INTERVIEWS – WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON’T LAND THE ROLE

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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There will be times when no matter how well you have prepared, you might not be successful following an interview. Whilst this is far from a pleasant experience, it is important to remember that handling rejection in a positive way will put you in a better position when it comes to your next application.

There can be countless reasons why your interviewer may not have selected you for the role and this can be particularly disheartening when you felt that the interview itself went well and it was a role that you could see yourself doing. Try not to let negative feelings dampen your confidence and look for ways in which you can learn from the experience.

Ask for feedback

Always ask for feedback, especially when you feel the interview went well. There are numerous reasons why another candidate was selected and in most cases it will be because of their experience and how they performed rather than you didn’t give a good account of yourself. Take any feedback on board and look at how you can make improvements when it comes to applying for future roles.

Room for improvement

Remember that you were able to secure an interview so you clearly demonstrated desirable skills and experience. Try to identify if there were any areas where you could benefit from additional training or volunteer for tasks that will give you exposure to develop new skills. This will be time well spent and will put you in a better position next time round.

Not every role is the same

Just as every role is different, so is every company and every interviewer and certain skills, personality traits and experience will appeal more to some than others. Try to keep in mind that you weren’t the right candidate for that particular role but that doesn’t mean that your skills and experience won’t be seen as ideal by another interviewer. Don’t let a rejection put you off and ensure that when you next come to apply for position that you tailor your CV to suit the requirements of the role.

Don’t burn any bridges

Whilst you are disappointed, remember to respond in a positive manner. Thank your interviewer for their time and for the opportunity. There’s no harm is saying that you would have preferred a different outcome and would like to be considered for any future opportunities. You never know what could happen further down the line should things not work out with the successful candidate or further openings become available.

Don’t assume you have done something ‘wrong’

After receiving the news, try not to focus too much upon the final outcome and instead look to assess your own performance. If you delivered a strong interview and did your best but another candidate was better then there is very little you could have done in that situation. Consider the feedback that you have been given and look at what you can do that could make a difference and don’t get too caught up in things that would be outside of your control.

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 speak to a member of our team about your next career move.