DISCOVER A CAREER IN ACCOUNTING & FINANCE

Key Elements Sought After by Employees

In accounting and finance, both within the public accounting and industry, there are some important elements that an employee looks for while deciding on their next opportunity.

Gap Between the Candidates & an Employer

There is a large pool of potential accounting and finance applicants, but there is one main difficulty that everyone encounters, whether they are job seekers, recruiters, or employers. The requirement for local Canadian experience and designation is a setback.

Candidates with substantial years of experience from other countries are available in both the firm and the sector. So, what can these prospective employees do to improve their chances of securing their dream job, and how can employers gain a better understanding of their previous work and education?

Employers or hiring managers will have to look beyond the need of local experience and start looking at the candidate’s overall potential. Below are a list of points hiring managers may consider and recruiter can put forward to build the bridge amongst employers and job seekers.

Factors Recruiters and Hiring Managers Should Consider

1. International Degrees

World Education Services (WES) has a list of recognized international educational bodies that the HR departments can make use of here in order to recognize degrees from overseas for candidates who have completed their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from other Western countries or from well known institutions from their home countries.

2. International Designations [CA, ACCA, CIMA, AAT, etc.]

CPA is a very commonly required designation in the field of accounting. There are similar international designations that can be considered while screening applicants. CA is popularly used in India. It is 4-5 years of extensive studies and practical experience that an individual puts into. Similarly, ACCA, CIMA, are recognized in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom amongst many others. Employers can consider individuals with such designations who are further enrolled in CPA or are CPA aspirants.

3. Working with Global Firms/Companies in Host or Parent Countries

If a candidate has worked with KPMG, PwC, Deloitte, EY, Baker Tilly, Grant Thornton or any other global company it could mean that the candidate has been exposed to multi-cultural working environments. It also helps print a positive picture in terms of work ethics, work culture, and other people aspects. It could work as a way of assuring the employers that the candidate has experience working in different GAAP and IFRS rules and is a quick learner with global knowledge. A candidate with such exposure would be an excellent addition to the team.

4. The Passion, Drive & Importance of the Job for the Candidate

Lastly, the most important of them all. If an individual has left the comfort of their home land in order to set up a new life with prospects of a better future the first and foremost important factor for them is to secure a job in their field of interest and expertise. If these individuals are able to secure a job with market-based fair pay, they have the highest potential to turn out to be employees who are result driven and stable. The key here is “market-based fair pay”.

1. Job Stability

In Canada, most employers seek and take into consideration the working stability of an applicant. Job stability is considered positive and held in very high regards in facilitating whether an offer will be put on the table. New immigrants and job seekers should keep in mind this factor before changing jobs frequently. There may be variables here depending on each scenario.

2. Market Research

This step is crucial. Although a lot of research is involved during the entire immigration and job hunting process, one has to make sure they have time and energy to research the market and find out it’s driving forces. Plan in advance for the courses or designations you want to complete. For example, if a CA wants to be CPA designated there are ways to get the first designation assessed in order to make the CPA journey quick and smooth. Research on the salary so you do not low ball yourself only to get disappointed later on. Do not set extreme high figures as this could also result in your application being rejected.

3. References

Always have 2-3 references that you can use. Preferably, people who have reported to or your team mates/ colleagues. Be honest about references as recruiters will find out if you are not! Remember, you can help change or create a positive pathway for the next job seeker.

4. Communication

In accounting and finance, communication is considered a key factor. It does not only mean being grammatically correct while speaking but having the ability to communicate data and numbers to the team and clients. Make sure to work on your communication skills with extensive reading, listening to podcasts and having clarity of work.

5. Relationship Building

Networking is an effective way to make a prominent presence of yourself in the market. Making sure you are connecting with the right people on LinkedIn, making sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and active, joining relevant groups across social media and the most effective is to enroll with agencies like Bevertec who can help you get your dream job.

We at Bevertec work with various clients across Canada and help both job seekers and employers in finding what is best for them. We believe in the “human” aspect of human resources and recruitment and deal with talent acquisition from a different perspective. We are driven by numbers whilst not loosing the human touch. We understand finding your dream job is a job in itself and we are here to help make this journey a memorable one for everyone!

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This article is curated by Dr. Prishni Barkakati, a Senior Technical Recruiter at Bevertec.