OUR TIPS FOR CONDUCTING A SUCESSFUL INTERVIEW

Celebrating International Women's Day with Hannah Shilling

In celebration of International Women's Day, we're shining a spotlight on women in financial leadership roles. In this instalment, we had the pleasure of speaking with Hannah Shilling.After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in Mathematics, Hannah began her finance career as a Graduate Trainee at Croda International Plc, where she also completed her ACCA studies. She then advanced to the role of Group Assistant Accountant. Seeking new challenges, Hannah joined Costcutter Supermarkets Group, where she climbed the ranks to become Head of Finance. Currently, she is the Director of Corporate Accounting & Transactions at Card Factory, where she continues to excel in her field. Hannah's role at Card Factory is varied and dynamic, requiring her to wear many hats and tackle diverse challenges each day. Join us as she shares her journey, career-defining moments, and the traits that have fuelled her success. 1.Please can you provide a summary of who you work for and your current role?I am Director of Corporate Accounting & Transactions at Card Factory. I look after Management Accounting, FP&A, Transactions and Procurement. A typical day for me can involve reviewing divisional performance, working on Finance transformation projects, and defining our procurement strategy. So, a very interesting and varied role, which involves me wearing a lot of different hats!2.What have been the one or two most defining moments in your career to date?I would say without a doubt when I became Head of Finance at Costcutter Supermarkets. I had joined Costcutter as an analyst 5 years earlier, so to build my career and step into a senior leadership role after returning from maternity was a very proud moment.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?Being nosy and stubborn! In all seriousness though, opportunities have presented themselves through me stepping outside of my lane and getting involved in all sorts of things that were only vaguely linked to my role. And you’ve got to be resilient and determined if you want to be a true change agent in a larger organisation. I describe myself as having a healthy level of discontent with the status quo, so I’m always agitating at how we do things better, faster. If apathy sets in, I know that it’s time for a new challenge.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?Build your resilience and confidence when your career is in a steady state, so you’ve got plentiful reserves to draw on when you step up to a stretch opportunity. And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.Hannah Shilling's career in finance is a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and stepping out of one's comfort zone. Her journey from her Graduate role at Croda International PLC to a senior leadership role at Card Factory PLC is truly inspiring. Despite the progress that has been made, women still face significant challenges in the finance industry. In the UK, women hold only 33.5% [1] of senior management roles in financial services, and while they make up 41.1% [2] of finance professionals, they are underrepresented in leadership positions. Hannah's advice to build resilience and confidence, and to seek help when needed, is invaluable for aspiring female finance leaders. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we hope Hannah's story provides inspiration to female finance professionals to embrace challenges and pursue their career goals with confidence and determination. 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.