THE ONBOARDING PROCESS – HOW TO GET IT RIGHT

Why a Strong CV is Non-Negotiable for Finance Professionals in 2025

As a Senior Resourcer at Sharp Consultancy, I’ve reviewed thousands of CVs...From those just starting out to seasoned professionals with decades of experience. One thing remains consistent: in today’s competitive market, a strong CV isn’t optional—it’s essential. Today, South Yorkshire’s finance landscape is more dynamic than ever. With growing demand across sectors like manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and tech, accountancy and finance professionals are expected to bring more than just technical skills to the table. Your CV is your first opportunity to prove you’re up to the challenge. This blog marks the start of a three-part series focused on helping you craft a standout CV tailored to your career stage and goals. In this first post, we’ll cover general CV tips relevant to all finance professionals. In the next two instalments, we’ll dive deeper into: Transactional Finance CVs – how to highlight your experience in roles such as purchase ledger, sales ledger, and credit control. Part-Qualified Finance CVs – how to position yourself for progression while studying towards your qualifications. Stay tuned for practical advice and real-world insights to help your CV rise to the top of the pile. 🕒 First Impressions MatterRecruiters and hiring managers typically spend less than 30 seconds scanning a CV. That means your CV needs to immediately communicate relevance, professionalism, and potential. A clean layout, clear structure, and tailored content can make the difference between landing an interview or being passed over. 🔍 Specialist Skillsets Are in DemandFinance roles today go far beyond number-crunching. Employers want professionals who understand how finance supports wider business goals. Whether it’s streamlining reporting, implementing new systems, or driving cost efficiencies, your CV should highlight the tangible impact you’ve made. This is your chance to showcase your value-add—what makes you different from the next candidate. Use metrics where possible to quantify your achievements and make them memorable. 📍 Standing Out in YorkshireYorkshire is home to a diverse range of industries, from advanced manufacturing and engineering to professional services and digital tech. This diversity creates exciting opportunities—but also fierce competition. To stand out, your CV should reflect sector-specific experience and transferable skills. Whether you’ve worked in a fast-paced SME or a large corporate environment, highlight how your background aligns with the needs of the region’s employers. 📊 Business Acumen is a MustFinance professionals are increasingly expected to contribute to strategic decision-making. Roles in FP&A, commercial finance, and business partnering are on the rise, and employers want candidates who can offer insight—not just information. Your CV should reflect your ability to influence outcomes. Have you helped drive revenue growth? Supported investment decisions? Improved forecasting accuracy? These are the stories that resonate with hiring managers. 📈 Show a Clear Story of ProgressionRecruiters look for signs of growth and development. A strong CV doesn’t just list job titles—it explains the “why” behind each move. Did you step into a leadership role? Take on a new challenge? Gain exposure to a different sector? Even lateral moves can be powerful if they show a deliberate effort to build your skillset. Make sure your CV tells a cohesive story of your career journey. 🔑 Final ThoughtsIn Yorkshire’s fast-moving industries, a sharp, well-crafted CV is your key to unlocking new opportunities. It’s not just about listing experience—it’s about showing impact, adaptability, and commercial value from the very first glance. Whether you’re actively job hunting or just exploring your options, now is the time to invest in your CV. Visit Our Candidate Advice Pages HereLooking 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 TODAY and let's chart your career path together.

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Creating the right impression for new employees starts before their first day. Getting the onboarding process right is vital to ensuring that your new team members feel part of the organisation and settle in quickly. Here are our top suggestions for what you can do to make sure that the experience is the start of a successful and productive experience for employer and employees.

Having a good onboarding process will contribute significantly to your staff retention levels – it’s not just about the employee needing to make a good impression from the outset; during the first few weeks, new starters will be looking at every aspect of your company.

Get a head start

You don’t need to wait until a new employee’s first day before starting the process; to ensure a smooth transition, consider what information can be gathered and provided in advance – such as copies of policy documents, supply of bank details etc. It is also worth preparing a pack of useful information (which can be provided either online or in hard copy format) which details information about the company and team structure as well as an outline of what to expect during the first week.

One size doesn’t fit all

Whilst there will be information that will be relevant to every employee, try where possible to personalise the onboarding experience so it can be tailored to suit new starters at different levels of seniority and job roles.

Be sure to include relevant information about your new starter’s department, what its key aims and objectives are and how it supports the company’s overall business strategy. Demonstrate that you are looking to support your new team member by providing an introduction to key members of the organisation – particularly those with whom they will need to build a working relationship with quickly.

Information overload

Getting the balance right between providing too much or too little information is a tricky one. As tempting as it might be to make more resources available than necessary so nothing is overlooked, being faced with pages and pages of materials to absorb can be overwhelming and confusing for an individual to get to grips with in a short period of time.

Consider what information is essential and perhaps look at how other resources can be provided in more manageable quantities over a longer time period.

A collective effort

It will primarily be down to a new starter’s line or department manager alongside the company’s HR function to be responsible for the onboarding process but that is not to say other members of the organisation don’t have a key role to play.

An important element of the onboarding process will be to introduce a new employee to other departments and senior managers; ensure they understand how they can contribute and the information that they should share about their role and the work that their teams are involved in.

Feedback

Remember that everything that you offer during the onboarding process should be geared from the employees’ perspective. Be sure to check in with new employees are regular times during their induction and probation period to see if there is anything that they feel hasn’t yet been addressed.

It is also worth regularly reviewing the onboarding process as a whole; speak to people who have recently joined the company to ask what they did or didn’t find useful, what they would have liked to have been included and use this feedback to shape and refine your processes moving forward.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of finance and accountancy professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for temporary, interim and permanent roles across the full spectrum of positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today and speak to a member of our team about your next career move.