So you have received your FAE results, congratulations!

The positive hiring trends in Ireland within the Accountancy sector means this is an extremely positive time to be receiving your FAE results. Demand for Newly Qualified Accountants has steadily increased for the past 12-18 months and employers are eager to employ new, vibrant and hardworking talent.

As a newly qualified accountant your skill set and professional qualifications are held in extremely high regard by organisations. Your qualification is in demand and so in order to secure your next role you need a clear idea of what you envision your next role to look like and ask yourself ‘what effect is it going to have on my career?’

I recommend playing to your strengths, what are you good at and what aspects of your job do you like the most?

If you choose Industry the choices are endless when it comes to the type of organisation you would like to work for. Throughout your time completing your training contract you may have come in to contact with companies that you now have the opportunity to be a part of. Moving in to Industry can act as an amazing career launch pad – and while you may choose a particular sector at the moment, there is scope to move in the future. Choose FMCG now and in two years’ time you may find yourself working in Technology.

For those of you who choose Financial Services, the roles which open up to you are stimulating and challenging and for many, the regulated and fast paced environment is appealing. As well as this the global nature of these business and well recognised brand names means you will gain valuable experience and professional development opportunities. Financial Services is a fast paced and ever changing environment meaning a varied career with strong opportunities for growth.

Here are our tips on how to weigh up your options and approach your job search.

1. Stay with your current employer?

It may be the case that you will stay on and continue to work for your current employer. While the majority of people in your situation may leave, do not rule it out as a career option for you.

2. Make a plan.

As mentioned above the choice you now have as a newly qualified accountant is large and will have an effect on the rest of your career. Don’t be tempted to apply for every role you see, be picky in your search and apply only for roles that you really want. As well as this, don’t take a role purely for financial reasons, ensure it ticks all the boxes you want. A clear thought out plan ensures you are efficient in your search from the beginning.

While you have this fresh new qualification bear in mind your first role may not be your “ Dream Job” but a stepping stone in the right direction to it.  Use it to gain experience and sectoral knowledge, opening up your opportunities should you choose to search for something new in the future.

3. Update your CV

While you do have choice there is also strong competition from your peers who enter the job market now as newly qualified accountants alongside you. Ensure your CV is updated, thorough and well put together to give you the best chance. Ensure you are including key words from your experience such as IFRS, GAAP, SOX, Internal Controls, Audit etc. Employers are interested in seeing all aspects of your experience including technical knowledge.

4. Meet a recruiter

Partnering with a recruitment agency can put you in a strong position. Your recruiter knows your capabilities and relevance for roles. They also have strong relationships with their clients and act as trusted partners to their clients, therefore they are able to introduce your profile to a company, before even sending a CV, creating a much more powerful connection than you submitting a CV through a portal or career page. At the latter end of the process if you are fortunate enough to receive a job offer they are aware of the true constraints on salary and will be able to negotiate the best deal for you.

The job search may be the last of your worries as you celebrate over this Bank Holiday weekend! But don’t worry we’ll be ready to chat next Tuesday when you’ve finished celebrating. Our Accountancy team are working with global clients on exclusive roles so get in touch to chat about market opportunities or our service can be as simple as offering you career advice.

Call 01-6618740 to speak with me today, email your CV to aimee@executiveconnections.ie or take a look at the current Accountancy opportunities on offer here.

The post What’s next now you have received your FAE results? appeared first on Executive Connections.

Rosy joined Executive Connections in 2016 as a Recruitment Consultant within our Accountancy & Finance division. Since then she has become a valuable asset to the Executive Connections’ team operating at the highest standard, impressing clients, candidates and colleagues. She has gained an excellent industry reputation, specialising within the Financial Services sector predominately within Insurance, Asset Management & Fund Administration.

She has a proven track record in meeting the requirements of both her clients & candidates, matching a particular skill set to a particular role for mid – senior roles with particular recent success in roles including Financial Operations Manager, Head of Internal Audit, Internal Audit Specialist, Senior Financial Accountant, Financial Reporting Team Lead.

Having worked within the recruitment industry since September 2015, Rosy prides herself in building long term relationships with both her clients and candidates. Rosy enjoys having the opportunity to meet with different people, manage expectations and advise on market trends from initial meeting to successfully placing candidates within a role, ensuring a high quality service throughout the process.

What sets Rosy apart is the exclusive partnerships she builds with candidates and customers, acting as a trusted advisor at each stage of the recruitment process. This level of service means she is forging a powerful reputation in the financial arena in Dublin and we are delighted to have her as part of the Executive Connections team.

Rosy is one to watch, one to engage for resourcing and one to work with to secure your next career move.

Call Rosy now on 01-6618740 or email your CV to rosy@executiveconnections.ie. View the Accountancy jobs Rosy is currently working on and apply here.

The post Promotion Announcement – Rosy Kennedy, Senior Accountancy Recruitment Consultant appeared first on Executive Connections.

Other members of the prestigious ‘Big Four’ such as Deloitte, have also been careful to not rule out graduates based upon academic results alone. In order to avoid bias, Deloitte has ensured that interviewers do not view details of a candidates’ school or university during the process. Even a Senior VP at Google has been quoted as stating that academic marks should not be of use within the hiring process.

Could this be a wave of the future?

All recruiters have come across applicants that are well-qualified both on paper and in person, yet are lacking in the area of academic credentials. Are we right to discount these employees?

Of course, various factors come into play, such as the industry and type of role, and these should be seriously considered. However, in the ever-changing realm of business, firms must begin to pay attention to research and consider the evidence.

Studies have shown that testing and assessments may be more beneficial to consider as opposed to academic history, although tests are often conducted too late in the process, if even at all.

Implementing assessments early in the process can provide extra insurance against over-embellished CV’s or biased views that may come from a narrow academic focus. Over the last few years we’ve seen an influx in various new assessment tools as well as new assessment providers. The number of companies using psychometric testing has grown at a rate of around 10-15% annually.

Should early assessments fully replace consideration of academic criteria? Not necessarily. But we’d all be wise to consider the benefits of assessments and psychometric testing, and rethink bias related to academia, so as not to lose out on quality candidates that may have been right in front of us after all.

Within our robust recruitment process at Executive Connections we offer a range of psychometric testing on behalf of our clients. Our consultants are trained and able to facilitate the following assessments:

If you are interested in finding out more about any of the above services please contact me, Kelsey Chambliss at Executive Connections on 01-6618740. I can also help if you are looking for a position within the Accountancy and Finance space, or are simply seeking advice. Email me – kelsey@executiveconnections.ie or call the number above.

The post Is Importance of Academic Criteria Dwindling For Employers? appeared first on Executive Connections.

Know your worth

Take a step back and review your credentials. Who are you and what do you bring to the table? It’s important to not only know your worth and motivations but also what you will offer the company and bring to the job. Be clear with yourself on your strengths and the assets you will bring to the job and own them, this alone will boost your confidence and ensure you impress your potential employer throughout.

Rehearse

We’ve all had perfect arguments in our minds with people that we plan on giving it socks to. Unfortunately, often in reality when the opportunity to say your piece arises you don’t get half of what you wanted to say out and end up kicking yourself in frustration instead of dropping the mic and sassing your way out of there!

But what lesson do we learn from these experiences? Communication of our thoughts and feelings sound completely different in our heads than they do once vocalised. If you want to nail it, you have to practice. In the mirror, to a friend or anybody that will listen. Structure your answers and examples and practice them, out loud! This will not only calm your nerves but it will ensure your communication flows, allowing you to hit all the relevant points.

Be yourself

So many candidates forget the importance of building a rapport and giving the panel an idea of who you really are as a person. All of my clients place a huge focus on cultural fit and sometimes, even if you tick all the boxes and completely meet the brief, this isn’t enough. The one part you don’t have to swot up on and rehearse is YOU! Fitting in with a team or company cultural is paramount to all hires so make sure that you allow for enough relaxation to show off your personality and let your loveliness shine through. Smile, engage, make eye contact and give a solid hand shake. The vibes will flow and the nerves will fade away and you’ll leave them wanting to work with you in the future.

Be mindful

If at interview you start to feel the nerves taking over, be mindful. Centre yourself and check back in with reality. You’re here, having a conversation about you (something you know everything about), you’ve done your homework on the company and the job. All they can ask you is about is what you’ve done in the past and what you can bring to the table for this job. You know your skillset and have prepared some great examples of this.

Once you frame the situation it instantly becomes easier to manage and move forward. And don’t forget, this is a conversation so allow it to be just that. If you forget a point you wanted to make or feel you could have answered better, just communicate. ‘Before we move on do you mind if I just take you through a further example, relevant to your last question?’ or ‘would you like me to provide further detail on that project?’ Your panel will only respect you more for not letting the opportunity to shine pass you by.

Above all breathe, trust yourself and show them what you’ve got. This is not a pass or fail situation, it’s as much of a learning activity for them as it is for you, you’ve got this!

For more advice or to chat about some of the current live roles I’m working on, give me a call at 01 6618740 or forward your CV to ciara@executiveconnections.ie

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The event takes place in President’s Hall, Blackhall Place, The Law Society of Ireland and will be hosted by Etain Doyle, ACCA Ireland Chair, FCCA.

Speaking on the day is Kingsley Aikins, who will talk about the critical importance of trusted relationships in a world of ever increasing change and diminishing trust and what is involved in developing and strengthening these relationships and benefit business.

Kingsley Aikins is founder and CEO of Diaspora Matters, a Dublin based consultancy company that advises countries, cities, regions, companies and organisations on how to develop strategies to connect with their Diasporas. He has worked with over 30 countries helping them develop strategies and devise policies, projects and programmes. He believes all countries possess Diaspora Capital which he defines as the overseas resources available to a country, city, location or organisation and is made up of flows of people, finance and knowledge.

We look forward to a great afternoon with ACCA members and guests. Register for the event here.

The post ACCA Ireland Annual Chairman’s Lunch appeared first on Executive Connections.

Plan with precision.

Think about the effort that goes into securing a new client for your company.  The same effort and planning needs to be invested when planning your interview process.  Be very clear on what the value proposition of the role and the company is.  When describing the culture of your company use examples to paint a picture for the interviewee.  “We have a work hard play hard culture” is a very common response in interviews but it doesn’t tell the candidate much.  Be clear and give an example of a night out, a charity event the company got involved in or examples of flexible working arrangements across the company.

Know the candidate and their pain point.

The recession is over so candidates can’t be asked to jump through hoops.  It’s important to get the balance right between finding out what the candidate can bring to the role and company while also portraying what is in it for them.  If your organisation is working with a recruitment consultancy, get them to give you a full brief on what is important for this candidate and tailor the interview as a result of this. Make sure to ask the candidate questions around their aspirations and possible concerns, candidates need to know you care.  If they get the fuzzy feeling you are half way there.

Ensure everyone on the panel knows your companies USP.

Share what is unique about your company across the interview panel, especially if there are a number of stages, so there is a new piece of attractive information shared with the candidate at every stage of the process.  Not everyone wants to work in a big multinational with a long list of benefits.  If you are a small company and can’t afford large health or pension contributions, remember you offer other benefits that can attract candidates. Sell other aspects of the business such as employees’ getting the opportunity to work with the key decision makers, having their ideas heard and making their influence felt within the business.

For most candidates flexibility is the number one attractive benefit.  Our latest research has shown the freedom to work away from the office is an important benefit for 69% of employees.  A flexible working week in my experience is more important than a health plan with all the bells and whistles with.  Ask your recruiter what makes your company stand out against the others they are dealing with and include this as an attraction tool.

For more information on forming a winning interview approach for your next hire feel free to contact me, Aisling on 01-6618740 or email aisling@executiveconnections.ie. I am also working on a number of roles in the Sales & Marketing space which you can see here.

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The 2017 Irish jobs market has kicked off with a bang and it is definitely a really exciting time to be a candidate on the jobs market. Competition between leading employers is heating up and with the flood of interest in the Ireland post Brexit, the battle for talent is well and truly on. For strong and experienced candidates this means opportunity, new horizons and a wealth of choice on the Irish jobs market. But before you take the leap of faith and head on out to market job seeking bear some of the following advice in mind.

Anyone who lives or works in Ireland’s capital city will know that Dublin has that typically Irish ability to look like a city but act like a village. The same faces pop up everywhere and you never know when you’ll be next rubbing shoulders with an ex-colleague or manager at the water cooler. While Dublin’s Finance Industry has massive global reach, it’s still a relatively small space so putting your best foot forward when job seeking and protecting your professional reputation is paramount!

Below are some tips for those of you who may not be as familiar with how hiring processes works or how you should carry yourself throughout them. This is advice I’d give any candidate, friend, family member and even myself if I was actively looking for a new job in 2017. These are simply insights and tips to protect your professional profile in a relatively small market.

Map your market

Put some time into researching how you’re going to approach the jobs market

• What jobs you’re interested in
• Which recruiter you’d like to partner with
• What companies you are interested in
• What salary you are worth on the current market
• Decide on your expectations for your next role in detail- likes and dislikes, location, salary, benefits, career goals etc.

Decide on your expectations for your next role in detail- likes and dislikes, location, salary, benefits, career goals etc.

Now you are more aware of what you’re looking for don’t be too eager and  flood jobs boards with your CV for roles you think you like or might be good for. Keep your profile clean and professional and keep an accurate record of where you’re CV is going to avoid too much duplication. You want to look hot to potential employers so go after the right jobs not every job.

Communicate

The key to any successfully recruiter/ candidate relationship is honesty, openness and transparency. There should be no reason for you to be closed about your requirements or position on the market. Believe me, you will not hurt a recruiters feelings by telling them you are working with other recruiters or interviewing for other jobs. What you will do is allow them to navigate the opportunities they have represented you for in the right direction. If you are a strong candidate, of course you’ll be in demand; in fact this can sometimes make you even more attractive or make potential employers act faster in engaging with you. The market is extremely fast moving at the moment, and top employers are ready. The more your recruiter knows about where you’re at and what you want, the more likely you are to land the job you want.

Salary expectations

This is closely linked to the importance of honesty… you should be aware of your market rate and the salaries on offer for the jobs you are targeting, if you don’t your recruiter can guide you. Be realistic with this however, don’t price yourself out and do take your recruiters advice, of course they want you to get as much as possible for your new role so they’ll give you a true depiction of what is achievable. Things can change throughout the process, you might learn more about the job or have a bonus looming and your expectations can change, but be clear with your recruiter. This is the tough part to manage on your own and while recruiters are experts in negotiation they can only work with what you give them. The day you receive an offer is not the time to start changing your expectations. It doesn’t leave a great taste in your potential employer’s mouth and certainly won’t reflect well on your professionalism. Negotiation should happen pre-offer to avoid any disappointment on both sides.

Commitment

Hiring processes can be lengthy and can require a lot of back and forth between candidate, recruiter and company. Keep your professional approach at all times and imagine our committing to dinner with your boss!??  Only commit to roles you are genuinely interested in and know you will commit to attending interview if selected. Try your best to be flexible during business hours where possible. Naturally we all have personal and professional commitments but if interviews and meetings cannot be a lead priority for you, maybe now is not the time to be looking for a new job.

The same should be said for ‘notice of availability’ or start dates. If you’ve accepted an offer with a new firm and advised you’ve got X amount of a notice period, make sure you’re in a position to honour that. Ensure there are no bonuses or claw backs lingering in the near future that would prevent you from starting within and agreed time period. If these crop up at the last minute, it doesn’t look great and can cause frustrations for your new employer.

Counter Offers

When you get to point of receiving an offer from a new employer, a lot of time, work and effort has gone in to the process from both yourself, your recruiter and your potential new employer. Offers aren’t handed out willy nilly and they are a sign of a big commitment from the company, to you as a new investment. Allowing your head to be turned by last ditch attempts to hold on to you will almost certainly burn your bridges with hiring managers and a company that you were genuinely interested in.

While counter offer situations may look like an opportunity to cut yourself a good deal, generally speaking they end up being not so favourable and the statistics associated with those who accept them, suggest that most people are back on the market within six months (but that’s a whole other article!) My advice would be to hypothetically consider ALL options within your current firm before committing to the market. If you’re good, your employer is bound to do whatever they can to keep you (or at least they should have already done so right?….) and you need to know what it would take for them to keep you, before committing to external opportunities. Dream big, think a 10k increments (yes, they happen!) ,a big promotion or even a divisional move. If you’re still saying no to these in your head… you’re ready to jump ship and keep your reputation in check as you do so.

For more advice or to chat about some of the current live roles I’m working on, give me a call at 01 6618740 or forward your CV to ciara@executiveconnections.ie

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In the current market, the number of banks offering contract roles is significantly increasing with numerous UK based Financial Services companies exploring the opportunity to relocate to Ireland post Brexit. It has never been so crucial to stand out from the crowd given that competition is rife in the jobs market.

You may be thinking to yourself before an interview, “I meet every requirement on the job spec”, “I have 5 years’ experience in Corporate & Commercial Banking”, “this is going to be plain sailing”…wrong.

In our experience we have seen job seekers who are perfect on paper but have been ‘pipped at the post’ by a candidate with less experience who delivered a more strategic, ambitious, enthusiastic and engaging interview.

You can secure a job in the last 5 minutes of an interview even if you have had a few hiccups along the way.

So how do you do you stand out and deliver a positive and powerful job interview?

We recommend asking well prepared and thought out questions at the end of an interview that showcase your interest in the role as well as your enthusiasm towards the company and why you are the perfect hire.

The best questions to build a rapport with the interviewer are focused and open-ended so try to avoid yes or no questions.

Always ask 2-3 questions at the end of a job interview. The following examples are a good starting point for any interview and will help you leave an impression on your interviewer;

• Given that this a contract role/new team/new operation, how can I impress you in the first 3 months?
• What challenges could I face in the first 3 months?
• How has someone in this role previously progressed within the company?
• What do you like the most about working in this company?
• Does the company have any further expansion plans over the coming years?
• Given the current market, what are the biggest opportunities/challenges facing your company at the moment?
• When can I expect to hear from you and what is the next step in the process?

When the interview is coming to an end and after you have asked your questions, it is always beneficial for you to briefly reiterate why you are the perfect hire. One or two sentences is fine – see the short example below.

“Thank you very much for your time. I believe that my personality, skills and experience in …………….. will be a great match for what you are looking for. This is a role and company that I am very excited about and I look forward to hearing from you.”

This simple exit strategy accompanied by strategic, enthusiastic and open-ended questions will cement a positive impression with the interviewer and help you stand out from the crowd.

If you would like any advice on the financial services jobs market in Dublin feel free to reach out to the team at Executive Connections. Call us on 01-6618740 or view our current live roles here.

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With the explosion of social media over the last few years the recruitment landscape has shifted accordingly but the old adage that ‘recruitment is marketing’ still holds true and is perhaps even more pertinent as you seek to attract high quality, suitably qualified people to your company. The marketplace is increasingly noisy and so in order to make your role / company stand out in the crowd you need to ensure you are visible, attractive and approachable.

Visible

Communicate your brand and company ethos clearly within your job description. Provide an overview of the company and the structure of the team rather than just a list of “To Do’s”. People are attracted to people, not to lists. Be clear as to what the role entails by all means but also clearly communicate why you want/need someone to join your team rather than simply detailing what the person will be required to do. The best people want to be a part of something that matters. Tell them why it matters.

Attractive

Sell your team and company in the job description and continue to do so throughout the recruitment cycle. Stay on message and don’t oversell either the position or the company. Everyone and every company have strong points and advantages so point them out at the start and reiterate them throughout the process.  Be clear on the message you want to get across, include it as part of your attraction strategy and be sure your recruitment team and organisation as a whole know what makes your company a great place to work as well as being able to communicate this to potential employees.

Approachable

You are advertising for people to join you so when they do apply then try to communicate with them in a timely manner. Thank them for applying and outline how your application process will work prior to scheduling an initial screening call if appropriate. Keeping everyone updated throughout the process is a key but often overlooked factor.  If timelines change or unforeseen delays occur communicating these can ensure your candidate shortlist does not disappear before you are in a position to make a decision.

At Executive Connections we partner with top clients who are looking for the best candidates on the market and when we find them we treat them with respect and professional courtesy throughout the recruitment process.

For further details on how we can potentially recruit for you and your team contact me, John Ennis on 01-6618740. Alternatively, email johnennis@executiveconnections.ie

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