From Management Accountant to Finance Director 69 Roland

From Management Accountant to Finance Director

69%

Roland Seddon • Set up MRK Associates c. 3 years ago • 13 years director of FTSE 250 finance recruitment business • My credentials – I have interviewed over 2000 candidates, met over 2000 employers in the South East.

Agenda • Personal career planning • How employers think • Other skills to develop

64% 75% 45% 36% 37% / 93%

What is career planning? • Setting career goals • Broad • Specific • SMART plan

Why is career planning important? • Things can happen/affect your career • Deal with opportunities/challenges • Impressing employers • Job satisfaction • Helps to take away the barriers

2 Views • Your view • Employers’ views

Where are you now? • What is your current experience • What skills do you have • What have you liked/disliked so far about your duties • What have you liked/disliked about your bosses/team members • What kind of activities do you avoid • Personal life – family life, sports teams • Are you happy?

Where do you want to be? • Short, Medium and Long term views • LT MT ST • ST MT/ LT ST MT

How do you get there? • Operational Targets • Conceptual Targets

Short Term ‘Journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step’ Identify your next career move & why: • Why are you doing it? • What will you gain from it? • Will it be enjoyable?

Medium/Long term Think back to the original Qs: • Enjoy • Good at • What's important to me?

Realism Consider the following: • • Time to commit to the goals? Required education or skill sets? Resources available to meet your objectives? Goals suit you as a person? Fit the lifestyle you have? Goals complement each other? Is the market for your chosen career limited? Ambitions achievable in the time frame?

Personal Thoughts • • • Recognise your strengths and weaknesses Choose a path that suits you Match your personality to your organisation Keeping in touch with the wider job market Make others aware

Career Path PQ Management Accountant Qual Senior Management Accountant Head of Commercial Finance Director Financial Controller

What clients think/the current market • Like for like • Internal development A AB ABCDE

How to develop your skills • Mentoring from your boss • Get involved with projects and new areas/ areas of change

How employers improve their team • Internal training • Hiring people in

Softer Skills • Communication Skills • Emotional Intelligence

Communication Skills • Simplify Technical Information • Management Skills • Influencing • Problem Solving

Emotional Intelligence Definition: Ability to identify, assess and control the emotions of oneself, of others and of groups.

5 Attributes of EQ • Self Awareness • Self-Management • Social Awareness • Motivation • Empathy

Hemel Hempstead: Imex House, 575 – 599 Maxted Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. HP 2 7 DX. Tring: 1 Harvest Turn, Icknield Way, Tring, Hertfordshire. HP 23 4 ET. t: 01442 824400 e: office@mrkassociates. co. uk w: www. mrkassociates. co. uk