OUR TIPS FOR CONDUCTING A SUCESSFUL INTERVIEW

Celebrating International Women's Day with Louise Shute

In celebration of International Women's Day, we continue our series by highlighting the inspiring journey of female leaders in finance who are making a significant impact throughout their career.In this installation we are thrilled to feature an interview with Louise Shute, the Chief Financial Officer of Hollybank Trust, a not-for-profit care provider dedicated to supporting individuals with complex needs. Since joining Hollybank Trust in 2019, Louise has been instrumental in driving financial sustainability, operational efficiency, and strategic growth. Her leadership goes beyond numbers, focusing on ensuring that every financial decision aligns with the organisation's mission to provide outstanding care. Join us as we dive into her career-defining moments, the traits that have contributed to her success, and her invaluable advice for the next generation of female finance leaders. 1.Please can you provide a summary of who you work for and your current role?I am the Chief Financial Officer of Hollybank Trust, a large not-for-profit care provider that delivers specialist care and education to individuals with complex needs. Since joining in 2019, I have been responsible for overseeing finance, IT, estates, and HR, ensuring financial sustainability, operational efficiency, and a strong, well-supported workforce. My role is not just about numbers—it’s about making sure every financial decision supports the organisation’s mission. I work closely with the executive team and trustees to strategically plan for the future, secure funding, and drive initiatives that enhance the care we provide. This includes leading acquisitions, driving digital transformation, and optimising resources to ensure we remain sustainable and continue to deliver outstanding care in an increasingly challenging financial landscape.2.What have been the one or two most defining moments in your career to date?A few pivotal moments have shaped my career and leadership style: Building a finance function from the ground up – One of my most challenging and rewarding experiences was setting up an entire finance team from scratch for a large care group. Bringing the finance function in-house, creating new systems, and ensuring financial stability in a complex organisation gave me invaluable leadership experience. Leading an acquisition – More recently, I successfully led the acquisition of a care business, ensuring financial due diligence, securing funding, and integrating the new business into our operations. This was a defining moment in navigating the complexities of growth while maintaining financial security. Driving digital transformation – Overseeing our transition to a nearly paperless organisation has been a major milestone. Introducing new financial, HR, and operational systems has made us more efficient and forward-thinking, ensuring we are well-equipped for the future. Beyond these, every year brings new challenges in the not-for-profit and care sector, where funding is tight, costs are rising, and financial sustainability is an ongoing battle. Navigating these challenges while keeping the organisation strong and adaptable is something I take pride in.3.What are the most important personal traits, values or characteristics that, being a female finance leader, has really helped to contribute to your success?Leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about bringing people with you. The qualities that have shaped my success as a finance leader include: Compassion and genuine interest in people – I care about my colleagues and take the time to listen, understand their perspectives, and create a supportive environment. Decisiveness and resilience – In finance, tough decisions need to be made. I can balance strategy with reality, ensuring we remain financially stable while protecting the organisation’s core values. Strong communication – Finance can sometimes feel like a separate world, but I ensure complex financial insights are communicated clearly to teams, trustees, and stakeholders so they can make informed decisions. Positivity, even in difficult times – The financial landscape for care providers is constantly evolving, and it’s easy to focus on the challenges. I believe in staying solution-focused and adaptable, ensuring we embrace change rather than fear it. A positive outlook helps to motivate teams, find creative solutions, and maintain momentum even during difficult periods. I wouldn’t say I’ve faced direct challenges as a woman in finance, but finance leadership remains a male-dominated space, especially at board level. Many women struggle with imposter syndrome, and I think it’s crucial to own your expertise, trust your ability, and bring your unique strengths to the table.4.What is the one piece of advice that you would share with the next generation of female finance leaders as they look to build their careers?My biggest piece of advice is: do what makes you happy. You spend so much of your life at work—it’s essential to enjoy it. If you don’t, don’t be afraid to seek out something that challenges, excites, and fulfils you. Beyond that, a few key lessons I’ve learned: Be true to yourself. Work for organisations that align with your beliefs, morals, and values. Build a strong team. Surround yourself with capable, driven people—it will make all the difference. Keep learning. I haven’t had an official mentor, but I invest in seminars, courses, and networking to continuously grow. Finding a mentor or widening your professional network can be invaluable. Stay adaptable. Finance, technology, and the business landscape are evolving rapidly. Staying open to change and embracing new ways of working will set you apart. Above all, believe in yourself. Women often doubt their abilities more than men, but confidence comes from experience. Keep learning, keep leading, and don’t be afraid to step up and take your seat at the table.Louise’s journey is a testament to her power of resilience, compassion, and strategic vision in leadership. Her dedication to Hollybank Trust's mission and her ability to navigate the complexities of the not-for-profit sector have set a remarkable example for aspiring female finance leaders. Her advice to stay true to oneself, build strong teams, and continuously learn resonates deeply, reminding us all of the importance of passion and adaptability in our careers. We hope her story inspires and empowers the next generation of women to pursue their ambitions with confidence and determination. While women are making strides in leadership roles, a significant gender gap still exists. In 2024, 36% of new CFO hires in FTSE 100 companies were female, a notable increase from 2023 when only 14% of new hires were female [1]. Despite this progress, women hold only 25% of CFO positions in the FTSE 100 [2]. These statistics highlight the ongoing need for greater gender diversity and support for women in finance. Looking for your next career move in finance or accountancy? At Sharp Consultancy, our expertise lies in matching your potential with the perfect temporary, interim, or permanent position. With a well-established presence in Leeds and Sheffield, our seasoned team of consultants extends their services across Yorkshire and beyond. Don't wait for opportunity to knock, reach out to us TODAY and let's chart your career path together.

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The interview is one of the most important aspects of the hiring process; but it’s not just candidates that need to prepare and put themselves in the best possible position for success – the interview is a two way street! Here are our suggestions for the best ways in which employers can conduct an effective interview.

Decide the format of the interview

Not all interviews take place face to face nowadays so you need to understand what format of interview will be best for the position that you are looking to recruit. Some initial preliminary interviews may take place over the phone or if travel costs and time are potentially prohibitive Skype or video calls may be a suitable solution. A one-to-one interview is still the most popular choice for many employers whilst a number may opt for a panel interview where a candidate will meet multiple people from the organisation. Also decide if the interviews will follow the same format with the same questions being asked to every candidate or if it will be less structured and more based around conversation.

Who should conduct the interviews?

The interview format that you decide upon will often influence the choice of interviewer/s. It is often the case that the direct line manager of the role that is being filled will be an obvious choice and depending upon the position, a department head or similar will sit alongside. As the interview is as much about the company selling the opportunity to the candidate, it is important
to choose someone who will be able to be enthusiastic about the role available as well as being a great advocate of the business, its culture and what it is like to be part of the team.

How long will the interviews last?

It is important to strike the right balance between giving yourself – and the candidate – enough time to find out all you need to know about each other whilst ensuring that the interview has good pace and duration to it, particularly if you are conducting several interviews within the same day. An hour is usually a good benchmark with slightly more time being allowed for second interview or more senior level appointments. If you are planning a series of interviews, make sure you leave enough time between appointments so you don’t create a backlog if things run slightly over.

The practicalities

Make sure you think about where the interviews will take place and ensure any room bookings are made well in advance. Consider if any refreshments are to be served and who will be greeting the candidates on arrival and looking after them beforehand. Details should be sent to each candidate well in advance including date and time information and a note of how long the interview is likely to take and who they will be meeting as well as any special instructions that they need to know about access to the building or any supporting material you would like them to bring to the interview.

Be prepared

It is useful to have a pack of information for each candidate that contains a copy of their application, their CV and covering letter, any letters of recommendation and any submitted tasks or exercises that you have requested be completed as part of the application process.

Consider your questions

It is important to ask the right questions to ensure that you glean the information that you want to from each candidate. As well as looking through each CV and making a note on key points that you would like to know more about, prepare a few standard questions that you can ask each person such as ‘what interests you most about the position’, ‘why would you like to work for the company’ or ‘how do you see yourself developing in the role’.

Help your candidates to relax

An interview can be daunting for some so help the interview go well – for all parties – by giving each person an opportunity to get settled and prepared before you start. Make sure they are comfortable and offer them a drink and ask them a few casual questions – ‘did you find us without too much trouble’, ‘how was your journey’ – to
help them relax.

Wrapping up an interview

Give the candidate an indication of what the next step is likely to be an expected time-frame in which you should be able to get back to them by. Make sure you inform each candidate of the outcome – whether they have been successful or unsuccessful – as promptly as you can. If you need a little more time to consider your decision, ensure that you keep those involved in the loop so that you don’t miss out on your preferred choice because they feel you are not interested through lack of feedback.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond CONTACT UStoday to discuss your recruitment needs with a member of our team.