As part of our partnership with the ICAEW we hosted a webinar on how ACA accountants can get the most from their career, which you can view here.
As part of our partnership with the ICAEW, Talentedge were at Tuesday’s ACA prospect evening, an event created to inform ICAEW students and recently qualified members about their career prospects after graduation.
We presented several case studies from our “From ACA to industry”, a series built around the advice of several ACA candidates that successfully made the move to industry, which you can read here.
Also on hand to share their insight were several prominent ICAEW thought leaders. For those that may have missed the event but are still looking for advice on their career we’ve recapped each speaker’s talk below.
Simon Gray – “Building your personal Brand”
Simon Gray kicked off the evening by outlining the importance of building your online personal brand. Social Media is an essential tool to in the modern job search, as increased numbers of employers & recruiters are using it in their hiring process. It’s crucial that you make sure your social profiles are sending the right message – If you have any doubts, check out our guide on making sure your LinkedIn profile is selling you.
Karuna Wood – “Move in a direction you feel comfortable with”
Karuna Wood qualified with KPMG and has moved on to a have a hugely successful career at Tesco; progressing from Internal Auditor through to the Finance Transformation Team. Karuna cited the importance of following your own agenda and moving your career forward in the direction you feel comfortable with. This sage advice has enabled Karuna to experience two sabbaticals along her journey.
Helen Brenan – “Change in the economic landscape leads to a demand in the skills of Chartered Accountants”
Helen Brennan , UK Head of Assurance at KPMG, talked on the subject of futureproofing your career through economic uncertainty. While discussing the implications of Brexit on ACAs she noted that while nobody can predict exactly what’s to come, history has demonstrated that uncertainty and change in the economic landscape leads to a rise in demand for the skills of Chartered Accountants.
Sarah Gaffari – “Opportunities for Tax professionals”
Sarah Gaffari, Technical Manager, Tax at the ICAEW, focused on the opportunities for Tax professionals, whether they come from unwinding old structures or creating new ones in light of updated legislation. Sarah also spoke passionately about ‘Making Tax Digital’, a subject she will be discussing further at a future event.
Tony Greenham – “Conduct effective due diligence around any new organisation”
Tony Greenham, Director of Economy, Enterprise and Manufacturing at the RSA, gave sound advice urging members to conduct effective due diligence around any organisation they are looking to join, especially around their purpose, values, standards, structure and ethics.
The whole panel unanimously advised members that additional experience was one of the best ways to add to their brand and CV. Embracing new technology and developing interpersonal skills were also mentioned as key action points.
Talentedge will be running with a webinar with the ICAEW on how ACA’s can succeed in their career, looking at what they need to bolt on to their technical skills in order to succeed in the job market. If you have any unanswered questions or just want to stay informed, tune in to find out how you can make the move from ACA to industry. Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn for more updates.
