrade – A Guide

Accounting & Finance Soft Skills to Upgrade
Accounting & Finance Soft Skills to Upgrade

Communication, Collaboration, Time Management and Critical Commercial Thinking are four key soft skills that accounting, and finance professionals can upskill according to Journal of Accountancy. This will help with their existing role or if they are looking for a move to another organisation.

These softer skills are in high demand when it comes to hiring accounting and finance personnel. Here at Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment where our teams have extensive experience (67 years combined) recruiting in the Irish Market’, have seen a shift in what employers look for in new accounting and finance employees.

In the last 30 years we have lived through a digital revolution. It was a privilege and not a right to have a PC and access to the internet which used to be through dial up. An accountant’s trusty weapon of choice was a calculator.

In today’s world accounting and finance professionals need access to a solid laptop with excellent processors and plenty of RAM. This is because today’s accountant needs to be technologically clued into the many accounting and finance software platforms they need to use.

As the industry gets more digitalized and automated soft skills can often be overlooked when an accountant or finance professional was a student looking to climb the corporate ladder. However, its these soft skills that can help accountants and finance personnel to reach where they want to be.

A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management published in May 2020 titled “Leaders and Employees Need Soft Skills Now More than Ever”. In their survey 97% of employers stated soft skills were either as important or more important than hard skills.

Hiring managers naturally look through candidate’s experience, necessary education, and qualifications. However, this is when they are trying to get to know their candidates from CV or LinkedIn profile. Hiring managers will want accounting and finance personnel with great knowledge combined well rounded interpersonal skills too.

In making a decision for hiring accountants and finance professionals you will want personnel that possess the above-mentioned soft skills combined with experience and industry know how. In this article we provide detailed information about the four key soft skills hiring managers are looking for.

Communication

Communication is a key skill for accounting and finance professionals to develop
Communication is a key skill for accounting and finance professionals to develop

Accounting and finance professionals are what keep businesses moving they are the foundation of every organisation. At some stage every department and business function must interact with the finance or accountancy team. This could be invoices, credit control to company audit summaries.

For this reason, it’s important that companies have accounting and finance professionals with excellent communication skills. The ability to present and communicate corporate financial strategies and report findings to company board members is important and having adequate communication skills is the foundation.

Accounting and finance teams will need to persuade and articulate valid points behind financial decisions and will need senior directors to back their decisions from time to time. Having communications skills to do this will help jobseekers progress within the organisation.

Written communication skills are just as important as verbal. Getting the tone right in your emails to team members, management and clients is vital. Making sure your emails are clear and concise and friendly.

Top Tip: Try and avoid using accountancy jargon when communicating with clients and colleagues who don’t come from an accountancy and finance background. Write your piece in such a way that anyone could understand it, not just those on your finance team.

For written communication, read over it and doublecheck for errors. For presenting reports, we would recommend reading over your presentation slides and practising presenting it in advance.

Collaboration

As an accountant collaboration skills such as empathy, teamwork and problem-solving skills are all necessary to get ahead in your career
As an accountant collaboration skills such as empathy, teamwork and problem-solving skills are all necessary to get ahead in your career

Accounting and finance teams no longer work independently reporting on finance related items. Business and businesses have become more complex and the need to work and communicate with other departments is necessary.

Companies today want more involvement from the accountant and finance professional in the business process and decision making. Accountants and finance teams are required to analyse raw data and provide their advice on businesses decisions.

As an accountant collaboration skills such as empathy, teamwork and problem-solving skills are all necessary to get ahead in your career. The ability to collaborate with colleagues, clients and external suppliers is a key skill to develop and grow in the accounting and finance profession.

To enhance your collaboration skills, we advise to get involved in networking at company events, chamber of commerce events and industry relevant events. Get involved with social committees within your organisation and try to get to know everyone. You never know how ye can help each other in your current and future roles.

Time management

Time management is essential for the busy accounting and finance professional today
Time management is essential for the busy accounting and finance professional today

This is an essential skill for the accounting and finance professional. Its in the majority of job specs that go out on the job’s boards. This is because many accountancy firms are deadline focused and billing hours for clients need to be accurate.

Finance can be seen as more task orientated, so managing your time so you won’t be snowed in with work is essential. This particularly true when it comes to certain times of the year such as filing tax returns etc.  

Critical Commercial Thinking

Critical thinking and problem solving skills is what will help you succeed at your chosen firm.
Critical thinking and problem solving skills is what will help you succeed at your chosen firm.

In your accounting and finance career you might face new challenges or unexpected errors. Critical thinking and problem solving skills is what will help you succeed at your chosen firm.

Being a critical thinker will allow you to evaluate complex situations and allow you to come up with logical and sometimes creative answers to complicated questions or scenarios. Critical thinking will allow you to make informed business decisions and devising strategic plans.

Critical commercial thinking allows the accountant to use the numbers, data and look beyond them to determine where the business should be heading for.  A CFO needs to have excellent commercial awareness, look beyond the finance function and take in the bigger picture to know where value can be added to the business.

Being a critical commercial thinker is:

  1. Knowing what global events are happening that will affect your business,
  2. Understanding and being aware of the company’s market and its place in the macro environment
  3. Insight into new trends and new technologies and how they will benefit your market share

To progress your career soft skills could be the last piece of the jigsaw to climb the ladder in your organisation.

Our Solutions.

Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment specialises in the placement of qualified accountants up to executive level nationwide, Our teams have extensive experience (67 years combined) recruiting in the Irish Market. Reach out to the team here in Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment for the best advice and support in building your finance teams contact us today.

The Importance of an Onboarding Plan For Your New Accounting Hires – 4 Step Process

Having an onboarding plan is crucial to your employer brand
Having an onboarding plan is crucial to your employer brand

So, you spent the time. you’ve went through so many applicants, you’ve done so many interviews. Maybe this took weeks, or even months, you filtered through all these people, you did all these interviews, and finally you’ve got that star player hired.

The next phase is crucial to ensure that your star accountant or financial professional fits into your organisation and team. The onboarding phase is where many companies can lose that star accounting and finance professional. The last thing you want is to start to whole process over again.

Its so easy for the hiring company to just let the new hire off to “do their thing” because usually by the time you’ve hired for this person, you needed them to start working weeks ago. With the demand for accounting and finance talent its so easy to do this because time is at a premium.

In many cases accounting and financial firms don’t have time to hire, write up job specs, filter through applications and sit through interviews and then try make a decision that best fits their organisation. Nor do senior finance and accounting personal have time to train and induct new hires to the company.

However here at Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment we would highly recommend you take the time to bed in your new star accounting and finance hire to retain your new star and current staff. In this post we show you a system that works.

We are in a phase where its currently a candidate driven market and competition for finance professionals and accountants, such as management accountants and treasury accountants are hard fought for.

According to Chantal Haynes-Curley of CPA Ireland “we witnessed a cataclysmic 49% decline in student registrations across all professional accountancy bodies, a figure attributed to the 2008 economic recession and lack of training opportunities for accountancy students.”

This is part of the reason for the skills gap in the accountancy and finance profession and why we are seeing salary inflation of skilled accounting and finance roles. A tactic rolled out by many employers to try attract and retain their staff.

To ensure your new hire feels apart of the company and the team around them getting the onboarding process right is a key strategy for improving your employer brand and recruiting the best accounting and finance talent on the market.

The onboarding process is your opportunity to make another first impression after the interview
The onboarding process is your opportunity to make another first impression after the interview

The onboarding process is your opportunity to make another first impression after the interview and a chance to set the foundations for the rest of your new star hire’s experience with your company. Once the onboarding phase is completed your new accounting and finance talent should have an in depth understanding of the organization’s culture and values.

If your firm is new to onboarding or if you’re looking to improve the HR process around the onboarding process, then understanding the below steps which we have provided can help your organisation.

A clear onboarding process will help you plan a clear strategy to engage candidates, improve new hire retention, and also help current employees adapt to your organizational practices.

The Onboarding Process.

Phase 1: Pre-Onboarding

The onboarding process can be broken down into four phases. The first phase is pre-on-boarding and should begin as soon as a verbal agreement of a job offer is accepted. Getting your onboarding preparation right is crucial as at this time as your candidates are most uncertain of what lies ahead.

Small miscommunications or a misunderstanding can make candidates doubt their decision to move into the accounting or finance role and join the company. However, get this right early on in the onboarding stage and your candidates will start to feel excited about joining your company and contributing to the team.

Regular communication about any updates that are going on in within the firm will help the new accounting and finance hire left feeling energised about starting the accounting job. During pre-onboarding the help, the new hire complete all the necessary paperwork such as contracts and payroll details.

Make sure to give the new starter time to finish up with their previous employer and finish exit tasks. If they are relocating to take up the new role check in with them to see if they need help finding accommodation.

A good idea is to send some content around the company in terms of the culture of the organisation what the building looks like inside and out and what their first day will look like.

Phase 2: Welcoming phase

The next phase is to welcome your new starter to the organisation and team. Providing an orientation will help new hires adapt to their new environment. Providing the new hire with a clear picture of the company will allow them to gain an understanding of how the company’s teams operate on an everyday basis.

The majority of new hires will be eager to prove themselves and will want to get started as soon as possible, for this reason it is recommended that the welcoming phase is kept to no longer than a week.

Their first day should be kept as simple as possible. Their orientation phase will help them gain an insight into the company’s culture and show them how work practices are aligned with the culture of the firm.  Housekeeping items such as annual leave, attendance and HR policies should be discussed at this stage.

The orientation phase is an opportunity to show them eateries, parking spots, printing equipment and medical facilities etc. Introduction to their new work colleagues and other stake holders is part of the induction phase.

The welcoming phase incorporates the small mundane things that could get overlooked but it’s an important step to ensure your new hire settles in well.

Phase 3: Role Specific Training

This phase is one of the most important phases of onboarding and can be linked back to how successful your new hires will be in their accounting and finance jobs. Your new hires may not know what it takes to thrive without formal training.

Dissatisfaction and frustration can develop can be a direct result of no training or poor training which in turn can lead to high turnover rates. According to Lorman

  • Nearly 59% of employees claim they had no workplace training and that most of their skills were self-taught.
  • 74% of workers are willing to learn new skills or re-train in order to remain employable.
  • 87% of millennials believe learning and development in the workplace is important.

However, if a well drafted training plan is in place will help new starters feel welcome and shows that the company cares about their progress and development. Employees should not feel overwhelmed by the training in place.

Everybody learns differently and at different paces, provide different types of learning techniques such as blended learning and self-paced learning. All learning materials should be stored in readily available access point such as an intranet or other cloud storage solution.

Phase 4: Transition to their new role.

Your new hire is ready to leave the nest and get stuck into their new accounting and finance job. The last phase is designed to set your new hires for success by setting out clear expectations for their new team members.

Set SMART goals for new starters which will help them visualise what success looks like. After six weeks a performance review is recommended so you can recognise their efforts while also providing feedback to help improve performance.

Onboarding ensures your new accounting and finance star hire fits your team. The process helps your new team member understand the company’s values, culture, and work. It improves employee retention and also your employer brand.

Onboarding ensures your new accounting and finance star hire fits your team
Onboarding ensures your new accounting and finance star hire fits your team

Our Solutions

Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment specialises in the placement of qualified accountants up to executive level nationwide, with over 18 year’s experience building excellent finance teams. Reach out to the team here in Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment for the best advice and support in building your finance teams contact us today.

Accounting and Finance Professionals Want Remote Working Options.

Accounting and Finance Professionals Want Remote Working Options.
Accounting and Finance Professionals Want Remote Working Options.

A recent survey carried out by the Financial Services Union in partnership with University of Limerick shows that 88% of respondents say they would like to work from home some of the time.

This is a significant number of accountants and finance employees in the industry seeking more flexible remote working options. The survey results also show that just over 70% said their employer did not provide financial support for costs associated with working from home.

The findings indicate a desire to have hybrid work from home solutions. Dr Michelle O’Sullivan of the Kemmy Business School at University of Limerick said the research points to several issues that employers should prioritise to improve the experience of remote working work. “These include a home working allowance for the costs of remote working,”

According to the president of CPA Ireland Áine Collins said “Remote working will bring tremendous benefits including increased productivity and a better work life balance. Remote working will also support regional growth by supporting SMEs, something CPA Ireland have called for in previous years.”

Remote working for accounting and finance professionals allows for increased flexibility and autonomy. According to INC, nine out of 10 employees who currently work remotely plan to do so for the rest of their careers.

Advancing technology coupled with the recent pandemic has accelerated hybrid working models. Technology such as videoconferencing software, collaboration platforms, and cloud services keep people connected and allow staff to have meetings and complete projects from anywhere, anytime.

Employers also benefit from remote working opportunities as it can be used as a tool to attract and retain talented accounting and finance personal. In this current market attracting and retaining top finance and accounting personal is paramount to succeeding and growing your business.

What are the benefits of working remotely?

Work/Life Balance

Remote working offers better work life balance, by not working in an office daily, empowers employees to feel in control of their life, to plan home and work tasks. This gives a sense of achievement and makes employees more productive.

Simple things can make employees feel more empowered by remote working such as:

  • There’s no rush to catch a train, bus or sit in traffic
  • They don´t have to carry files or your laptop
  • They can take a break when you need one
  • There are no stressful office politics
  • They get more family time

Flexibility and freedom.

Working from home can allow employees to plan their day to suit both their work and home life, if they carry out the set hours at the right time. Having the flexibility to attend medical appointments, watch the kids’ hurling match, or take elderly parents shopping can lighten the load.

By not having to ask for permission or fit in with other team members takes pressure off too. When an employer provides employees this kind of autonomy it builds trust and gives more job satisfaction.

Cost Saving

Inflation and rising fuel prices can be tackled by remote working
Inflation and rising fuel prices can be tackled by remote working

You can’t escape it; rising fuel prices and inflation are hitting everyone’s pockets right now. However remote working allows employees to save on fuel and maintenance costs of their vehicles. Other costs such as parking, lunch, snacks, formal clothes for the office all add up. 

Remote working saves on these expenses, which can add up to a substantial amount. This means more disposable income available for other things, which is always a good thing.

Save Time

Working from home naturally saves on time when commuting to and from the office. Remote working also allows accountants and finance personal to manage their own schedule. Some people work better in the mornings than in the afternoons.

Others come alive and are brimming with ideas in the evenings. Scheduling for their own time that allows employees to work when suits is a real benefit. If you are an accounting or finance employee working remotely, make sure the time you’re working doesn’t affect your colleagues and you meet deadlines doing this can allow you to work when you wish.

Peace and Quite

The traditional office can be noisy and full of distraction. People are talking, phones are ringing and in general there can be a hive of activity going on. This is great from a social point of view to meet and chat with colleagues, however many people find this environment distracting.

Some people need complete and utter silence to focus. Remote working provides this opportunity which allows you to be more productive. Silence is golden to many people.

Location, Location, Location.

A good internet connection allows us to work from anywhere.  Remote working has greatly benefited from better broadband infrastructure
A good internet connection allows us to work from anywhere.

We can work from anywhere as long as we have a good broadband connection. Working remotely in the finance industry means you don’t have to be bound to a city that you don’t enjoy living in.

If a spouse, partner, or roommate must be based or allocated in a particular location, remote working allows partners to keep their job and home life separate.

Health and Happiness.

Commuting daily, spending hours in traffic and looking for parking isn’t the best or healthiest way to spend our time. Remote working has the advantage of not encountering viruses or germs from coughing and sneezing of others. Its what the majority of us did during lockdown.

Remote working can also improve our mental health by limiting time with co workers who have a negative mindset. Incidents of workplace bullying and perceptions of hostile work environments especially those in minority groups have decreased according to Høgh et al., 2021.

Office Set Up

One of the biggest advantages of remote working is that employees can set up their office or workspace as they want it. Staff don’t have to worry about colleagues complaining if there untidy or too organised. They can have the temperature of the room just the way they like. They can open the window or leave it closed. Working from home allows employees to be more productive in their own environment

Employer Benefits To Remote Working

Remote Working Saves Company’s Money

With fewer people in the office on a daily basis companies could consider downsizing their office to cut costs on overheads such as rent, electricity and heating. More efficient workspace usage allows companies to save money according to a study carried out by Stanford.

In the study a participating company saved $2,000 per employee on its office space rent, simply by using the space more efficiently.

Increased Productivity

According to Forbes remote employees of 35-40% on average are more productive than their office counterparts
According to Forbes remote employees of 35-40% on average are more productive than their office counterparts

According to Forbes remote employees of 35-40% on average are more productive than their office counterparts and have measured an output increase of at least 4.4%. This is quite a significant number and something that employers should take note of.

Retention

Based on Forbes research 54% of employees say they would move employers for a role that offered more flexibility. After a remote work agreement has been offered turnover reduced by 12%.

Providing flexible remote working solutions can also be used to attract top accounting and finance talent. Remote working isn’t prevalent in the finance and accounting industry however being a leader in this area could offer employers with an advantage.

In a recent poll we asked, “Should all accounting and finance professionals have the option to work remotely?” with 98% voting yes. The desire for remote working is there among the accounting and finance professionals of Ireland.

Our advice is to use this knowledge and implement into your recruitment strategy in order to attract and retain top talent.

Our Solutions

If you’re a jobseeker looking for flexible remote working options get in touch with our team of accounting and finance recruiting professionals. They will be able to provide you with the best advice for your recruitment strategy.

If you are a jobseeker our accounting and finance recruiting professionals will be able to help you further your career in an environment that best matches your needs.

Contact us today.

Accounting and Finance Recruiting Trends in 2022

Accounting and Finance Recruiting Trends in 2022
Accounting and Finance Recruiting Trends in 2022

Its nearly July of 2022, we can’t believe it either. time flies when you’re having fun. While we were having fun, we have noticed a few trends in the accounting and finance recruitment industry and accounting and finance jobs in general.

Luckily the pandemic caused by Covid -19 hasn’t affected the accounting and finance jobs market and in fact the market hasn’t been this strong for quite some time. Jobseekers are in a position of strength where they can almost pick and choose where they work to certain extent.

For organisations to attract and retain the best available accounting and finance talent businesses must keep up to date with the latest current industry trends in order to fill available accounting and finance jobs.

Keeping on top of the latest accounting and finance recruitment trends places you in the best position to securing top accounting and finance talent to deliver your projects. Employers need to know what jobseekers want so hiring managers can speak the same language and present the company in a way that resonates with top accounting and finance talent.

To help companies navigate through the changing trends in recruitment we have compiled a list of hiring trends that will shape your future accounting and finance teams.

Remote Work

Working remotely is here to stay. If there is one positive to take from the global pandemic, it’s the realisation that we don’t need to be in the office or production unit all the time. Covid – 19 really accelerated this for businesses.

Accountants now expect to see an element of hybrid and work from home options in accounting and finance job descriptions. It’s vital for all businesses to be set up in a virtually connective/collaborative environment.

Remote work, work from home and hybrid work are becoming popular
Remote work, work from home and hybrid work are becoming popular

Using the latest technologies and software available to make communications between accountants and finance managers is paramount. Providing these amenities will instil confidence in your current workforce and help attract more high-quality accountants.

To ensure productivity is at the same level or even higher, employers should record all processes and workflows with appropriate tools. An accountant’s location shouldn’t impact on the quality of their work, nor should it hamper the company but enhance both employee and employer.

Wider Pool of Talent to Select From.

Thanks to hybrid and remote working options hiring managers can cast their hypothetical net further afield to attract the best accounting and finance talent for their business. Geography is no longer an issue which bodes well for companies who have suffering due to skill shortages in finance.

In some cases, international borders won’t be a problem for hiring managers as they look outside their own country to find the best accountants. This is especially true for highly technical specialist accounting and finance jobs.

Excellent Workplace Culture’s

Following on from the ability to implement work from home and hybrid working policies the virtual workplace opens the door to a wider field of talent as we discussed in our precious points. Businesses are no longer limited by hiring local talent as your recruitment campaigns can now be taken global.

With this relatively new feature available to businesses, access to talent will have increased as competition for the most suitable accountants will have heightened. Other accounting and finance firms will also be leveraging virtual collaboration technology to attract the best talent.

To compete with these firms, you as an employer need to offer more than just a great salary as this has its limits. More and more accountants want an excellent package that makes them feel like they are valued and taken care of.

Your company's culture is important when trying to attract to the right candidate
Your company’s culture is important when trying to attract to the right candidate

The best means of achieving this is by developing a world class work place culture that current and past employees can share on employer review sites such as Indeed and Glassdoor.  Establishing a standard set of values that are included in the company’s mission and vision statement will give potential hires something to think about.

Living and upholding these standards in your company’s day to day operations is also important as you don’t want to be seen to just be paying lip service. A culture that allows your accounting and finance personnel to grow, learn and opportunities to be promoted is also something that attracts accountants.

A culture where accountants feel at ease about raising issues, highlighting room for improvement, or suggesting new process ideas should be encouraged. This all ties in and contributes to your employer brand.

Building A Strong Employer Brand

Accounting and finance candidates are savvier than ever. They have access to vast amount of information about your company and brand and will spend a lot of time researching your company before they even apply for a role. We wrote a blog about this recently.

If you are worried about your employer brand you can invest in developing content for your social media and website to highlight what a great place your company is to work. Reacting to negative reviews in a positive manner and genuinely looking after your staff will help you attract and retain accountants to develop your employer brand.

Having a poor employer brand will make it difficult for you attract those top accountants to grow as an organisation.

Diversity and Equality

People care about what their employer stands for. Social justice campaigns are quite frequent nowadays and interests in these campaigns have sparked people’s interests. Many of those affected or interested in social justice campaigns could be your next hire.

Questions from candidates during interviews around diversity and equality in the workplace shouldn’t surprise interviewers or hiring managers. Having a policy around diversity, equality and inclusion embedded in the organisations mission and vision statement and the company’s cultural will make answering this question easier and make you sound more genuine.

Diversity and equality in an organisation are beneficial to your company
Diversity and equality in an organisation are beneficial to your company

Diversity and equality in an organisation are beneficial to your company and its also healthy for your teams and your management hierarchy.

Our Solutions

Recruitment as an industry is fast paced and the changing dynamics of recruitment for the accounting and finance segment is rapid. Trying to keep up with the accounting and finance industry recruitment trends while trying to run your organisation and the day-to-day operation behind the business is challenging.

Luckily there is a solution to this problem and that is to partner with Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment to source top accounting and finance talent. We have over 20 years of combined experience in building high performing accounting and finance teams.

We are always keeping our finger on the pulse to ensure you get the accounting and finance talent your business deserves. Contact us today for more information.

Accounting and Finance Company Research – A Guide

The Importance of Accounting and Finance Company Research
The Importance of Accounting and Finance Company Research

Accounting and finance jobs are competitive, doing your homework by looking up the business is crucial during the job search. Particularly when you get selected for an interview and your knowledge of the company will be quizzed. 

Doing your research will also be important when accountants decide what type of company, they want to work for and when they are ready to apply for that Accounting and finance job. 

With information so readily available in today’s world, employers, hiring managers and the companies they work for have come to expect candidates to have a good deal of understanding for their business.

Understanding the company’s business, goals and current projects will give an advantage over your competitors for the accounting and finance job up for grabs. Showcasing your proactive, sociable, and knowledgeable about their company will help you stay in the minds of the interviewers.

For your own sake, being familiar about the day-to-day operations of the company will also give you a better idea of whether or not you would enjoy being employed there and also if the company’s values match what you value.

Below is a list of how to do company research and get to know your future potential employer.  A quick Google Search will verify that there is a wealth of information out there about the business however It can be difficult to know where to start.

The research process can be broken down into the following:

  • Their website
  • Their social media
  • Their reputation
  • Their culture
  • Their financial health

Their website:

This is a place where accountants can get a feel for the business. The about section will provide you with a great introduction to the company. Where they started, their growth over time, where they want to be in the future and what their goals are. It can also show how many locations they have and where their headquarters are located.

Social Media:

Using LinkedIn and other social media accounts can provide a great wealth of information about the business and the accounting and finance jobs they are hiring for. Their social media will also provide a great deal of insight into their history, events branding, company tone and voice. Social media can also provide you with information on their reputation, and how they handle negative press.

Reputation:

Using tools such as Indeed and Glassdoor provide an invaluable resource as they provide information such as employee reviews, salaries and interview experience from those who sat in the hot seat.

When preparing interview answers this can be useful. However, take these reviews with a pinch of salt and not as gospel as people can be disgruntled about conditions and personal scenarios can lead people to vent frustration on these sites. 

When people are unhappy about a product or service they purchased, we tend to tell more people about a negative experience compared to a positive experience with a product or service. The same principle applies to Glassdoor or Indeed Reviews.

People who weren’t a good fit for the company and didn’t get a position with the company they interviewed for won’t be singing that companies praises. We need to be careful about what we read on these sites.

Google News

After conduction a quick search on Google check out the news section of the search provided by Google. This will provide you with recent company news and developments, which can arm you with a set of talking points for the interview and give you an idea on their reputation.

Bringing a company’s reputation into an interview is something you may not want to do, however having this knowledge can be of a huge benefit to you during the whole process. Questions like do senior managers take hours, days, or weeks to respond to queries or to approve actions?

Do current staff have a positive outlook for the future of the company or are they worried about closures and redundancies, if they are hiring chances are the business is thriving but it’s always good to know about the company’s situation before applying for a role.

Their culture:

Knowing what a company’s culture is like before applying may help you save some time. If the company culture doesn’t match your needs, you won’t apply. Finding out about a company’s culture can be more difficult to obtain.

Using your network can help you gain a valuable insight into their culture. Knowing information about the business values and unique characteristics goes a long way to determining whether or not you will find it be a good fit for you.

Having information on a company’s culture can help you ask your interview questions when it comes to that part of the interview.

Knowing details about an accounting and finance company's culture during the job search will go along way
Knowing details about an accounting and finance company’s culture during the job search will go along way

Financial Health

Knowing the financial health of a company will allow you to make a clear decision to either apply for the accounting and finance position or not apply. If the company is solvent, shows adequate operating efficiency and is profitable then you should apply for the open accounting and finace job.

There is no one perfect method to determining a company’s financial health or sustainability. Being an accounting and finance professional, you probably already know this. However, taking a look at a company’s liquidity, solvency, profitability, and operating efficiency can indicate if a company is thriving or not.

Liquidity:

This is the amount of cash and easily-convertible-to-cash assets a company owns to manage its short-term debt obligations. Quick ratio is a metric used to measure liquidity. A quick ratio lower than 1.0 is often a warning sign, as it indicates current liabilities exceed current assets.

Solvency:

Relates to a company’s ability to meet its debt obligations on an ongoing basis, not just over the short term. The metric used to measure solvency is debt to equity ratio.  A downward trend overtime in debt-to-equity ratio is a good indicator that a company is financially strong.

Operational Efficiency

This is that measures the profit earned as a function of operating costs. The greater the operational efficiency the more profitable the firm is.  The metric used to measure this is operating margin. It indicates how well the company is being managed.

Profitability

To survive and be successful a company must be profitable and maintain being profitable. Net margin is the ratio used to measure profitability. A large net margin indicates a company is in a position to commit to capital growth and expansion.

Doing this type of financial research isn’t something to bring up in an interview however its good have knowledge of where the company stands before applying for the accounting and finance job.

Take Aways

The more organised and prepared you are about the company the more you’ll know what to expect when it comes to the interview. Doing the research before you apply for a position is the best protocol.

This will be of huge benefit to you if the hiring manager wants to get someone in place quickly. You could find yourself in an interview the same week as you applied which can leave you with little time to prepare for the interview.

Do your due diligence before apply for accounting and finance jobs
Do your due diligence before apply for accounting and finance jobs

Additional Support

Your recruitment agency of choice should have a strong inside track to their client employers and should always provide you with relevant employer information to give you that competitive edge in interview.

Reach out to the team in Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment for the best advice and support in your career move contact us today.

Focus on the ‘soft skill’ to excel your finance job search

Soft skills to excel your finance job search
Soft skills to excel your finance job search

There is no doubt about it, today’s finance marketplace has never been more competitive. Add in remote working and the competition for positions increases.  In the space of two short years the working world has changed significantly. As employees we need to change and adapt with it.

You are not just a qualified accountant; you are a well-rounded individual with personality that can add value to organisations. In today’s world this is more important than ever as employers want personnel that can fit well with their established teams to complete deadlines on projects.

Accounting and finance organisations want you to slot into their cultural fit because according to breathe employees are:

  • Happier
  • Stay longer
  • Engaged with the company
  • Have increased productivity

Another change in recent years is the rise of social media. It is now common for finance companies and hiring managers to look you up on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok before they shortlist you for interview. 

Accountants are problem solvers who shine behind the scenes and have impressive skills but what can sperate you from your competition is your “soft skills”. How your present yourself professionally is an important factor when trying to win the job race.

Get ahead of other accounting and finance professionals by upgrading your soft skills
Get ahead of other accounting and finance professionals by upgrading your soft skills

So, what are these soft skills that help me get ahead in your career?

Adaptability:

To work and perform well in most environments you will need to be able to adapt to changing situations and be open to new technologies and ways of thinking. This soft skill might be a new way of thinking or a change of mindset for an accountant.

It’s natural for people to resist change and revert back ‘’to the old way’’ of doing things. Being open to change and being flexible may help you get that promotion your after or that new role you have dreamed of.

Interpreting Body Language:

Reading a room and your ability to pick up other people’s body language can help pick up on unspoken issues.  This social skill may help you come across more empathetic to colleagues by altering your verbal messages.

Having self-awareness of your own body language can also influence the way others respond to you. According to Indeed “Being highly aware of your own body language can influence your productivity and reputation in your workplace”

Listening Skills:

The ability to listen and truly take on what is being said in a conversation, presentation or meeting is really a vital skill in today’s workforce. Listening and active listening is more than just nodding your head, making umm sounds and making eye contact.

Listening is about taking on board what is being said engaging with the content of the conversation. Taking on necessary action if action is required and refer back to the speaker if further clarification is needed. This is a simple soft skill but requires attention and concentration.

Self Confidence:

Not to be mistaken with arrogance or cocky but having self-confidence about your own abilities from past experiences and your qualifications is something you will need to get ahead in your career.

The ability to have confidence talking about previous positions and your performance in those positions during interviews will carry you a long way in your accounting and finance career.

Sociable:

Having the ability to hold a conversation with people from different backgrounds is an important skill to get ahead in your career. At conferences or any other events, you never know who you could meet, it could be someone who could have a great influence on your career.

Having strong social skills will help you integrate into different teams quickly. According to a recent study by HR Digest, people who have the added advantage of social skills along with their technical skills have more job opportunities and higher wages.

Soft skills such as being sociable can excel your finance job search
Soft skills such as being sociable can excel your finance job search

Developing soft skills can be difficult especially if your introverted by nature. However, by joining sports and social clubs you can meet like-minded people which can help develop this skill.

These soft skills will help you in your career to get ahead. If you feel that you’re lacking in any area there are courses out there to help you. To progress in your career don’t get too comfortable, push yourself to get to the next level of your finance career.  Always seek out the best opportunities for you and your growth.

For more career advice get in touch with us today.

Prepare for Accounting & Finance Interviews

How to make a great impression

Congratulations! you have landed an interview. Your CV jumped out and caught the attention of the hiring company, you’re one step closer to landing that dream job. Now its time to prepare for that interview and make a lasting impression.

We have got you covered, below we have tips on how to make that lasting impression. We have broken it down into three steps

  1. Before the interview
  2. During the interview
  3. After the interview

Part of our jobseeker service offering at Martina Quinn Finance Recruitment and STEM Recruitment Partners is interview preparation. 

Accounting and Finance interview

Before The Interview

Research The Company

Its obvious but its something that should never be
overlooked. Know everything on their website from their about us page, latest
news. product and services they provide and everything in between, know their website inside and out.

Don’t forget to check out their social media and take note
of key milestones, events, updates, or announcements. This will give you a
greater understanding of what the goals of the company are and will cover you for the inevitable ‘’What do you know about us’’ question. 

Research The Interviewers 

Often you might have information on who will be interviewing
you. Make use of LinkedIn and find out where they studied, where they were employed
previously and what groups they are members of.

This will help you build a rapport with your interviewer or
interviewers. Building a rapport early makes you stand out helps make a lasting impression.

Prepare Questions and Answers

‘’Fail to prepare. Prepare to fail’’ A famous quote from Roy
Keane, spoken in a different context but it also applies for interview
questions. Common interview questions such as

  • Tell me about yourself?
  • Why do you want to leave your current role?
  • What interests you about our company?  

Will allow you to demonstrate who you are your experience, knowledge and value that you can bring the hiring company. Here is 21 common interview questions from Pass my interview.com

Know the job description

Read the job description multiple times and highlight what skills it emphasises. Match skills you have with the job description and have examples of how you used those experiences in past and current roles.

Use the STAR model to explain technical situations

STAR is an acronym for

  • Situation
  • Task
  • Action
  • Result

In the world of Accounting, Finance and Taxation its very easy to get bogged down by the technical details when answering a question. By using the STAR model, you can explain how your technical capabilities helped the company overcome a problem or situation.

Prepare examples of your work

It is common to be asked about specific work you have carried out in previous roles such as projects completed. Think of work you have done in the past that is relevant to the job description.

Gather a list of intelligent questions to ask the interviewer.

It’s not all one-way traffic when it comes to interviews, they provide a platform for you to understand the company better and understand the people in the company better. Interviews allow the employers to know if the candidate is serious about the position.

The interviewer will be expecting you to ask them questions, here is a list questions compiled by the Business Insider to ask the interviewer it may help you on the day. 

During The Interview

Get Your Outfit Ready

Make sure you have your formal outfit ready the night before the interview. Don’t be scrambling around the house looking for your belt just before your about to leave. Have everything ready, you have enough to be thinking about.

Bring Copies of your CV and a Notebook

Take five copies of your CV to the interview with you just in case there are multiple interviewers. This shows your organised and considerate. Having a notebook allows you to take notes of key information that the interviewer is telling you. This shows you are interested and serious about the role, however, don’t use a tablet or phone to take notes as this may be seen as ignorant or rude.

Arrive Early

Be at the interview 10 – 15 minutes before the interview. Do a recon of the commute a few days before the interview so you know where the building is, how busy is the traffic, where you can park and how long of a walk you have to get there.

Make a great first impression

First impressions last, people say it for a reason. Make sure you look professional check your clothes for stains and your shoes are shined etc. Try and display confident positive body language, give a firm but not too tight handshake and remember to smile throughout the interview.

Treat Everyone As If They are The Hiring Manager

This goes without saying but nerves can interfere. Just remember to treat everyone with respect including front desk staff, security personnel cleaning personnel, security etc. Your potential employer may ask for feedback from other employees and as we said earlier first impressions last.

Respond Honestly to Questions

It may be tempting to decorate your skills and achievements in our experience interviewers find honesty respectable and refreshing. Focus on key strengths and again use the STAR model to deflect questions you may think show weaknesses.

Bring Them Back to your Skills and Achievements

When asked a question use it to your advantage by bringing to examples of how your skills and experience helped your past companies. Keep your answers focused and concise as your time is limited in an interview.

Do Not:

Speak negatively about past roles or employers as this makes you come across as adverse in an interview. If you feel your not getting what you want out of your current role, try focus on the skills and experience you have gained and what you want in the short and long term.  

After The Interview

Ask About the Next Stage

Ask the interviewer about what the next stage in the process are. This shows enthusiasm for the role and will allow you to prepare for the next stage in the process.

Send a thank you email.

Send a thank you email to the interviewer, showing your appreciation for taking time out of their busy schedules. This shows that you are considerate.

We provide free jobseeker consultation to ensure you are placed in a role that fits your needs and values. 

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