Building The Case For Hiring You

There’s a lot of people on the accounting job market right now.

COVID-19 has had an impact on most organisations. 

For some it’s meant growth and more demand and a need for more staff.

Others have had to downsize and make redundancies.

After the initial disappointment you have to get back out there and find that next role.

Some believe that it’s just a matter of tweaking the CV and starting to apply.

Now you might get lucky.

Right now, you need to be thinking differently about finding that next role.

Part of that is building the case for hiring you.

As an accountant, you understand that hiring someone at the end of the day is an investment decision.

If there was a requirement for resources to make a significant investment in technology or something else, you would expect a supporting case for investment.

Why should it be different when it comes to hiring someone?

Shouldn’t there be a need to make a case for investing in you?

The challenge may well be that you struggle to make that case for hiring you.

So here’s what I suggest.

Start By Getting Clarity

You may be at the early stages of your career.  Equally you may be season accountant.

Either way you have to get clarity about what you can bring to an organisation.

Whatever stage you are at you may have:

  • Knowledge
  • Qualifications
  • Experience
  • Technical skills
  • Non technical skills
  • Personal qualities

Get all of this down on paper.

Write Down All Of Your Achievements and Contributions

In every job you have responsibilities, tasks and activities.

Doing these well is just expected.

The differentiator is achievements and contributions.

These are those situations where you have really made a difference to the business.

Over the last 14 years I’ve realised that many accountants and professionals really struggle to identify let alone talk about achievements and contributions.

They sometimes say things like I’m just doing my job.

This may well be true but if you have don’t communicate them in writing or in person and another individual does, you don’t get the interview or job offer.

Practice Speaking and Writing Positively About Yourself

For most this doesn’t come naturally.

If you do it over and over again it starts to become more natural and comfortable.

Not necessarily easy but certainly less of a challenge.

The reality is that hiring someone is a big decision.  So invest the time to build the case for hiring you.  The potential return on that investment is significant.

About the Author Duncan Brodie

Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.

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