By Daniel Handley
Daniel Handley is a consultant within Handle Recruitment's finance division recruiting into the Music, Media, Entertainment and Lifestyle Brands sectors. He has 8 years Financial Recruitment experience, 5 spent managing a qualified & interim desk and now recruiting permanent positions to CFO level.
When it comes to making the daunting move out of practice into industry, your post-qualified accountancy career can take any number of paths. However getting the right first step is immensely important.
The initial step into the industry can shape your post-qualified career, therefore I would always advise on keeping breadth in your role until you work out where your career is heading. ACA’s are, on the whole technically competent but still require on-the-job experience in management accounting, budgeting, forecasting and planning. Obtaining this exposure whilst keeping the technical aspects until you know exactly where you are heading will ensure you don’t miss out on opportunities due to a lack of experience in a specific area.
A high proportion of ACA’s are looking for “commercial” positions, the preference being Financial, Commercial or Business Analyst roles. Taking such a position can however, limit opportunities further down the line if you then decide you want to be an Financial Controller or Financial Director. Your exposure to the technical aspects including Statutory reporting, Tax and VAT will be minimal if not absent from these roles, therefore you may be setting yourself up for a future step sideways if not backwards in order to return to the controller or director path.
Moving into a Finance Manager or FC position after practice will ensure you keep the reporting and technical elements to your role whilst gaining exposure to the non-finance side of the business, i.e. obtaining that “commercial” experience.
If you truly believe that an analyst role is for you then ensure you understand the role and duties fully as “Analyst” can be added to the end of any job title with the intention of attracting those who wouldn’t normally apply for a reporting role.
OK, so how do you get that position?
With thousands of sources of advice it can get a little confusing however if you’re struggling speak to a colleague, your boss (if possible!) or a reputable agency.
Ensure your CV is looking the best it can. Try and have a list of all relevant key clients you have worked with along with a synopsis of your responsibilities but the absolute must is to understand what you’ve achieved with each client and where have you made a difference.
Eventually you will be able to talk at length about where you have driven revenue, saved money and added efficiency, however at this early stage in your career you need to give relevant examples of where you have added value.
Know your network. Linkedin is key in helping you secure your next role; this coupled with a targeted choice of agencies will make all the difference. Ensure your profile is complete, maximise keywords and utilise your network.
When choosing agencies, go with one’s that have a network in your target sector, there is no point working with energy specialist if you’re wanting to work in media. Also, speak with colleagues that have recently been placed to find out who the best consultants are that can give you the advice and guidance you need.
If you are unsure about anything then seek advice as making the right first move sets up the rest of your career, the wrong one can put you 12 months behind.
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