Beyond Technical Skills: The Soft Skills That Help

The Power of Togetherness in Recruitment

At Sharp Consultancy, recruitment is about much more than filling job roles. It is about bringing people together, building lasting relationships, and creating opportunities where businesses and individuals can thrive. That's why one of our core values, Togetherness, is at the heart of everything we do. Successful recruitment isn't simply about matching a CV to a job description. It's about understanding people, their ambitions, and the culture of the organisations they will become a part of. That's why we meet with both clients and candidates alike, taking the time to get to know them, understand what they're looking for, and ensure we achieve the perfect match. We work closely with everyone involved to understand what success looks like from both perspectives. By working together, we create stronger matches that benefit businesses, employees, and teams for the long term.Togetherness means investing in relationships For our clients, this means becoming a trusted recruitment partner who understands their business, challenges, and future goals. We don't just recruit for today's vacancy, we help build a team that aligns with your values and ambitions. For our candidates, it means providing honest advice, guidance, and support throughout their career journey. Whether someone is looking for their first opportunity, career progression, or a complete change of direction, we're there every step of the way. The best recruitment decisions happen through collaboration We believe open communication, transparency, and shared goals lead to better hiring decisions. By encouraging honest conversations between employers, candidates, and our recruitment consultants, we create an environment where everyone feels heard and valued. When people work together, better decisions follow. Togetherness doesn't stop once a placement has been made At Sharp Consultancy, we continue to support our clients as their businesses evolve. From workforce planning to recruitment strategy and talent advice, we're committed to building long-term partnerships that grow alongside our clients. Creating Opportunities for People Every placement represents more than a job. It's a new chapter in someone's career, a fresh opportunity for a business, and the beginning of new working relationships. We never lose sight of the impact recruitment has on people's lives. By treating every candidate with respect and every client as a valued partner, we create experiences built on trust, professionalism, and mutual success. Togetherness is more than one of our values, it’s how we work every day It's reflected in every conversation, every recommendation, and every successful placement we make. We believe recruitment works best when it's built on collaboration, trust, and genuine relationships. At Sharp Consultancy, we're proud to bring people together, helping businesses find exceptional talent while supporting individuals to achieve their goals.

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When preparing for an interview for a new finance role or aiming for a promotion, it’s natural to focus on your technical expertise, qualifications and professional achievements.

However, many candidates underestimate the importance of the soft skills that can ultimately determine whether they secure the position.

In today's competitive accountancy and finance market, employers are increasingly using competency-based interviews to assess not only what you can do, but how you do it. While technical knowledge remains essential, soft skills often provide the deciding factor between candidates with similar qualifications and experience.

Whether you are applying for an Accounts Assistant role, progressing into management accounting, stepping into a Finance Manager position, or pursuing a Finance Director opportunity, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills can significantly strengthen your application.

A diverse group of professionals engaged in a discussion, highlighting effective communication and collaboration skills.

Why Soft Skills Matter in Finance

Technical skills are often easier to identify on a CV. Professional qualifications, systems knowledge, industry experience and technical expertise all help employers establish whether a candidate can perform the role.

Soft skills, however, reveal how effectively someone works with colleagues, stakeholders and senior leadership teams. They help employers assess cultural fit, leadership potential and the ability to contribute positively to the wider organisation.

Many technical skills can be developed through training and experience. Soft skills such as communication, influencing and relationship-building are often much harder to teach, making them highly valuable to employers.

How Employers Assess Soft Skills

Competency-based interviews are designed to explore how you have handled real-life situations throughout your career.

You may be asked to describe:

A challenging stakeholder relationship
A process improvement project
A difficult business decision
A time you managed competing priorities
An example of influencing change within an organisation

Employers are interested not only in the outcome but also in your approach, decision-making process and ability to work with others.

Preparing a range of examples before your interview will help you demonstrate these skills confidently and effectively.

Five Essential Soft Skills for Finance Career Success

1. Communication

Finance professionals are increasingly expected to communicate complex financial information to non-finance stakeholders.

Strong communication skills enable you to:

Explain financial data clearly
Present recommendations with confidence
Build relationships across departments
Influence decision-making

When answering interview questions, demonstrate how you adapted your communication style to suit different audiences and how your approach helped achieve a positive outcome.

2. Problem Solving

Employers value finance professionals who can identify issues, analyse information and develop practical solutions.

Examples could include:

Improving reporting processes
Resolving reconciliation discrepancies
Identifying cost-saving opportunities
Managing unexpected financial challenges

Demonstrate how you approached the problem, evaluated options and delivered a successful resolution.

3. Influencing and Stakeholder Management

Modern finance teams play a key role in supporting business decisions.

Whether you're working with operational teams, senior management or external stakeholders, employers want to see evidence that you can:

Build credibility and trust
Challenge constructively
Gain buy-in for new ideas
Collaborate across departments

Strong stakeholder management skills are particularly important for management accountants, finance business partners and senior finance leaders.

4. Commercial Awareness and Enthusiasm

Technical competence alone is rarely enough.

Employers want to hire individuals who are genuinely interested in the organisation, its goals and the wider commercial environment.

Show enthusiasm by demonstrating:

Knowledge of the company
Understanding of its challenges and opportunities
Interest in contributing to business success
Commitment to your own professional development

Candidates who show curiosity and ambition often leave a lasting impression.

5. Confidence

Confidence enables you to communicate your value effectively, contribute to discussions and make informed decisions.

However, confidence should be balanced with humility and self-awareness.

Demonstrate confidence by discussing:

Projects you have successfully delivered
Positive outcomes you have influenced
Challenges you have overcome
Career goals you are working towards

Employers want individuals who believe in their abilities while remaining open to learning and development.

Preparing for Your Next Finance Interview

A man and woman sit at a table, reviewing a resume together, engaged in a discussion about job opportunities.

While technical knowledge will always be important within accountancy and finance, employers increasingly recognise that the most successful professionals combine strong technical capabilities with excellent interpersonal skills.

Before your next interview, take time to prepare examples that demonstrate your communication, problem-solving, stakeholder management, commercial awareness and confidence. These are often the qualities that separate a good candidate from an outstanding one.

In a market where many candidates possess similar qualifications and experience, your soft skills could be what helps you secure your next career opportunity.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance and accountancy professionals across Yorkshire and the North of England. From transactional finance and part-qualified positions through to qualified accountants, Financial Controllers, Finance Directors and CFO appointments, our specialist consultants help businesses and candidates achieve their recruitment and career goals. Contact our team today to discuss your next career move.