On Your Wavelength

Corporate Finance Careers!

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 14:01:00 +0000

LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE??

A Corporate Finance Career Could Be The Solution

Having completed your ACA or ACCA and now a member of the ICAEW or ACCA what do you do next? Have you considered a career in Corporate Finance?

Corporate Finance is a dynamic and fast paced discipline which a lot of people going through their initial training will not know too much about but if you get into the right position you will undoubtedly benefit from enriched skills development as well as reaping significant long term financial rewards.

Corporate Finance work allows you to get involved various types and level of work including the following:

Business acquisitions
Business finance raising
Drafting proposal and tender documents
Succession planning and business disposals
Strategic planning, business plans and financial forecast
Tax efficient corporate restructuring and incentives (share schemes)
Company and business valuations
Financial and commercial due diligence and business reviews

You will deal closely with an array of professionals including; finance providers and solicitors as well as working closely with entrepreneurs and business owners generally which will require great co-ordination and good communication skills.

The types of qualities that you need to be successful in the world of Corporate Finance include the following:

Strong analytical skills

Commercial awareness

Ability to communicate well with clients in conversation and in writing

Being a strong team player and can demonstrate excellent team-working skills

Ability to work to deadlines and roll up your sleeves when you really need to

Some examples of roles we are dealing with:

Corporate Finance Executive - Milton Keynes

Corporate Finance Executive - Warwickshirel

Corporate Finance Manager - Northants

If you are qualified and interested in being considered for a career in Corporate Finance please contact us at Wavelength to discuss further you can email colin@waverecruit.com

For more general roles please visit our website for to see the many opportunities we are currently recruiting for at all levels.

COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTANCY PRACTICE ROLE WITH A DIFFERENCE!

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 15:16:00 +0000

ARE YOU ACA / ACCA or CIMA QUALIFIED?

Here is something a bit different if you are looking for a qualified accountancy position which combines working in Practice with Industry. Package £45K - £50K.

We are recruiting for a firm in Kettering which specialises in providing an outsourced service to a varied client base of SMEs.

Follow the link to our website for a summary of the role here Client Manager Opportunity

We frequently get asked by candidates working outside of Practice how to get in if you are a qualified accountant but haven't worked in a Practice environment; well now's your chance. If you have a commercial approach, good at dealing with clients and have the ability to manage and develop commercial business relations then please contact us at Wavelength email colin@waverecruit.com with an updated CV and covering letter.

Fantastic Tax Manager role in Northamptonshire. Considered relocating?

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 15:31:00 +0000

STRUGGLING TO FIND A NEW CHALLENGE WHERE YOU LIVE?

RELOCATION COULD BE THE ANSWER!!

Relocating can open up new opportunities you hadn't considered before to help enhance your career to develop your skills and experience. The other thing to bear in mind is that it doesn't need to be forever, you can always relocate back home or onto somewhere else further down the line. We can help you with that too!

A tax role we have recently taken on might be of interest if you are interested in developing your tax career. Take a look at this fantastic opportunity for a tax manager with an independent firm in an autonomous role in Northamptonshire . A great opportunity to advance your career as a senior member of the firm.

I have been involved in recruiting to the accountancy profession from the mid 90's and there has always been a demand for experienced professionals to work in Public Practice for a variety of roles but namely in; audit, tax, accountancy and corporate finance and at Wavelength we have helped develop the careers of qualified and part qualified professionals, many of whom are now Partners in their own firms. Whilst at the same time helping firms to grow and develop their own respective businesses by coming up with the right staff to complement their set up and goals.

One of the areas we have had success in is opening up the eyes for candidates to consider relocating to fulfil their dream move which may not be forthcoming in their current location, or there is just too much competition for the roles available and not everyone can have that job!

If you are not looking to specialise in tax but have a public practice background please visit our website to see the many opportunities we are currently recruiting for at all levels.

Have you considered relocating to advance your career?

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 16:13:00 +0000

RELOCATION COULD BE THE ANSWER!!

ADVANCE YOUR PUBLIC PRACTICE CAREER

TAX AUDIT CORPORATE FINANCE ACCOUNTANCY

Relocating can open up new opportunities you hadn't considered before to help enhance your career to develop your skills and experience. The other thing to bear in mind is that it doesn't need to be forever, you can always relocate back home or onto somewhere else further down the line. We can help you with that too!

So....have you thought about relocating? I don't mean to the other side of the world, there are plenty of fantastic career opportunities on your UK doorstep; for example Milton Keynes and Northampton with rail and road links to the rest of the UK, so you are never very far from anywhere.

I have been involved in recruiting to the accountancy profession from the mid 90's and there has always been a demand for experienced professionals to work in Public Practice for a variety of roles but namely in; audit, tax, accountancy and corporate finance and at Wavelength we have helped develop the careers of qualified and part qualified professionals, many of whom are now Partners in their own firms. Whilst at the same time helping firms to grow and develop their own respective businesses by coming up with the right staff to complement their set up and goals.

One of the areas we have had success in is opening up the eyes for candidates to consider relocating to fulfil their dream move which may not be forthcoming in their current location, or there is just too much competition for the roles available and not everyone can have that job!

A tax role we have recently taken on might be of interest if you are interested in developing your tax career. Take a look at this fantastic opportunity for a tax manager with an independent firm in an autonomous role. A great opportunity to advance your career as a senior member of the firm.

For more general roles please visit our website for to see the many opportunities we are currently recruiting for at all levels.

Have you considered relocating to realise your dreams?

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 13:37:00 +0000

So you have qualified having completed your professional accountancy exams. What do you do next?

Have you thought about relocating? I don't mean to the other side of the world, there are plenty of fantastic career opportunites on your UK doorstep; for example Milton Keynes and Northampton with rail and road links to the rest of the UK, so you are never very far from anywhere.

I have been involved in recruiting to the accountancy profession from the mid 90's and there has always been a demand for experienced professionals to work in Public Practice for a variety of roles but namely in; audit, tax, accountancy and corporate finance and at Wavelength we have helped develop the careers of qualified and part qualified professionals, many of whom are now Partners in their own firms. Whilst at the same time helping firms to grow and develop their own respective businesses by coming up with the right staff to complement their set up and goals.

One of the areas we have had success in is opening up the eyes for candidates to consider relocating to fulfil their dream move which may not be forthcoming in their current location, or there is just too much competition for the roles available and not everyone can have that job!

Please visit our website for examples of the many opportunities we are currently recruiting for.

Clearly relocating is a big decision for anyone to make and will require much consideration before making a full commitment but we are here to help make a smooth transition, ensure we come up with the right role, the right firm and make the interview process as seamless as possible. We can also give you tips and advice on the location you are considering.

Things to think about

Cost of living including house prices / rent – are you considering moving to a more affluent area and is this reflected in market salary levels. The converse to that is, if the salary level is lower is that also reflected in a lower cost of living? For example at Wavelength we have helped relocate many candidates out of London who are amazed at what they can get for their money out here in the regions.
Schools and facilities – if you are moving family with you, you need to give thought to the schools in the area in terms of reputation and access so you know where your children can get in and if you have pre-school children are there suitable facilities / services available for you to utilise?
Road / rail networks – How easy will it be to keep in touch with friends and family with either you visiting them or them coming to see you?

Great recruitment agencies aren’t just a fairy tale

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 13:47:00 +0000

We received this testimonial from a candidate which prompted us to write this. I guess it’s the story of the frustrated candidate looking for the next step in his career, which of course has a happy ending!

Having applied for a variety of roles via job boards Michael finds himself swept along on a tide of unsuitable jobs and job interviews driven by agencies simply looking to fill a job at any cost.

As a result, by the time we were approached by Michael he was unsurprisingly demoralised, frustrated and perhaps didn’t really understand our insistence that we needed to meet with him before we could progress his application.

Michael came to meet with us and in doing so allowed us to fully assess what he was looking for and find the best way to match his needs with that of the Practice market and of a future employer.

By taking the time to look at his skills and discovering more about him, his personality his aspirations meant we were quickly able to identify the ideal firm. We secured him an interview and he was given everything he needed to prepare; including a full brief of the role, the firm, its team, their portfolio, systems and so on. This gave him the confidence to relax, prepare his answers and focus on making sure he delivered the best interview possible.

The happy ending??? Of course Michael was offered the job! After a month in post Michael sent us this:

“I was very apprehensive when considering a change in my career. I had lost a lot of confidence in agents after numerous dead end interviews and poor advice. One meeting with Colin restored any faith I had lost. I had one interview which was successful and I couldn’t have thought of working for a better company than I am working for now.

Thank you for all your hard work. It’s nice to know there are agents that actually care for the candidates that earn them a living.”

In two paragraphs Michael has summed up our ethos and why we're good at what we do!

Can you say the same for any agencies you use? If not then give us a call 01604 768000

www.waverecruit.com

The Public Practice Specialist

#PublicPracticeJobs

Looking to up the pace? Then corporate finance could be the answer...

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 14:00:00 +0000

After you have completed your ACA exams and qualified as a member of the ICAEW you will no doubt have a number of people telling you what you should do next. There will be a raft of roles suggested and one of them should be to pursue a career in Corporate Finance, which could mean working in public practice or in-house for a commercial organisation.

Corporate Finance work allows you to get involved various types and level of work including the following:

Business acquisitions
Business finance raising
Drafting proposal and tender documents
Succession planning and business disposals
Strategic planning, business plans and financial forecast
Tax efficient corporate restructuring and incentives (share schemes)
Company and business valuations
Financial and commercial due diligence and business reviews

The types of qualities that you need to be successful in the world of Corporate Finance include the following:

Strong analytical skills

Commercial awareness

Ability to communicate well with clients in conversation and in writing

Being a strong team player and can demonstrate excellent team-working skills

Ability to work to deadlines and roll up your sleeves when you really need to

If you are qualified and interested in being considered for a career in Corporate Finance please contact us at Wavelength to discuss further.

As an example; we are currently dealing with a position with an Independent firm which can offer an excellent first step into the Corporate Finance field where you would work closely in a small team and have the opportunity to learn in post and offers progression in the medium to long term.......

Click here to view our latest Corporate Finance Vacancy

ONCE YOU HAVE QUALIFIED....WHAT NEXT....TAX ?

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:12:00 +0000

LIVE THE DREAM!!

So... you have completed your ACA or ACCA training and qualified and trained in Public Practice; what do you do now? There are a number of options available in terms of the career path you can now take but you may also find that the options available will depend on your experience gained through training.

Typical career paths include:

Audit and Assurance
General Practice
Corporate Finance
Business Advisory
Taxation
Insolvency / Business Recovery
Forensics

In this edition we will focus on Taxation.

Taxation usually encompasses the following areas:

•      Corporate
•      Personal
•      Indirect Tax (e.g VAT and Excise Duties)
•      Employment tax
•      Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance, trusts and estates.
•      Overseas
•      Forensics (Providing expert opinion and services to attorneys, businesses and government agencies)

This wide reach of taxation means that usually you will choose to specialise in one or two of the above areas rather than attempt to be an expert in all disciplines. This will also primarily depend on who you are employed by; a larger firm will usually have specialist departments dedicated to one area, whereas the smaller independent firm will usually have a generalist able to assist with corporate and personal tax as well as VAT, however more technical issues involving trusts, estates, international taxes and investigations etc will be dealt with by a consultant or by a larger firm.

The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT)

The CIOT is the senior professional body in the UK concerned solely with all aspects of taxation. It maintains standards, organises training conferences, lobbies for the improvement and simplification of tax law, and makes recommendations to the Government.

Routes to a career in Tax will usually either be as a tax trainee completing the ATT then CIOT exams, or following completion of a professional qualification in Accountancy or Law, the CIOT exams can then be taken.

Follow this link to the CIOT Website which will give you loads of background information and in particular explain the eligibility requirements to register for the exams http://bit.ly/2t1SHf2 and you can also see details on the syllabus http://bit.ly/2ssM9Jt

So What do you do next?

If you have trained in Practice and have had some exposure to taxation and interested in exploring the possibility of pursuing a career in tax and want some advice please contact us at Wavelength through our website at www.waverecruit.com

In times of uncertainty changing your job can still be achieved and here's how.

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 14:55:00 +0000

In times of uncertainty as we are currently with Brexit, North Korea, who can rightfully claim victory in the General Election and what will that mean to the economy and are we actually going to have a Summer this year, it can be perceived it is the wrong time to change jobs. This can be true in some circumstances but if carefully managed a career change can be achieved at any time. The key is to ensure the best match is made and all the necessary research is completed before committing to the move.

One of the most important decisions will be how you are going to go about it. Will you go it alone, pitching your CV onto a series of public job boards, a quick update of your linkedin profile and then hope for the best? Or do you enlist the expertise of a recruitment consultant?(That's where we come in).

“Bit old fashioned? Surely it’s all about technology/social media/online presence...?” Well no, it most definitely isn’t. Not if you choose well. Just like the recent trend for retro, vintage niche, bespoke products, their appeal is not just aesthetic, it’s about discretion, individuality, specialist knowledge, attention to detail, exceptional service levels, personal tailored offerings.

That, right there, is exactly what the right recruitment consultant should be providing. (Again...which is where we come in).

Choose well and your consultant with help you to secure the perfect role without broadcasting your personal details across the market, they will help you to identify exactly what you need and help you to secure the role that matches with your short and long term aspirations. They will know which firms match your personality, which firms you will work best with and weed out those that don’t.

So if you’re considering a move, keep your approach exclusive and discerning, take your time and enlist an expert and the climate of uncertainty should only be the smallest part of the decision making process.

At Wavelength we specialise in providing accountancy staff to Professional firms of Accountants, from trainee to direct Partner entry. As Public Practice recruitment specialists we recruit for any size of firm, from the sole trader and small partnership to the middle and top tier firms. We match the candidate to the client and the client to the candidate.

At Wavelength your time will not be wasted!! www.waverecruit.com

What is the purpose of LinkedIn?? Networking or headhunt tool?

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Wed, 31 May 2017 14:51:00 +0000

Time to be a bit contentious but I am interested to see how others view the use of LinkedIn. We all get the updates through telling us that our profile has been viewed and how powerful our respective profiles can make us. We get an email through exclaiming..... "See how well your profile stands out from the crowd. A profile view from the right person is a step closer to your next career move."

My understanding of the whole point of LinkedIn was that it would be a networking tool rather than a candidate database making you easy prey for the "head-hunters" out there, though the term "headunter " should be used loosely!! The idea I thought was that LinkedIn would make it easier for businesses to network with each other and cross sell services to help develop business and therefore the economy as a whole rather than a good way to get rid of all your employees and encourage businesses to suffer....and therefore the economy as a whole.

So the question is, are you (The LinkedIn user....and likely to be a business owner or manager of people ) happy that all your staff are on LinkedIn apparently for the purpose of standing out to bring their next career move closer and to encourage being headhunted? (Even those that just joined you 2 weeks ago...I have seriously known that to happen to a candidate we placed in a new position).

Clearly I only posted this so a headhunter might spot it, be suitably impressed and offer me a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Watch this space for an update.

So...you are interviewing and have met the "right" one for the job....

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Tue, 30 May 2017 13:34:00 +0000

How to ensure your top candidates stay interested

It’s one thing finding the best candidates for your latest position but how do you keep them interested after the interview especially as they are the first one you have met but you have decided from the outset that you "need" to meet 5 applicants to have a good comparison.

This is a modern day dilemma that seems to be on the rise, you like what you see and want to offer them the job but you have already committed to the process, though it is annoying that one of the other applicants has just gone off on a 2 week holiday!!

To keep candidates interested throughout the process they need to be kept engaged and informed and the process needs to be fluid.

When using a reputable agency and by establishing a close relationship with that agency you can work together to make sure this all flows smoothly and everyone is kept in the loop.

Here we look at some of the best ways to minimise the risk of having problems with your process in the future.

Collection of data

Even before the interview, you can put your candidates off by almost forcing them to fill in lengthy application forms that duplicate much of the detail that they’ve included on their CVs. Take a closer look at these forms and ask yourself how you would feel when asked to duplicate the data required? These are still considered to be a great way to gather relevant information about your prospective employees but try not to pack in too many questions because you could be losing some very good candidates this way.

Candidate selection for interview

First of all you don't need to have a nice rounded number of applicants to interview. In our experience at Wavelength as long as you make sure you are interviewing candidates from the right background with the right experience then you don't need to interview to just make up the numbers, which will allow you to make an informed decision much more quickly; than having to wait for the applicant who has disappeared off on their hols to return.

Post interview behaviour

Nobody likes to be kept in limbo after a job interview and this is why even the most promising candidates may start looking elsewhere. Ensure that this doesn’t happen to you by sending out an email to the applicant or to their agency as soon as you can. You don’t have to promise them anything but by keeping them in the loop you should be able to retain their interest long enough to make a decision. The same goes for the initial job application; it doesn’t take long but will decrease the chances of those top drawer candidates becoming restless.

Offering the job

Although you may be of the mindset that once you make the offer, they will find it hard to refuse, that simply is not the case anymore. Not only should you offer them a fair salary but you also need to be able to answer any questions with regards to a promising career path. It may be possible that they have received other offers and if you bear this in mind, try to remain competitive at all times. You should also remember that they are allowed to take their time when deciding on your offer and always avoid rushing them because this can quite often come across as desperate.

If you have the right candidate for your latest vacancy, follow these tips and you have a great chance of making them an offer that they will accept. Always remain honest and transparent throughout the whole process and remember that courtesy is key when communicating with all of your candidates.....and with your chosen Agency.

You can find us at Wavelength - the Public Practice Recruitment Specialists!!

Planning Your Accountancy Career in Public Practice......Keeping a Step Ahead..

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Tue, 23 May 2017 09:28:00 +0000

Taking control of your career progression should not be taken lightly and is something you should plan for. There are always going to be exceptions to this rule when control is taken out of your hands, the most obvious one being unexpected redundancy which for most is not part of their plan.

You should take steps to know which direction you are going in through appraisals with your current employer, or if you need to look externally, establish a firm relationship with a Recruitment Consultant with a particular knowledge and expertise of your market and career options.

During the recession, as you would expect, recruitment was not at the top of the list for many Firms of Accountants but things have now changed where the demand for experienced candidates is high but the pool of available candidates is small.

The problem that active or passive job seekers now face is the pressure of deciding which opportunity is right for them without it being a knee jerk reaction to for example either having passed your exams, or not being happy with the latest salary review. While at the same time you are potentially caught off guard by an unsolicited headhunt call from somebody who found your details on LinkedIn and out of the blue they claim to have the "ideal" job for you, without really having any idea as to who you are and what would be best for your career.

The best plan for your career is to plan for it.

This is where your choice of recruitment consultant is vital in providing the advice and market knowledge you need to make an informed plan. At this point it would be useful for our consultants at Wavelength to meet with you, to form that relationship and allow us to be a step ahead of the market by proactively working on your behalf so we can then make you aware of the type of opportunity that would interest you.

The way we work at Wavelength will ensure your details are kept confidential until such time that you agree to be put forward for a specific role. If you sign up to the way we work there is no need for you to then approach other recruitment agencies. Where possible and if not too late we do ask candidates to consider dealing with Wavelength exclusively rather than getting other agencies involved, as this can sometimes compromise your own position when agencies get into a CV race rather than listening to what you are actually looking for.

At Wavelength we are dealing with a number of Career Opportunities
but we don't just fill vacancies. One of our strong points over the years has been the ability to source the right opportunity for candidates rather than shoehorn them into one we are having difficulty filling.The other side to that equation is that our clients are getting the right candidates for their roles; so everybody is happy.

So......... if you are somebody with experience gained from working within Public Practice and interested in taking steps to plan for your career progression within Practice, we are here to help. We will advise, counsel and help you take the next progressive step in your career.

We look forward to hearing from you.

ONCE YOU HAVE QUALIFIED....WHAT NEXT......?

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Mon, 22 May 2017 17:25:00 +0000

LIVE THE DREAM!!

OK you have completed your ACA or ACCA training and qualified and trained in Public Practice; what do you do now? There are a number of options available in terms of the career path you can now take but you may also find that the options available will depend on your experience gained through training.

Typical career paths include:

Audit and Assurance
General Practice
Corporate Finance
Business Advisory
Tax
Insolvency / Business Recovery
Forensics

In this edition we will focus on Audit and Assurance.

Audit and Assurance

Experience gained within Audit and Assurance will have provided exposure to dealing with statutory and non-statutory audits for companies ranging from the small to the very large multinational. This experience will provide an excellent foundation for future career progression either by remaining focused on an Audit career within a firm of Accountants or to use that experience and move into another specialist field.

If you remain within Audit after qualification this can provide clear progression with a possible route to Partnership. This is a popular choice for Newly Qualifieds who remain with their Training firm and may have already been fast tracked in their career.

For those who have trained with smaller firms there is a demand from the larger firms provided the audit experience gained is significant either in terms of client size or frequency of audit assignments. Moving to a much larger firm will provide exposure to a much larger and in some cases more complex client base and develop your reporting and technical ability.

A career in Audit and Assurance will develop your skills in key areas and provide a platform for the future. You will develop your client and staff management skills as well as expertise which is specific to the Industry sectors you have been exposed to.

With audit threshold changes in recent years this has reduced the number of audits required by companies which has had a knock on effect on the audit exposure given to trainees by firms of accountants. For anyone who finds themselves in this position the other career options bullet pointed at the top of this article are still available but if you are interested in securing a new role in audit after qualifying there are plenty of opportunities in the market.

Visit our website to see a range of Public Practice career opportunties all providing audit exposure; for some examples click the links below. They vary from newly qualified roles to opportunities requiring more experience:

Top 10 Audit Senior - Peterborough c£32K - £38K

Top 10 Audit Senior - Northampton c£34K - £36K

Top 10 Audit Manager - Milton Keynesc£55K - £60K

ACA / ACCA Qualified Manager - Milton Keynes c£45K - £50K

Audit and Accounts Senior - Kettering c£30K - £38K

Newly Qualified Audit Senior - Milton Keynes c£35K - £38K

If any of the above opportunities or others on our website at www.waverecruit.com are of interest, please contact us at Wavelength to discuss further or contact us if you simply want some career advice; we will be pleased to help.

www.waverecruit.com

The Public Practice Specialist

#PublicPracticeJobs

NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO CONSIDER PARTNERSHIP PROSPECTS!!

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Wed, 17 May 2017 14:20:00 +0000

When the recession kicked in the uncertainty that was created meant a lot of accountancy firms either put their succession plans on hold or the owners worried they wouldn't get a chance to have one if the business went under.

A number of years further on and there are still a number of established accountancy firms across the region who do not have anybody coming through to enable the owners to exit over the next 5 - 10 years. This has been caused by a reluctance to recruit and train during the recession and a reluctance of experienced professionals in a managerial position to move on which in turn restricted the development of qualified staff coming through and so the cycle went on. We were in an era of postponed promotions, expansions, retirements etc.

For the ambitious aspiring qualified accountant there are now opportunities to join firms as part of firms' succession plans and secure a financially and career rewarding opportunity. This is never something to rush into on either side and as much as the economic circumstances impact on the decision making, it is still important to remember the timescales you may have to work to, especially if the plan is working towards a retirement or a fixed date of exit.

When joining a firm you need to give yourself time to work alongside the exiting partner so you gain the respect and understanding of the clients you are going to be taking over. You will need a couple of years to bed in, build relationships with clients and staff alike; you may also need business development experience or need to build a portfolio and this will take time.

There are different ways of buying into a firm and the expectations of the exiting partners will vary from firm to firm but it is likely you will need the time to buy in or raise funds, so with all this in mind you would really need to be planning for this type of opportunity now if you expect to become a partner in the next 3-5 years.

At Wavelength we've had many years experience in the accountancy recruitment market recruiting for practices large and small at all levels and have introduced many candidates looking for prospects for progression from aspiring managers through to partners with fee following, even during the toughest recession.

As the market improves competition for these roles will increase and you need to be made aware when such an opportunity presents itself to the market and is relevant to your skills set and aspirations. Roles will vary and may be specialist e.g. in Audit or Tax or may be more General, it is during these times you need a consultancy you can trust to be technically aware, skilled at recruitment, have strong market knowledge and be honest and unbiased.

Examples of current roles we are recruiting for at Partnership level include:

ACA qualified with client following
http://bit.ly/2cokm2c

Partnership Prospects ACA/ACCA Qualified Manager

http://bit.ly/2rqKlvE

ACA/ACCA Qualified Senior/Manager with a small firm

http://bit.ly/2phJFZV

For other opportunities at all levels follow this link http://www.waverecruit.com/jobs.asp

At Wavelength we don't just fill vacancies we will find the right opportunity for you and let you know when it surfaces.

So start the search at the earliest opportunity and choose your recruitment agent wisely to identify what will be a career enhancing appointment for you.

The hidden pitfalls of using a job board

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Wed, 10 May 2017 10:26:00 +0000

Despite what certain online and TV adverts suggest; finding the perfect job is not as simple as hitting the job boards.

Now that's clearly a controversial statement and I'm sure to be hit with the "yes you would say that wouldn't you" from sceptical readers but bear with me. It's something that we have witnessed for some time now and feel job hunters should have a greater awareness of the impact the route they choose to find a new job can have on their long term prospects.

The problem that can happen when using job boards is ultimately a lack of control if you don't do it right, which is one of the worst things that can happen when you are changing role and here's why.

1. A Credibility Killer

Many candidates nowadays seem to start the thought process of changing jobs by hitting the job boards and "seeing what's out there". Now as a general exercise there's nothing wrong with this, however it's all too easy to simply click a button and bam! you've applied for a job that you'd give no more than a few seconds thought to. Would you do that if you had to telephone them or apply in writing?

The person receiving your speculative application will assume you have read about the role you have applied for, researched it and decided to apply because you have a clear idea as to what you are looking for and have made a calculated decision to apply. If you haven't this will become apparent either from your lack of skills actually matching the requirements of the role or if you do get to interview you may come across as indecisive, lacking commerciality and unprofessional. The interviewer wants you to have thought this through and actually be interested in their company and the opportunity they are recruiting for.

The reason this effects your long term career? Well certainly in the world of accountancy where we specialise, it is wise to remember it is a VERY small world employers and agencies will remember you. Your application is your first impression.

2. The Gold Rush

The moment you decide to apply for a role on a job board you will be asked/told you have to upload your CV, set up an account, log all your details, provide inside leg measurements etc. Great that makes things easier doesn't it.? Kind of yes, however what you are actually consenting to is for your CV and personal data being SOLD to anyone who subscribes to the CV download service, resulting in all your personal data being distributed to 100's of recruitment agencies and employers (including your own if they are a subscriber).

3. Losing the Race

About an hour or so later you should start receiving the first of many many phone calls from agencies contacting you or simply sending your CV out without consultation or your permission to any of their clients you may be vaguely suited to. At this point you have lost control and you are no longer able to have a discreet, discerning search for your ideal role.

You have now lost control of the the search for the job you want, your time will be absorbed fielding calls and emails from competing agents "selling you their jobs".

4. The Interview Marathon

With agencies doing what they do, you will most likely be receiving calls along the lines of "I have a client that would like to meet you!" "How exciting" you think, "I have an interview!" "but hang on how did they know what I am looking for and that my personality and career aspirations are exactly what the employer wants?! That's incredible as we havent even spoken before!" Unless you really put the brakes on firmly here this is the point you start attending very frustrating and stressful interviews that given the right amount of advice and consultation you probably would have chosen to reject.

Job boards of course have their place, they help to demonstrate available roles, provide industry benchmarks, salaries etc. So use them to research and narrow down what you think you are looking for but keep your CV on your hard drive and your finger well away from the apply now button!

When you see a role you think you are interested in do some more research and then contact the employer in an email or telephone call, send your CV direct when you are ready and only in relation to a specific role. If it is a recruitment agency, again contact them directly and send your CV only if they have answered all your questions and they appear to be the best agency to source the type of role you are looking for and provide you with professional, credible advice to enable them to find the role you want.

Keep your valuable data to yourself until you are ready to share it.

In doing so you stand a much better chance of finding the perfect role and minimise the heartache finding it!

www.waverecruit.com

Is Social Media Affecting Your Employment Chances??

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Farmer) — Tue, 09 May 2017 13:46:00 +0000

Give your social media profile some thought - Prospective Employers Are!!

Okay, nobody enjoys looking at a boring social media profile, so how can you maintain the status quo whilst still staying in the market for some attractive job roles? Simple, all you need to do is take a closer look at those privacy settings and start putting them into action. You can easily tweak them so that only your Facebook friends can see your updates and that will help a lot.

But whilst you are at it, why don’t you go through your profile and get rid of those dodgy updates as well? Swearing, anything sexual and of course the booze related photos aren’t really that important are they?

You could always open up a new account with an alias if you absolutely must be seen as the party animal, but do it sooner rather than later.

From our own experience as a Public Practice Accountancy recruitment agency, we know that our own clients will look at social media profiles and actually include this as a vital part of their own selection process.

You should also delete any inactive social media accounts because your prospective employers could also find these and who knows what you thought was cool two or three years ago?

So think about your professional future, take care of your social media accounts and you could soon land that dream job you always wanted whilst keeping your "social" reputation intact!!

Give your social media profile some thought - Prospective employers do!!

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 10:00:00 +0000

Okay, nobody enjoys looking at a boring social media profile, so how can you maintain the status quo whilst still staying in the market for some attractive job roles? Simple, all you need to do is take a closer look at those privacy settings and start putting them into action. You can easily tweak them so that only your Facebook friends can see your updates and that will help a lot.

But whilst you are at it, why don’t you go through your profile and get rid of those dodgy updates as well? Swearing, anything sexual and of course the booze related photos aren’t really that important are they?

You could always open up a new account with an alias if you absolutely must be seen as the party animal, but do it sooner rather than later. From our own experience as a Public Practice Accountancy recruitment agency, we know that our own clients will look at social media profiles and actually include this as a vital part of their own selection process.

You could also delete any inactive social media accounts because your prospective employers could also find these and who knows what you thought was cool two or three years ago? Think about your professional future, take care of your social media accounts and you could soon land that dream job you always wanted.

LATEST JOBS W/C 24-10-16

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 07:00:00 +0000

	Secure the best accountancy role for your career

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Audit and Accounts Senior

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They are currently recruiting a role comprising of audit, tax and accounts which would suit a qualified ACCA / ACA with Practice experience and be looking for a hands on role dealing with the varied audit, accounting and tax compliance requirements for Owner Managed Businesses.... Read more

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Changing your job in turbulent times can still be achieved and here’s how.

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 07:00:00 +0000

When the economy is in turmoil as it is it can be perceived as the wrong time to change jobs. This can be true in some circumstances but if carefully managed a change of role can be achieved at any time. The key is to ensure the best match is made and all the necessary research is completed before committing to the move.

One of the 1^st important decisions will be how you are going to go about it. Will you go it alone, pitching your CV onto a series of public job boards, a quick update of your linkedin profile and then hope for the best? Or do you enlist the expertise of a recruitment consultant?

That, right there, is exactly what the right recruitment consultant should be providing.

Choose well and your consultant with help you to secure the perfect role without broadcasting your personal details across the ether, they will help you to identify exactly what you need and help you to secure the role that matches with your short and long term aspirations. They will know which firms match your personality, which manager you will work best with and weed out those that don’t.

So if you’re considering a move, keep your approach exclusive and discerning, take your time and enlist an expert and the economic climate should only be the smallest part of the decision making process.

Looking for a new job? Then it's time to buy British and here's why.

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 14:39:00 +0000

With the Pound crashing, prices of imported goods rising and the threat of losing access to our supply of Marmite perhaps it’s a good time to be more conscious of the origins of your products and services?

The benefits of supporting a local producer can also be extended to supporting local independent service providers who historically provide the best levels of customer service, where services can be tailored to the individual and clients are not lost in the crowd like large organisations. When you really consider this, focussing on local/independent providers no longer becomes a moral or wider economic choice, it is a practical, advantageous decision that can save you time and money. Working with independent businesses can bring great rewards they can be hugely competitive with large businesses especially when it comes to service levels and quality.

As a specialist independent recruiter our clients and candidates have seen the advantage of our market knowledge, our attention to detail, discretion and high levels of customer service. Being local we understand the local economy and can give the best advice to both parties without the pressures of sales targets, Board pressures and shareholders. We are in it for the long term so if it’s not right for the employer or employee then it’s not right for us. Being independent is the only reason this is possible.

So when you’re about to make an important decision like choosing a provider think seriously about keeping it local and independent, it’s a win win for you and for the UK economy.

How to survive your first 3 months in your new job

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 11:56:00 +0000

So you’ve landed that awesome public practice job that you have always wanted, so what happens next? Well, firstly you should give yourself a nice pat on the back and secondly, you have around 3 months to slot into your new role. Here we’ll talk about some proven tips that can really help you to gain a foothold in your new company and could even ensure that you make sufficient impact to stand up and be noticed.

If you are unsure, always ask

Everybody has to start somewhere and nobody will expect you to hit the floor running but so long as you pick up information in a steady manner, you will be just fine. If you are unsure of a particular process, simply ask your colleague because they will be more than happy to fill in the gaps. The worst thing that you can do as a new starter is to try and wing it, write down your queries as soon as they occur and that way, you’ll be able to ask relevant questions that will get you off those starting blocks a little faster.

Learning on the job

Your recruitment consultant should be able to give you a heads up with regards what you can expect in your new role but as soon as you walk through those doors, it is your time to shine. Use your3 month probation period to gain as much information as you can because although it may seem a little hard to swallow, you can actually be up to speed by the time those 3 months have passed you by. Find out what you need to know, where you can find this information and remember to write any titbits down that may serve you well later on.

Choose new friends wisely

We all enjoy having social interactions in the office however, until you thoroughly understand the workplace dynamic, try to hang back before telling anyone your life story.

Finally, try to avoid making a judgement call about your new career until you have given it a fair chance. The job will become easier once you have learnt the ropes and can stand on your own two feet.

How to ensure your top candidates stay interested

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 11:18:00 +0000

It’s one thing finding the best candidates for your latest position but how do you keep them interested after the interview. This is a modern day dilemma that seems to be on the rise, you like what you see and decide to offer them the job. But there’s a problem; they either fail to reply or simply tell you that they’d prefer to continue looking. Here we look at some of the best ways to minimise the risk of this happening to you in the future.

Collection of data

Even before the interview, you can put your candidates off by almost forcing them to fill in lengthy application forms that kind of mimic the details that they’ve included on their CVs. Take a closer look at these forms and ask yourself how you would feel when asked to duplicate the data required? These are still considered to be a great way to gather relevant information about your prospective employees but try not to pack in too many questions because you could be losing some very good candidates this way.

Post interview behaviour

Offering the job

If you have the right candidate for you latest vacancy, follow these tips and you have a great chance of making them an offer that they will accept. Always remain honest and transparent throughout the whole process and remember that courtesy is key when communicating with all of your candidates.

Succession Planning in Accountancy

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 10:19:00 +0000

Accounting firms have never been as reliant on succession planning as they are right now. Just cast your mind back to the financial crisis and you’ll remember how up in the air each and every industry was. But with effective succession planning in place, that need not be the case in the future.

More than risk mitigation

The whole point of having succession planning as part and parcel of your overall business plan is to create a sense of confidence amongst your colleagues in the workplace. If your employees understand where they are heading in the future, surely they will be more motivated to step up to the plate and deliver on a daily basis? This strengthens the overall structure of your company and it is a common factor in UK accountancy firms today.

Long or short term?

Succession planning can work in both long and short term timespans and both of these will help to retain your key employees in your accounting firm. But on the whole, long term succession planning is where we should be concentrating our efforts. Consider the talent or lack of it at middle and senior manager levels and you’ll start to realise just how vital this strategy actually is. It does of course depend on the size and structure of your firm but where possible it would be better to develop your existing employees and reinforce your company’s loyalty instead of risking diluting the very same by employing external candidates?

When you initially recruit new employees, why not start as you mean to go on by developing the best candidates for the future accountancy roles? Instead of filling that hole in the future, you can already have a handle on who will be the best person for that job by following the codes set out by long term succession planning.

Get the most from your recruitment consultant

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 12:01:00 +0000

Thanks to a new initiative that is the brainchild of The Recruitment and Employment Confederation, the overall value of the entire profession is being strengthened. The whole idea of taking your job’s overall impact on your life to the next level is surely both worthwhile and long overdue.

Jobs transform lives

That is the name of the initiative and the REC hope to raise awareness of just how vital recruitment firms really are when it comes to finding that perfect career choice. As a part of the ‘Jobs transform lives’ initiative, REC have made 6 videos that look closely at how certain individuals pay testament to how the correct career and subsequent job choice has had such a positive effect on their lives. Each of these case studies can be accessed via the Daily Telegraph website and they will be there for 10 weeks.

The importance of jobs

Although people are well aware of how important jobs happen to be, the REC are concentrating on how valuable recruitment agencies are when it comes to finding the best choices for each individual. According to a survey carried out recently, the following results were collected about what people regard to have the most profound effect on their lives:

· 77% of people in the survey believe that choosing the right job is the most important life decision

· 73% were of the opinion that starting a family was the most important life decision

· 65% thought that choosing what to study at school/college was the important

· 64% believed that choosing where to live was the most important decision in their lives

Getting the best from your own recruitment consultancy

So there we have it, if you fit into that 77% and are looking at your own career or perhaps you are just leaving college/university, maybe it is time to look for the best recruitment consultancy that matches your own aspirations? At Wavelength our philosophy is to provide an efficient recruitment service in Recruitment for Public Practice Accountancy firms, we take the time to understand both the candidate and the client’s needs when placing someone in a job.

Your career choice will have a profound effect on how your life pans out so never underestimate the importance of having a strong ally in your recruitment consultancy.

How your Facebook profile can affect your career prospects

noreply@blogger.com (Helena Farmer) — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:44:00 +0000

Facebook has gone from strength to strength since it appeared what seems like ages ago and these days even your prospective employers are getting in on the act. With way over a billion regular users worldwide, it is not surprising that most job applicants will probably have a Facebook account. But it may be sound advice to take another look at how your own profile may be perceived before filling out that application form. Here we look a little closer at the new trend that is offering recruiters an invaluable insight as far as weeding out undesirable candidates is concerned. A recent survey taken from over 1,800 HR managers has unearthed some very revealing evidence as far as our social media accounts and job applications are concerned. We’ve also consulted a separate survey taken from 2,000 young people who have social media accounts just to balance this article out.

How is your profile?
We all have seen the evidence of a wild night out or a particularly messy holiday splashed all over a Facebook profile, that’s part of the whole idea of social media after all. Have another look at your timeline and see if you can find any evidence of this type of shenanigans before your next recruiter stumbles onto it. Nobody is an angel but surely some things are better kept private? Especially as far as finding that killer job is concerned.

What they don’t want to see
Just imagine if you were an accountancy recruiter or HR professional in an accountancy firm and you had 4 or 5 Facebook profiles in front of you. It could be that the applicants are all very similar but where one or more of the applicants have plenty of photos showing him or her quaffing alcohol without any issues, would you offer this person an interview ahead of the other applicants? We know what the answer is likely to be, so why risk the chance of ruining your opportunity just because your Facebook profile is a bit over the top?

Important statistics from the survey
In terms of figures to back up these claims, please take a look at these because you may just be a little shocked to discover how high some of them are:

90% of employers admit to checking Facebook profiles for vetting purposes

55% of recruiters have decided against hiring applicants after checking their social media profiles

22% of social media users aged between 14-25 will post pictures of their nights out onto their profiles

24% have no privacy settings on their social media profiles

Some tips that you may need to know
Okay, nobody enjoys looking at a boring social media profile, so how can you maintain the status quo whilst still staying in the market for some attractive job roles? Simple, all you need to do is take a closer look at those privacy settings and start putting them into action. You can easily tweak them so that only your Facebook friends can see your updates and that will help a lot. But whilst you are at it, why don’t you go through your profile and get rid of those dodgy updates as well? Swearing, anything sexual and of course the booze related photos aren’t really that important are they? You could always open up a new account with an alias if you absolutely must be seen as the party animal, but do it sooner rather than later. From our own experience as a Public Practice Accountancy recruitment agency, we know that our own clients will look at social media profiles and actually include this as a vital part of their own selection process.

You could also delete any inactive social media accounts because your prospective employers could also find these and who knows what you thought was cool two or three years ago? Think about your professional future, take care of your social media accounts and you could soon land that dream job you always wanted.