Pexels Sora Shimazaki 5673502

​5 Red Flags to Avoid When Hiring Finance Professionals

​Here at Sharp Consultancy, we know just how important it is to hire the right person-not just in terms of experience, but also personality and overall fit within your business.Getting this wrong can be costly, not only financially, but in terms of time and effort spent on onboarding and training someone who ultimately might not work out.To help avoid this, Soraya Downing has put together 5 key red flags to watch out for when reviewing CVs or interviewing finance candidates: 1. Vague or General Responses A genuinely interested candidate will come to job interviews prepared with detailed answers that clearly link their experience and skills to the role they’re applying for. If their responses are vague or lacking depth, it can be a sign that they haven’t taken the time to prepare—or worse, they’re not truly engaged with the opportunity.Ideally, you want to hear specific examples backed up with figures or results. ​​It’s worth noting that bad answer doesn’t always mean the candidate isn’t prepared or doesn’t have the required experience, it could be that your question is confusing and needs rephrasing.For example, asking “Can you walk me through your main responsibilities in your most recent role, particularly those related to [payroll/management reporting/credit control/etc.]?” is likely to generate more specific and useful answers than a vague question like “Tell me about your most recent role.”​Try practising your question on a colleague or someone you manage and see if they struggle to answer. They will be able to help you scrutinise the question and suggest better wording or elaboration to avoid any confusion.If you require support with conducting job interviews or creating targeted interview questions, we’re always happy to help. With a team of over 25 consultants who each specialise within different areas of finance and accountancy recruitment, we’ve interviewed thousands of candidates — and we know what works. 2. Inconsistent Career HistoryWe fully support career moves—most of the time, they signal progression and ambition, which is great to see. However, when a CV shows a pattern of short-term employments with no solid explanation, or recurring reasons for leaving, this can indicate potential issues with commitment, adaptability, or performance.There can be many reasons why a candidate has several short-term roles on their CV. For example, they could have completed several temporary or short-term interim contracts without making this clear on their CV or they may have experienced a series of redundancies beyond their control. Always dig a little deeper in these cases, they may be acceptably explained but there could also be something bigger at play.When you engage with us as your recruitment partner, we will never put forward a candidate that hasn’t been fully vetted and their career history and suitability examined. We will have all already done the ‘deep digging’, so all short-term roles and employment gaps are explained to you from the get-go. It takes the guesswork out of the process and saves you valuable time. 3. Poor Communication SkillsIt’s natural for candidates to be a little nervous in interviews, but for senior finance roles in particular, strong communication is non-negotiable. If someone consistently gives vague answers, struggles to explain their experience, or avoids eye contact, it could raise concerns about how they’ll present to stakeholders or collaborate across teams. At this level, you’re looking for clear, confident communication—even under pressure.​If you’re unsure about a candidate’s communication skills, especially in a senior finance role, consider including a short task or second-stage interview focused on presenting or explaining a topic. For example, ask them to walk you through a recent financial project or prepare a brief summary of how they’d present key financials to non-finance stakeholders. This gives you a clearer sense of how they structure information, handle questions, and communicate under mild pressure. When you engage with us we’ll work with you to understand whether a candidate’s communication style will align with your specific team dynamics and stakeholder environment—something that is key to a successful long-term hire but often overlooked.​4. Lack of Curiosity or InitiativeTop finance professionals are naturally curious and proactive. They’re the ones who suggest improvements to systems or processes without being asked. If a candidate shows no interest in how they can add value to your business and the role, or doesn’t ask questions during the interview, that could be a red flag that they’re more reactive than proactive.Sometimes that might be exactly what you are looking for, but other times, recognising this about a candidate early on could be your saving grace in hiring someone unfit for the role in question.  5. No Signs of a Growth MindsetIf you’re hiring with the goal of developing someone long-term, look for signs they’re committed to personal and professional growth. This could be studying towards a qualification like ACCA, CIMA, or ACA or asking thoughtful questions about the business’s future.A lack of interest in development can often translate into a lack of long-term engagement to the role and your company. Even when not looking for a long-term hire, a candidate who exhibits no desire for their long-term career and growth can be a sign that they might not even stick it out for a shorter period of time.As your recruitment partner, it really helps to understand what you want out of a hire. Don’t be shy in telling us what skills and qualities you want and don’t want a new employee to have for the role you are hiring for. If you give us as much information about the role and the company as possible, we can then use this knowledge in our candidate selection process to only suggest candidates which have the necessary qualities you are looking for. Final Thoughts Sharp Consultancy has been recruiting finance professionals across Yorkshire for over 30 years. Our proven process allows us to spot these red flags early, helping our clients avoid costly hiring mistakes. By keeping the above points in mind, you’ll be in a much stronger position to hire the right finance talent for your team.If you're currently hiring, or planning to, and want to avoid the common pitfalls, we’d love to support you. From advising on interview strategy to identifying candidates with the right mix of skills and mindset, we’re here to make the process easier—and more successful.Soraya specialises in recruiting for permanent Part Qualified, Qualified by Experience and Qualified finance roles with salaries ranging from £30,000 to £50,000 across Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley, Worksop, Hull and the surrounding areas. Get in touch with Soraya today – sorayadowning@sharpconsultancy.com – 0114 261 1700 or SUBMIT A VACANCY.​

Read article
Blog Img

​TOP SECRET SANTA GIFTS

Back to Blogs

It’s that time of the year – the annual office Secret Santa! Whether you look forward to the popular event with joy or fear, choosing the ideal gift – on a strict budget - for the person you pull out of the hat can be tricky. We asked our team of consultants to tell us their perfect present ideas. And remember, if you are organising or taking part in a workplace Secret Santa this year, please check the latest guidelines ensure its COVID-safe.

Karen Pitchforth

I love an office gadget and I’m a bit of a neat freak; something like a funky cable tidy or desktop vacuum would be ideal for me to keep my workspace in tip top condition.

Alex Law

A mug is always a smart choice. It can be funny, stylish, colourful or personalised. Perfect for knowing which mug is yours when it comes to the office tea round!

Liam O'Flaherty

Some people might think this is a bit of a cop out, but I tend to buy a nice bottle of wine – it’s what I would like to receive! It’s worth making sure that you don’t offend anyone though by checking that they enjoy a glass or two beforehand – especially you’ve picked out someone from a different team that you don’t know so well.

Stuart Douglass

If you are lucky to have drawn someone that you know quite well or sit near to, try and pick up hints on what they enjoy doing outside of work to give you inspiration. One year, a colleague had a weekend away planned so I gave them a guide book of their destination.

Lee Sweeney

I try and avoid anything that’s too gimmicky and unless you are sure of a person’s sense of humour, it’s best not to get anything where the joke may backfire! That said, I tend to try and get something with a festive twist like an after dinner game which can be played with friends or family.

Sarah-Jane Keay

You can’t go wrong with chocolate! Who doesn’t like chocolate!

Jack Curtis

If I’m really struggling for ideas – which can be the case if you work in a large office and you don’t necessarily know the person you are buying for – my go-to option is a lottery ticket or scratchcard. You never know, someone might win the jackpot!

Charlotte Lupton

I tend to buy a food related gift such as festive fudge, some fancy biscuits or a special coffee blend – something that will feel like a bit of a treat.

Caitlin Davidson

One of the best gifts that I received – and one which I now give most often – is a plant or a mini grow your own garden set. A great way to brighten up someone’s desk and it lasts right through the year.

Liam Connolly

I try and get useful gifts so would opt for something like a personalised notebook for a nice change from the usual office stationary selection.

Philippa Groves

I like a bit of pampering so something like a nice, soothing hand cream - especially with all the sanitizer gel being used - would be my idea of the perfect Secret Santa gift this year.

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 US today to discuss your recruitment needs with a member of our team.