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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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I’m searching for a new role and I want to make sure I make the right decision about my next move – what should I be considering to ensure that my next company is right for me?

This is such an important part of the job search process and one, which if overlooked, can end up turning what initially looks like a dream job into a wrong move.

It’s very easy when you are caught up in the excitement of the prospect of a new role to somewhat ignore some of the red flags or warning signs which can appear at different stages of the journey. And whilst finding – and securing – the right role is difficult; you shouldn’t overlook how important it is to opt for an organisation where the culture and values align with your own.

During the interview process, potential employers will be looking to hire candidates that will flourish in their corporate culture, and it is essential that you also use this as an opportunity to evaluate whether or not the company, your new colleagues, the leadership team and your boss will be right for you.

So what should you be looking for? An organisation’s culture will be based upon the ideas and beliefs that the company has, and this will – or should – run all through the business and every aspect of its operations to shape how it does business and the way in which its employees behave.

Ensuring the right cultural fit is important both from an employee and employer perspective; individuals are most likely to thrive when they are in an environment that they feel comfortable in and are able to operate and express themselves confidently. Whilst there will be slightly different approaches, each member of the team needs to be on the same page and working towards the same operational goals, particularly as your own professional growth and progression are likely to be entwined with surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals and a team that you can get along with.

There’s no right or wrongs when it comes to determining if an organisation has a ‘good’ culture as it is very much down to individual characters and personalities; for example a highly driven and sales focused environment may suit someone who thrives in that atmosphere whereas for another person, a business that is built around collaborative team working might be more suitable.

How to gain an insight into an organisation’s culture:

1.Do your research. Take a look at the company’s website, follow them on social media, read articles in various media titles to help you build a picture of how they are looking to present themselves.

2.If you are attending the interview in person take a good look around. Does the environment seem formal or more relaxed? Look for clues such as the layout of the office, how members of the team are interacting with each other – is there seem to a lot of communication between them or is the workplace more subdued – what is the dress code, are the senior management working alongside other members of the team or are they in separate offices?

3.Read between the lines. During your interview ask key questions about the aims and objectives of the organisation and how they plan to achieve these – listen carefully to the answers they share to get an indication of how much emphasis they place upon the various factors needed to reach success.

4.Show an interest in the person who is interviewing you and their experience of the company. How long have they been with the organsiation, what training and development opportunities have they benefited from, what is their management style, do you feel motivated and inspired by them?

5.Talk to others. Ask if there is an opportunity during the recruitment process to meet the team you would be potentially working with to see if these are people that you could gel with.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance and accountancy professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today for expert advice on your next career move.

ASK THE EXPERT – HOW DO I KNOW IF A COMPANY WILL BE RIGHT FOR ME?

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