‘WHAT INTERESTS YOU ABOUT THIS 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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One of the most commonly asked interview questions and, not surprisingly, one which candidates often find difficult to answer. Take a look at our expert advice and find out what the interviewer is looking for and the best way to shape your answer to stand out from the crowd.

Open ended questions such as these give an interviewer a chance to assess a lot of things including how your deliver your answer, your body language and what your motivations are for seeking out a new role.

There are three key areas to address in constructing your answer. Firstly, think about why you want the role from a personal perspective. Does it give you an opportunity for progression both in terms of what you are looking for at this stage in your career and helping you achieve your future ambitions? Also consider the culture of the organisation; how do you see yourself working there and being part of the team? What do you think you can bring which will complement and enhance the approach that the company takes? It is also essential that you look at the skills and experience you can bring to the role and demonstrate how these meet the requirements outlined in the job description.

The next thing to consider is the company itself. It is very likely that you could apply for a similar role in another organisation so you need to ensure that the interviewer understands that you not only want the role that is on offer but that you are attracted by the prospect of working in the organisation itself. Consider the market position of the organisation – is it a market leader, a rising star? Is it somewhere with growth ambitions or a business need that you think your skills can make a contribution towards? Illustrate your answer with knowledge of the company itself such as key contracts and relationships or discuss recent achievements to demonstrate that you have done your research as part of your interview preparation.

Finally, think about the role itself and which elements of the job description really stand out to you. Within this you should consider what you can bring to the role in terms of your knowledge and experience, in particular highlighting what part you have played in previous roles where there have been challenges or key projects that you’ve had involvement in. You should also discuss areas of the role that you think will offer you longer term career growth in order to demonstrate your desire to grow and develop with the company.

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 and see how we can help.