It’s no secret employers in the accountancy and financial management industry look for certain traits in graduate jobseekers. For instance, KPMG hunts for resilience in candidates, and leadership skills on the part of EY. BDO even makes it a point to emphasise that they only want to bring on applicants who are good with “teamwork and trust”.
But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some skills in common companies look for. In fact, there are many, beginning with knowledge of numbers, bookkeeping and budgeting. Here are some are other skills most employers look for as well.
Commercial awareness
Commercial awareness is sought-after in most industries, but it’s especially vital in the accountancy and financial management sector. Develop your commercial awareness by first making the effort to understand your prospective employer. From there, get to know their business (from clients, collaborations and partnerships), as well as their competitors.
How to show it to recruiters: Prove your commercial awareness during the recruitment process by pinpointing some issues that may be facing the company or the industry, and how your employer can leverage on the circumstances advantageously. Recruiters and interviewers aren’t looking for in-depth knowledge on this, and a solid understanding of the company would impress them. Additionally, as much as you can, speak from the perspective of an insider, not so much a customer.
Communication and interpersonal skills
Passing on potentially byzantine information to someone who has a background in accountancy and financial management can be tough enough. Passing on the same information to stakeholders who don’t have such backgrounds is a completely different ballgame altogether. To do this, accountants and financial managers need a fair bit of communication and interpersonal skills to pass on this information without accounting or finance jargon.
How to show it to recruiters: Because accountants usually work in teams, communication and interpersonal skills are vital. Demonstrate your skills during the interview process by actively listening to what your interviewer has to say. And when answering, do so when making eye contact and speaking slowly and clearly.
Interest and enthusiasm
Candidates who show their interest and enthusiasm usually impress employers. Graduates who take the initiative and reach out to employers and recruiters first, usually over LinkedIn or career fairs (virtual or physical), stand out even more in a positive way!
How to show it to recruiters: There’s no better way to show your initiative, interest and enthusiasm than by attending networking sessions and career fairs to make yourself known to the people from the company you’re looking to join. Don’t be afraid to mention them during the recruitment process later. Talk about the research you’ve done as well, and be sure to slip in a few mentions of the organisation’s work that interests and intrigue you before relating it to your own skills!
Innovation
Innovation is a trait most employers always keep an eye out for. New and fresh ideas to continuous refresh an improve processes and procedures is essential in any industry, and it’s even more vital in a sector as competitive as accountancy and financial management. As a result, ability to develop and pinpoint new opportunities to better the company will always be valued.
How to show it to recruiters: It can be hard to show how innovative you are during your interview, as you don’t want to make bold statements that oversell your abilities. The best way, though, is to be self-confident and draw from your own experience from clubs and societies, internships and part-time jobs. It can be as simple as how you managed to raise funds for your club, or even finding a less time-consuming way to complete an assignment in school.
A willingness to learn...
A few millennia ago, Aristotle famously wrote, “The more you know, the more you realise you don’t know”. This little piece of advice has proven timeless, and employers are still on the hunt for candidates who are always on the lookout to stay ahead of trends and gather more knowledge, in order to develop themselves both personally and professionally. Because of this, candidates who showcase a willingness to learn are typically thought to be driven, motivated and hardworking – traits any employer wants.
How to show it to recruiters: Demonstrate your willingness to learn by giving recruiters concrete examples. This can be talking about the certification courses you registered for during your job hunt, or even pitching new ideas to the company on how they can improve, based on the research you’ve done on them!
...quickly
The intensity and competitiveness of the accountancy and financial management industry is such that accountants and employees of the sector need to be able to grasp new ideas fast. This includes meeting new clients, understanding data and new information, and even taking on a new project. Quick learning goes beyond picking up concepts fast, though. It also extends to applying what you’ve learnt to your work fast.
How to show it to recruiters: There’s more than one way to convey to recruiters and interviews that you’re a fast learner. For instance, you can more eloquently state that you’re an attentive learner. Otherwise, you can say that you’re receptive to training, and are detail-oriented.
No matter the industry, recruiters don’t just assess skills by academic achievements and grades alone – they also look at how you apply your skills and knowledge in a practical manner in real-life situations. While this list isn’t exhaustive – there were other unique requirements we pointed out than in the cases of KPMG, EY and BDO – employers generally look for these skills among graduate jobseekers looking to enter the accountancy and financial management sector.