STARTING A NEW JOB OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT

Sharp Consultancy's Salary Survey 2025/26: Resetting the Landscape: Strategic Shifts in Finance Recruitment

It would be remiss not to start by addressing the elephant in the room — 2024 was a challenging year.While there were many reasons for this and numerous industries were affected, recruitment likely bore the brunt of it, particularly in the 6 months post-election(s).Whilst key roles and critical hires remained unaffected, certain head counts and processes were scrutinised and investment paused with internal restructures and automation utilised to reduce costs, in some instances, at the expense of employees. We subsequently saw an increase in candidate activity, with the talent pool strengthening. As those pressures eased in Quarter 4, recruitment processes saw improvement and green shoots have emerged. Optimism is on the rise in key hiring processes, albeit with a caveat. The cloud of additional cost increases in April, which is still dissipating. The senior finance and C-Suite market remains relatively unaffected, both regarding opportunities and candidates, it is the levels below that we have seen more change. In the evolving landscape of working dynamics, the volume of hybrid working is gradually waning despite sustained interest from candidates, presenting fewer job opportunities. While the blend of office and remote work remains desirable, it is no longer the predominant factor, indicating a notable shift in priorities for clients and candidates’ acceptance alike. Conversations with candidates underscore a growing desire around the importance of having a supportive mentor or manager and many professionals are increasingly open to a full-time return to the office if it guarantees enhanced guidance and avenues for professional advancement. "The salaries throughout transactional finance have stabilised across the region."Throughout the professional practice market, some similar trends have been observed but there have been noticeable differences in the past year. Salaries across the range of candidates in professional practice, from AAT to fully Qualified (ACA/ACCA) individuals are still rising and those firm’s able to offer competitive salaries alongside stronger training contracts are beating out the competition in a candidate market with a growing focus on study support packages and career advancement opportunities for Part-Qualified candidates, indicating an increase in demand from employers and the volume of available job seekers. The salaries throughout transactional finance have stabilised across the region, in what feels like the longest period of stability seen since Q4 2020 and we expect transactional finance salaries to remain stable throughout 2025/26, with anticipated salary increments to be moderate compared to the significant increases observed throughout the last 2 years. AI & Systems (process automation) continues to impact accountancy and finance, in particular, across larger functions but this has increased the need for wider interim support to assist with the transition and implementation especially with large, automated processes. Whilst 2025-26 will not be the same marketplace for recruitment as seen in previous years, there is certainly a growing level of optimism and whilst a more settled market may be seen as a negative in some areas, for those that have weathered the peaks and troughs over a longer period of time, it will feel very normal and a strong setting for both employees and employers to take advantage and thrive, with an increasing emphasis on growth and development.Download the full Salary Survey here!

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The first day in any new job is bound to bring a mixture of excitement and nervousness. However, just like a job interview, good preparation can be the key to ensure that your first days and weeks in a new role can be a success.

Be prepared

Make sure that you are familiar with the office dress code and that you know what your route to work will be and how long it will take you. Familiarise yourself with public transport
timetables or check out the best parking options. Depending on your new location, you may experience busier travel times at peak periods so leave yourself plenty of time to allow for any delays. The nerves may be jangling but try to get a good night sleep and leave plenty of time in the morning to get ready and eat breakfast.

First week challenges

From information overload to understanding the team dynamics, there will be a number of challenges that you are likely to face during your first few days. Try to learn the names of your new colleagues by making a note about who they are and what they do to jog your memory and whilst it’s good to reach out and start to build relationships, make sure that you avoid getting caught up in an office clique and participating in workplace gossip.

Share your experience

It’s natural that you will want to prove yourself early on however take some time to observe your new team members and understand what each of their roles involve and how your skills and experience could compliment what others can offer. Understandably you are likely to have some questions as you get up to speed with new procedures so don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice.

Build a relationship with your line manager

During your first week, make sure that you sit down with your line manager and establish lines of communication and reporting. Understand what is expected from you and agree some initial goals so you can both monitor your progress during the early weeks and months. If you are to be managing other members of the team, look to understand the dynamics and motivation within the department so you can set the right tone.

Probation period

It is likely that you will have a probation period when starting a new job and this is very useful to enable both employers and employees to establish if the role is right for all parties. It is important to not be worried about a probation period – seek ongoing feedback about your performance and if there are any areas which you should look to address and use the time positively to build relationships with your team and colleagues in other departments. If you do have any concerns, raise these as early as possible through the correct channels.

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.