A CUT ABOVE

Celebrating International Day of Accounting with David Cameron, Vice President of the LCASS

International Day of Accounting is an annual celebration to commemorate the publication of Luca Pacioli's book on double-entry bookkeeping in 1494 which is the bedrock of modern day accounting. In the modern day, International Day of Accounting is about the appreciation of the crucial work Accountants do and the recognition of their importance for business longevity and success. This year, we caught up with David Cameron of EY's Restructuring Team and Vice Presidentof the Leeds Chartered Accountants Student Society (LCASS) to gather his advice for those in the early days of their accounting career and insights about all things ACA.Starting a Career in Accounting 1.What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in accounting?I would say the sooner you realise that all of the exams require a fair amount of work and can’t be blagged (no matter how easy you found A-levels or university), the better. ACA is tough but I think it is certainly passable for most people, as long as you put the work in. The next big piece of advice I would give is if you go into the initial mundane tasks, when you first start, with a positive can-do attitude, it goes such a long way. The people who go into tasks with that outlook often find they move onto much more interesting tasks, quickly. Finally, the last tip I’d give to anyone starting out in accountancy is start building your network straight away, not only will it benefit your career in the end when everyone climbs the ranks together, it is even more beneficial from a social point of view at the junior levels. People you meet at networking events will become your friends and just enhance your overall experience when you are starting out. 2.How can recent graduates make themselves stand out to potential employers?It sounds cliché but I think showing your personality in an interview and just being yourself is something people feel as though they shouldn’t do. I really believe that that’s by far the easiest way to stand out. The majority of applicants will also have a great CV, the way you will stand out is by the employer thinking that they will enjoy working with you every day. Picking an ACA Specialism 3.Can you share some insights on the different specialisms available whilst studying ACA?Audit and Assurance:Examining financial statements and processes to verify accuracy and provide confidence to stakeholders through regulatory compliance. Tax:Advice on tax planning, compliance or strategy, dependent on what department of tax you’re in. Transactions:This could be a role in Mergers & Acquisitions/Corporate Finance, Transaction Due Diligence or Restructuring. 4.How did you decide on your own specialism, and what influenced your choice?I work within the Restructuring service line and absolutely love it. I’d always had a big interest in how businesses work operationally, and Restructuring allows me to assist businesses through times of distress with the hope that we can help to provide a solution to save/improve the business. Being in the service line I am in, it has allowed me to think outside the box and use problem solving at work as there is never the same solution for each business in a time of crisis, with solutions ranging from running an accelerated sale process of the business to possibly refinancing its existing debt. What the ACA Has to Offer5.What are the key benefits of pursuing the ACA qualification?First and foremost, the comprehensive skillset you acquire through completion of the ACA qualification shouldn’t be overlooked as it allows you to apply knowledge you have learnt from topics/exams usually unrelated to your usual job role to situations where it is required or even personal situations. I believe that the practical work experience you gain (at least 450 days of practical work experience) whilst completing your ACA enables you to improve your technical skills at a far quicker rate as you are utilising knowledge you have learnt at work on a daily basis, to better your understanding of the technical aspects, something which you don’t get to do at university or school. I would say the largest benefit is realistically the career flexibility and opportunities it allows you to have access to. As mentioned above, there are so many different avenues that you can go down through having an ACA qualification. If you don’t like one role, you can quite easily try something different. 6.How does the ACA prepare accountants for the challenges both inside and outside of the profession?As touched on above, the comprehensive knowledge gained from an ACA qualification is fantastic and can be applied to so many different scenarios outside of an accountancy role, such as personal tax planning or even the strong financial acumen gained to assist with running your own business. ACA also of course reiterates the importance of ethical behaviour and integrity throughout your studying period which helps instil such traits into students. Learnings from this will help students make correct decisions at work or even in their own personal life when faced with difficult choices. Personal Journey into Accountancy 7.Can you tell us about your journey into accountancy and what inspired you to choose this career?I joined the EY Leeds Restructuring team back in 2020 via the school leaver programme. I probably got unlucky with the year I joined given we were in the midst of the pandemic, however, what I was certain of even back then was no matter what, I still just wanted to get into work rather than continue full time education. I was keen on the potential qualifications I would come out of university with; however, I knew that I had always much preferred working throughout school than the education side of things. I was drawn to the Restructuring apprenticeship due to the element of problem solving involved and the opportunity to leverage commercial skills. Admittedly, I wasn’t overjoyed about the prospect of 15 ACA exams, however, I knew the end goal was worth it and provided some incentive. Four years later and I have completed my ACA and my apprenticeship. I’d recommend this path to many, for the experience and level of qualification I’ve been able to obtain by such a young age, coupled with the opportunity to meet so many people that will be mates for life. 8.Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your career path?Nothing I would change that’s in my control. It would’ve been ideal to have joined at a time outside of the pandemic as it did effect the social side of things for the first year or so. To find out more about the ACA click here.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 TODAYand let's chart your career path together.

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A desire to work with people led William Pleasance to enter the barbering industry but with a flair for sales and a commercially focused mindset, he has swapped clippers for CVs and is now forging ahead with career in a recruitment. We caught up with William – a consultant in our Leeds office – to find out more.

Tell us why you wanted to work in recruitment.

After leaving full-time education, I wasn’t fixed on a particular career path; I knew I wanted to work directly with people and after moving from barbering to business to business sales I was keen that my next move would allow me to partner both my commercial and people skill sets – recruitment was the natural choice.

Do you specialise in a particular area of recruitment?

Each consultant at Sharp has a particular area of expertise which allows us to fully immerse ourselves in the market and understand the key factors affecting recruitment at each level and across different geographic locations. I specialise in the permanent placement of part qualified to newly qualified finance professionals across the North and West Yorkshire working predominately with a client base of private businesses in all industries, excluding practice.

How is the current marketplace and what are your expectations for how the next 6-12 months will look?

The current market going into 2022 is very busy following a strange couple of years. We have seen a huge increase in demand from businesses for the part qualified and newly qualified professionals and, as we are yet to fully see a spike in active candidates following the Christmas break, this demand currently outstrips supply.

What are the main recruitment challenges being faced in this area?

The main challenges we face are due to a shortage in candidates. The reasons for people seeking a move now are very different to what they were pre-Covid. Work life balance is a huge factor for people. Whilst we are seeing high candidate demand and low supply, salaries and packages will naturally increase as businesses compete to attract new talent and retain existing members of staff. Not only that, active candidates may find they have multiple opportunities to choose from which means companies must first attract them into applying for a role and then potentially re-attract them during the latter stages of the recruitment process.

What should employers be doing to overcome these challenges?

Employers need to fully understand the challenges of the current marketplace and look at where there can be flexibility in the recruitment process and their requirements for the role.

Salary is – and will remain – a crucial factor, however, employers should consider all options and not jump in at a higher salary level. There may be opportunities to look at bringing in a candidate at a lower salary point and level of experience and investing in their future.

The option of flexible working is becoming much more of an expectation amongst candidates, whether this is hybrid working or working hours on a flexi timetable. Those employers that can blend the needs of employees who want office-based time alongside those for whom an element of home working is a priority will find they are in a stronger position to cherry-pick the best candidates.

In times of candidate shortage, speed is very much of the essence and any delays – even by so little as a day – can see good candidates either snapped up or attracted by additional opportunities making it even more competitive to secure your first choice.

What particular skills are currently in demand? What should candidates be doing to take advantage of this opportunity?

Commercially focused and analytical skills are in high demand as businesses look for their teams to identify both risks and opportunities which can be capitalised upon to generate value. Candidates should be aiming to broaden their technical ability which will see them add another dimension to what they can offer and pay dividends in the future.

What should candidates be looking for when considering a new role opportunity?

Try to not only identify what you want as an immediate return from your next move, but also consider what you want and where you want to be in say five years’ time. For example, salary may be the driving force right now, but once you have secured an increase what else does that opportunity offer you by way of career progression and supporting your overall goals and ambitions? Candidates should look for a supportive business, supportive direct manager and a role that gives as much exposure to the full finance function which is essential in order to accelerate your career in the right direction.

What advice would you give to a client about recruiting?

Employers should look at what they can offer candidates external to monetary benefits. Whilst money is important, the top part-qualified/newly qualified candidates will be keenly looking at the exposure the role gives them and the study package and support from both the business and direct manager.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance and accountancy professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today to find out more.