SUCCESSION PLANNING – HOW EQUIPPED ARE YOU FOR

Evie Irons: Behind the Desk

In our latest Behind the Desk feature, we sit down with Evie Irons. Evie recently joined Sharp Consultancy as a Consultant within our Leeds office, working as part of our Transactional Temps team.Having made the move into recruitment, Evie brings a strong commercial foundation and a genuine passion for building relationships to her work supporting temporary finance professionals across Leeds.In this edition of Behind the Desk, we spend some time getting to know Evie - exploring her journey into recruitment, the lessons she's learned so far, and the perspective she brings to supporting finance professionals.Getting to Know Evie: Background and InspirationEvie's path into recruitment started with a degree in Business Management and Marketing, chosen because she wanted to understand how businesses operate and how they build relationships with customers. It was during her time at university that the people-focused side of business really caught her attention, and she began looking for a career that let her combine commercial thinking with building genuine relationships. Finance and accountancy recruitment stood out for exactly that reason. "These roles are critical to every organisation, and the market is fast-paced and constantly evolving," she explains. "I enjoy learning about different businesses, understanding their hiring needs, and matching them with candidates."Starting a new career can be a big step, and Evie admits the industry has surprised her in a few ways. She expected recruitment to be mainly about filling vacancies, but has come to learn it's really about building trust, with both clients and candidates. The pace has been another eye-opener; priorities can shift quickly, and adapting to that has pushed her to become far more organised and flexible than she might have expected going in.Industry Perspective: Lessons and Approaches in RecruitmentAsk Evie what she's found most rewarding so far, and it comes back to people. Working with graduates, much like herself, and helping them land roles that genuinely fit has been a particular highlight. "Starting your career can be challenging, so it's great to support people through that process and help them take the next step." The same goes for clients, understanding what they're looking for and finding the right person for their team, knowing that a good match makes a real difference on both sides.The reality of recruitmentIt's also given her a clearer view of what recruitment actually involves. A common misconception, she says, is that the job is just matching CVs to vacancies. In reality it's about building relationships, understanding what both candidates and clients truly want, and finding a fit that lasts, while supporting candidates through a process that can otherwise feel stressful.When it comes to what makes someone stand out in transactional finance, Evie points to reliability, attention to detail, and strong organisational skills, alongside good communication, since the role means working across different teams and managing expectations. A positive attitude, adaptability, and a genuine willingness to learn round it out, qualities she believes matter even more for candidates early in their careers.Where the market is heading?Being at the start of her recruitment career has also given Evie a sharp read on today's job market, and competition is the word that comes up most. Candidates need to stand out through the right skills, a positive attitude, and a genuine willingness to learn, and she's noticed employers increasingly looking beyond experience alone, valuing adaptability and potential to grow within a role.She's equally clear on what candidates value most from a recruiter: honesty, communication, and a sense of being genuinely supported throughout. For Evie, that means taking the time to understand what someone is really looking for and offering guidance, rather than simply putting them forward for any available role. Trust and keeping people updated, she says, make all the difference.If she could change one thing about the hiring process, it would be communication and feedback. Candidates are too often left unsure of where they stand, and clearer updates throughout would make the experience better for everyone involved.Beyond the Desk: Life Outside WorkOutside of work, Evie makes time for the people and places that matter to her. She's originally from near the Peak District and loves getting out for walks there whenever she can, alongside catching up with friends and family and the odd spot of shopping. Her free time has recently gained a new focus too, in the form of a puppy she's spending plenty of walks and quality time with.Given the choice of anywhere in the world, Evie would book a flight to New York without hesitation, drawn by the atmosphere, the landmarks, and everything there is to see and do, from Central Park and Times Square to the food, shopping, and culture the city is known for.Closer to home, the one thing she always makes time for is her friends and family, whether that's a catch-up, a walk, or simply relaxing together. It's her way of switching off and keeping a healthy balance outside of work. Since joining the business, Evie has brought energy, curiosity, and a genuine care for candidates to the team. Her people-first approach and eagerness to learn make her a valuable addition to the Leeds office.We're pleased to welcome Evie to the team and look forward to seeing her desk continue to grow in the months ahead.--At Sharp Consultancy, we're committed to giving our people the support and platform they need to build a rewarding career. If this sounds like the kind of path you'd like for yourself, take a look at our Careers page to find out more.

Read article

I am often asked, “what is the one thing that companies can do to improve their recruitment process?” And whilst my answer may sometimes vary depending on an organisation’s particular circumstances, there is one thing which stands out that every company no matter of their size, position within the marketplace or industry sector should give real focus to if they want to ensure greater success from their recruitment and retention efforts: succession planning.

When it comes to succession planning, it is often assumed that this primarily relates to the top job – the passing of the crown so to speak. But effective succession planning should run right throughout an organisation embracing leadership roles, management positions and ensuring that business critical skills are not lost from any area of the operation should an individual move on from the company.

There are numerous scenarios which can occur where it is vital that organisations have one eye on the future; retirement being one of the most obvious and in many ways most straightforward to plan for. However, the majority of situations that can arise will potentially do so with very little notice – a period of absence due to maternity or paternity leave, caring responsibilities, illness or staff moving onto new roles – and companies all too often find themselves in a position where they need to react.

There may be some operations, such as family-run businesses, where the succession routes may appear to be a little easier to navigate; however, these businesses are not without their challenges, should the natural successor harbour career ambitions of a different kind or the skills which are required for the next phase of development need to be sourced externally.

A key factor is recognising that the ‘job for life’ culture is not something which either employers or employees can rely upon. Unless, for example, you are talking about a shareholder in a business, there is very little by way of guarantees that a business owner can give an employee in relation to their long-term job security. Similarly, employers will need to wrestle with their own lack of certainty surrounding talented individuals potentially looking elsewhere for new opportunities to further their careers.

Planning an effective succession strategy can be a balancing act when it comes to weighing up the more immediate needs for the business with potential requirements for the future. However, by affording the matter more care and attention over a longer period of time - with the benefit of considering and reconsidering possible paths in light of changes to business operations - will result in a much more considered outcome than one where necessity and urgency have taken precedence.

Starting sensible conversations early will provide businesses with the opportunity to plan for a smooth transition well enough in advance of even the most out-of-the-blue departures. And it must be stressed that succession planning is not about ‘preventing’ people from leaving – it is about establishing and developing a culture which enables effective processes to deal with people leaving to put in place.

It is important to open channels for constructive conversations where both sides can feel they can be honest about what their career ambitions are and how and when they want to achieve these and what the goals and aspirations are of the business which could provide the opportunities for those to be realised. Nothing should be assumed – and whilst the lack of a completely clear path may cause unease for ambitious employees, it is vital not to over-promise and under-deliver in an attempt to secure their commitment to the organisation.

Taking a flexible approach is key; it may not be about finding that one individual that will step into another’s shoes – for example establishing a new divisional structure may provide opportunities to support talented employees’ career ambitions whilst strengthening the team at a senior level to take the business forward.And by ensuring that the right training and development programmes are in place, this will enable likely successors to harness skills and expertise and to foster their leadership skills in readiness for the future.

A succession plan should be flexible and ever-evolving, subject to ongoing discussions, revisits and adaptions as situations and circumstances change. And change is inevitable as factors from both within and outside a business influence its trajectory, however that change will be far easier to manage with a more successful outcome where there is a clear strategy firmly in place.

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.