Spring 2019 - Life After Qualification Event

A good time to be a Newly Qualified Accountant

The first few months of 2019 have been somewhat overshadowed by Brexit. But despite all the uncertainty and confusion in Parliament, the job market remains positive and plentiful at newly qualified level.

We have compiled some insights about what we expect for recruitment this year in our Public Practice and Tax hiring trends interactive flipbooks.

To find out a bit more about the backgrounds of our speakers, click here.

Richard Pugh - Associate at Wilson Wright

Key advice for success:

• Always keep your options open, don’t simply stay put out of fear or apathy
• You shouldn’t make a decision to stay where you are unless you know what else is out there
• As with everything, you get back what you put in so your attitude is key
• Identify what you can do to make a difference to your clients
• Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone and making mistakes is often the best learning curve

“Sometimes it’s better to be a big part in a small machine - don’t always assume big firms are better for your career.”

Owain Loft - Head of Finance at Mayfair Casino

Key advice for success:

• Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want yet - there’s plenty of time to figure that out
• Choose a role that’s fulfilling, think beyond just money and job title
• It doesn’t hurt to practice your interview skills and keep an eye on what’s available
• Never undersell yourself
• Always consider how your next role will further your career and how it will look to future employers

“Moving out of practice has allowed me to have a high level of independence in my role.”

Mayank Kanani - Finance Manager at BT Pension Scheme

Key advice for success:

• Don’t over plan your future, but take control
• Stay open minded
• Establish strong relationships - Finance is a small community and you never know who could help you in the future
• Failure is a blessing - build on mistakes as they are often the next step onto something better

“Everyone’s path is unique - recruiters are there to help you along the way so take the call, go for a coffee; you never know what it might lead to.”

Natasha Kumar - In house Tax & Global Mobility at ASOS

Key advice for success:

• Seize every opportunity that comes your way
• Keep learning - read literature and take an active interest in current trends in your specialism
• Identify a mentor to help challenge and motivate you
• Form relationships with your recruitment agent, they will be able to give you invaluable information about what’s available

“The best thing you can do is leave your comfort zone. You won’t always have a cushion of support, but it enormously helps learning and will give you autonomy over what you’re doing.”

We hope the event was insightful for all attendees; many thanks to our speakers for giving invaluable advice and sharing their journeys.

Our next in the Life After Qualification series will be in Autumn 2019, so if you couldn’t attend this time, there will be another great opportunity to learn about making the most of your qualifications in the coming months. Click here to register your interest now.

In the meantime, if you would like to speak to a specialist recruitment consultant about your career path as a newly qualified account, do not hesitate to get in touch, or email your cv to newlyqualified@morganmckinley.co.uk