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Jordan Motlib: Behind the Desk

In this edition of Behind the Desk, we sit down with Jordan Motlib, who joined Sharp Consultancy earlier this year after building his experience in FinTech recruitment. Now working across the qualified finance market, Jordan brings a fresh perspective shaped by his background in financial technology and his journalism degree — both of which have helped him develop the communication and relationship-building skills that are central to successful recruitment. Since joining the team, Jordan has quickly adapted to the finance and accountancy recruitment market, developing the technical knowledge needed to support both clients and candidates with confidence. In this interview, he shares his journey into recruitment, the lessons he’s learned so far, and the qualities he believes make finance professionals truly stand out in today’s market. Understanding the Journey: Personal Insights and Inspirations You joined Sharp Consultancy in early 2026 after several years in FinTech recruitment — what attracted you to moving into finance and accountancy recruitment? Moving from FinTech into accountancy recruitment felt like a natural progression, given both sit under the wider finance umbrella. Sharp also stood out to me because of its strong reputation in the market and the depth of relationships the business has built over time. Looking back, how would you describe the journey from university into recruitment? It’s definitely been a fast-paced and steep learning curve but certainly a rewarding one. A big part of my journalism degree was building rapport quickly which is a key transferrable skill that any recruiter needs. What’s been the biggest learning or adjustment since joining Sharp and working in this market? Definitely gaining a deeper understanding of the finance and accountancy landscape, particularly the different qualification routes. I have realised this is a market, more so than others, where credibility and knowledge are so important. Learning about the technical aspects has enabled me to be in a position where I am able to offer genuine insightful advice to both clients and candidates. Industry Perspective: Lessons and Approaches in Recruitment You work with qualified, newly qualified, and qualified-by-experience professionals — what qualities do you think make candidates stand out in today’s market? Technical ability is obviously important, but what really makes a candidate stand out is their attitude and mindset. Employers want people who are commercially aware and are proactive. My most recent interviews and placements have all been with candidates who are ambitious and looking to develop – if you can get this across in interviews you will do well. What advice do you find yourself giving candidates most often during their job search? You have to look at the bigger picture. Salary is obviously an important part of any job search, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of other key factors such as career progression, the people you’ll be working with, and the overall culture of the business. I’ve seen situations where someone moves for a slightly higher salary, only to be looking again 12 months later because there’s limited opportunity to develop or the environment isn’t the right fit. In my experience, candidates who take the time to think about where a role could take them in the long term, rather than focusing purely on the immediate offer, tend to be the ones who are happiest and most successful in their careers. Building strong relationships is a big part of your approach — what do you think makes a recruiter genuinely valuable to both clients and candidates? I think trust and honesty. A good recruiter should understand what candidates and clients are looking for, but what makes them truly valuable is the ability to give constructive feedback and provide deeper insight to the market. Being transparent and giving honest feedback makes the process so much more effective for everyone involved. Ultimately, the goal is to build relationships that go beyond just one placement and whilst that may sound cliché it’s genuinely at the forefront of how I operate. Fun and Light-hearted Rugby, football, cricket, golf — safe to say you’re a sports fan! If you had to pick one sport to play forever, which would win? Definitely golf. I do still play rugby and football but it’s definitely a lot more painful the next day. At least with golf I can play at my own pace and enjoy the 19th hole. What’s your ideal way to spend a day off? I love getting out to the Peaks whenever I can. There are loads of good walks and pubs to finish at. If you could watch any sporting event live anywhere in the world, what would be top of your list and why? It’s a toss up between day 4 of the Masters or the Boxing Day test at the MCG. But because of England’s terrible record in Australia, I’ll stick with the Masters. Whether he’s advising candidates on their next career move or supporting clients in finding the right addition to their team, Jordan is focused on building long-term relationships based on trust, transparency, and genuine insight. As he continues to grow his presence within the qualified finance market, his people-first approach and commitment to understanding the bigger picture will no doubt make a lasting impact across Yorkshire. We’re pleased to welcome Jordan to the team and look forward to seeing him progress. -- As Sharp Consultancy, we are committed to giving recruiters the support and platform they need to develop their careers — and we’re always open to conversations with those considering their next move. Get in touch if you’d like to find out more about Careers at Sharp.

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Attracting top senior finance talent is a challenge faced regularly by every organisation and for SMEs and owner managed businesses, it is vital that they recognise and understand the particular nuances of the market place – and what they can do - in order to successfully secure the right individual that will make valuable contributions to their operations.

When making a move from professional practice – or when considering their next move in industry –– many candidates are attracted by the distinctive opportunity this career step offers them to play an influential role in shaping the direction of the business and utilise and develop their technical skills, knowledge, leadership qualities and management style to support an operation’s overall strategy.

There are however, some common pitfalls which small and medium sized enterprises find themselves coming up against; and whilst many niche operations are strong, well established performers within their specialist sectors, outside of their particular industry circles, their standing may be relatively unknown. Without an instantly recognisable brand that’s on a par with the major national and regional players, it is essential that every possible step is taken to ensure that the cream of the finance crop want to seize the opportunity to come on board.

Develop a clear – and realistic - job description

It is very much understood that within SMEs there will be a requirement for individuals – particularly at a senior level – to wear different hats and to undertake duties and responsibilities outside of their core job role. It is therefore not uncommon to find that the job performed by a finance manager at one operation will vary from that of their peers even within businesses of a similar size or within the same sector. Whilst there is the temptation for business owners to try and get as much bang for your buck, it is vital not to over stretch roles and expect one person to do too much. In order to attract the right calibre of individual, ensure that there is an attractive job description which demonstrates real clarity as to what the core function and requirements of the role will be.

Understand the aspirations of the business

Successful recruitment depends on a clear alignment between the aspirations and objectives of a business and how by contributing towards their achievement, employees can attain their own personal career goals. There must be a synergy between both, particularly if the progression path is not immediately obvious in terms of a traditional route for promotion. By developing and discussing as part of the recruitment process, sensible – yet inspirational and challenging – aspirations for the business, you will be able to identify those candidates that share similar goals and ambitions and are hungry to play their part.

Understand what the key priorities and objectives are for the role

Having a clear focus on the immediate priorities of the role will ensure that during the recruitment and interview process, the emphasis will be firmly upon identifying the candidates best placed to deliver and achieve against these. For example, if the main reason for bringing somebody on board will be to drive forward a certain short to medium term project that requires a particular skill set, the priority must be to assess which candidates can deliver this for the business. In doing so, it is important to be open minded to the possibility – and not consider it a failure - that they may not necessarily see this as being a job for life and, after two or three years when they have successfully delivered the function that they were primarily recruited to achieve, may choose to move on.

Build a strong social and online business media profile

The wealth of social and online media platforms provide continual opportunities for potential candidates to learn more and come into contact with a business way before they may even consider a role with the company. Whilst smaller organisations may not have a dedicated marketing department or the resources that larger corporate businesses have at their disposal, ensuring a proactive and positive presence across influential sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter and keeping a watchful eye on review sites such as Glassdoor is key to attracting high calibre candidates.

Consider the interview process

The interview process should be thorough and designed to challenge potential candidates however it is not necessarily the case that the ‘toughest’ interviews will see the best person rise to top. It is important to remember that an interview is very much a two-way process and it is as much about someone establishing if they wish to join the business as it is about identifying the right person for the role - at a senior level, candidates will want to know that there are opportunities available to bring value to the operation.

Ensure the interview process is engaging by carefully considering the style and format of the interviews and who is best placed to conduct these in order to establish the right person – and, whilst at this level it is essential that there is a strong rapport with the business owner, skills gaps that could affect a candidate’s ability to perform the role should not be overlooked because they are the most likeable.

Time is of the essence

Be sure to keep the recruitment process moving at a timely pace and don’t allow your preferred candidate to slip through your fingers; good, strong candidates will get snapped up quickly so ensure you don’t miss out by delaying making an offer whilst you wait to see if someone else will come along.

Be creative and flexible with salary and benefit packages

A competitive salary will always be important when looking to attract the top candidates but it is worth giving additional thought to the growing influence of softer benefits on a person’s decision when weighing up a job offer. Businesses that can be creative and tailor reward packages – such as offering the opportunity to buy additional holiday, provision of flexible working, discounted gym memberships – will be in a stronger position to attract the best candidates by introducing incentives that matter to them.

See the recruitment process as an investment

Making the wrong choice on who to employ can result in a significant cost to the business which will far outweigh any financial ‘saving’ made from not engaging a suitable recruitment partner from the outset. To increase the chances of longer term success, recruiting talented individuals must be seen as an investment worth making with true value attached to their ability to guide a business through and drive the process forward. Business owners must also take into account the cost of their own time – which will be taken away from running their business - which will need to be dedicated to each step of the process including perusing CVs, deciding which candidates to take forward to interview, analysing each person’s strengths and weaknesses, all of which can be hugely time consuming. Going it alone and utilising job boards will scratch the surface of who is looking at that particular point in time but this doesn’t allow for being able to reach into the market and access an established network of contacts to identify potentially ideal candidates that are not actively looking.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment and executive search 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 recruitment needs or next career move.