Circle Square Talent is delighted to launch The 2013 Financial & Accountancy Salary Guide for London and the Home Counties...

Previously, we have launched this document in mid January but due to popular demand by a number of decision makers we have agreed to prepare this out five weeks early. Please click the link to download the Circle Square 2013 Salary Guideline

We are also pleased to offer an online version as a requirement was expressed

Finance & Accountancy Salary Survey 2013

Key points about the Financial & Accountancy Salary Guide:    

This is our 7th annual Financial & Accountancy Salary Guide

Each year we have reached a wider audience. Last year we reached 3,278 recipients

This year we expect to reach over 5,000 decision makers        

This definitive Salary report is both more comprehensive and analytical than any of our previous salary guides and relies on more sources than in any one previous version         

Our 6th salary guide in 2012 was confirmed as being used by 129 hiring managers for salary benchmarking purposes – if you do please let us know ·        

This document is also downloadable from our Corporate LinkedIn profile   

Please feel welcome to contact a member of the team on 02074920711 for further information?   

We hope you enjoy the Financial & Accountancy salary Guide.

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To contact one of our specialist consultants call 0207 492 0700 or email:

enquiries@circlesquare.co.uk

If like me you were in a classroom for the most part of the 90’s, a classroom in a fairly regular British secondary.  In front of you is the remnant of the last teacher to take a Latin class in 15 years, a fairly stern individual . He's taken the time out of his diary to school all of the Year 11’s who are about to do their GCSEs in the art of job seeking.

You have done the tests and multiple choice questionnaires that spew out a list of comical answers of what you should be aiming for in life, cruelly as someone with size 13 feet the suggestion of career in chiropody only added fuel to the fire of teasing.  However now it gets serious…

The Importance of the Covering Letter & CV

His role in this is to impart the importance of the covering letter and how critical it is to have a good CV. More directly related to our discussion here is the process he outlined – which mainly centred around building a database of companies you would like to work for, writing a cover letter and hassling each of the companies in turn until one of them gave you a job. 

The Importance of Networking when Looking for Work

The realisation of late has been the game is still the same but the rules have changed.  In modern uber competitive recruitment there now exists forums and events which encourage this interaction and ‘hassling’ under the banner of networking.  Take away applying to agency ads, or to in house talent banks if you want to beat the queue, use the back door and get networking. 

Even after 5 years of recruiting everyday is a school day at Circle Square Talent and we are not above having  a bit of an open session on what works and doesn't from previous experience of networking with the view to encourage you to do the same.

Networking Tips When Looking For Work

• Be selective about who you need to talk and the manner in which the event is being held.  Some events are set up as business card swapping exchanges others are more discrete.
• Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic and getting across who you really are rather than being just a cv.
• How many times as a recruiter we have invested that little bit more effort in a candidate that we want to help, the same applies as a jobseeker.
• It can be daunting the first time on your own, double up with a friend or support and to offer a different angle of your initial approach but don’t hunt in packs – that’s just plain scary!
• Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given.   These are the lifeblood of your search and the ultimate goal.  When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honour that and your referrals will grow.

If you are a candidate looking for work at the moment, open up your options and take the plunge and start engaging with people it makes the difference for us and trust me it will for you. 

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Accountancy & Finance Jobs   Private Equity Jobs  Capital Markets Jobs

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To contact one of our specialist consultants call 0207 492 0700 or email: enquiries@circlesquare.co.uk

Our Finance & Accountancy Salary Survey 2015 is now available.

Over the last 4 years we have seen the credibility of the ‘Boutique Investment Bank’ rise from the depths. Depths far far below the most snobbiest of ‘reading spectacle glares’, to a level competing and niching into a space previously owned by the all conquering ‘Bulge brackets’.    

The classic boutiques such as Evercore, Lazard and Rothschild have grown increasingly strong both in numbers and ambition, taking mandates from the major players as they are specialised, competitive and provide a more honest approach to partnership. Bottom line…they care about their bottom line!  Service is naturally better and the desire for longer term business is 100% genuine.   

Another major factor to consider is throughout 08/09/10 top bankers from the traditional big banks have had to reconsider their future, having either being ruthlessly tossed from the comfort of bulging teams and pension pots or realising that the dream may be ending have sought out opportunities in more stable and growing organisations. Obviously plenty of bankers move across to Boutiques for genuine reasons (which are the ones we want), so the amount of talent on offer to these organisations has increased on a pretty big scale. 

This has naturally led to the growth of younger brother and sister boutiques such as Gleacher Shacklock, Arma Partners and Greenhill who have become tier one organisations in their own right due to the calibre of not only the deals they are closing, but also the individuals they are retaining and continuing to hire.   

Naturally too much competition is not healthy as Lexicon found out (present long before 2008, graduated at a similar time to close friend Hawkpoint) having recently been gobbled up by Evercore.  However this is an example of the strength that boutiques are starting to hold in themselves, other examples fall in line with the previously unattainable Bulge Bracket Bankers seeing value in a move to one of these organisations.  In the last three years your average top tier banker has been knocked down a branch or two in the sacred Bulge trust tree and realised, God forbid, they may just get better experience and exposure in a busy, highly credible boutique.  

Circle Square - Financial Recruitment

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If you're not sure which career move would best suit your skills and experience take a look at our Job Profiles. The profiles provide advice on the qualifications, skills and experience

required for each career option. The job profiles also outline salary expectation, job responsibilities and career progression: M&A Analyst    M&A Associate    M&A Director    M&A Vice President

If you are looking for advice we have a dedicated career advice section. Our advice is not just generic recruitment advice we have tailored advice for each of the recruitment divisions we work in including: 

executive search, accountancy & finance, temporary & interim, Real Estate, private equity, capital markets & M&A Recruitment. 

To contact one of our specialist consultants call 0207 492 0700 or email: enquiries@circlesquare.co.uk

Proposed changes to Lease accounting rules could have a significant impact on resourcing in the financial sector.

Published in May by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), the proposals include a requirement that all leases exceeding 12 months be included on company balance sheets.

Lease Accounting Deals are Likely to Change 

Lease Accounting Proposals Finalise in September

Whilst consultation on the proposals ends in September, it is unclear what the final changes will be or the final time scales for implementation. Amendments to the lease accounting rules have been on the cards for some time. The project itself started back in August 2010, although its original proposals were rejected. Whilst refined and less complex proposals have been issued, there is concern in a number of quarters about their practicality and administration.

Proposed changes to Lease accounting rules could have a significant impact on resourcing in the financial sector.

Published in May by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), the proposals include a requirement that all leases exceeding 12 months be included on company balance sheets.

Lease Accounting Deals are Likely to Change 

This could lead to a change in the way that lease deals are structured in the future as companies alter the format of their leases in order to keep them off the books. There are a number of ways that this could happen, such as by reducing lease lengths or by using service contracts instead of leases.

Lease Accounting Proposals Finalise in September

Whilst consultation on the proposals ends in September, it is unclear what the final changes will be or the final time scales for implementation. Amendments to the lease accounting rules have been on the cards for some time. The project itself started back in August 2010, although its original proposals were rejected. Whilst refined and less complex proposals have been issued, there is concern in a number of quarters about their practicality and administration.

Centralised Approach to Processes

If the changes do come into effect companies are likely to need a more centralised approach to systems and processes for dealing with leases and appropriate software to support the new requirements. 

As a result, the impact of the lease accounting changes are likely to be felt in a number of resourcing areas, including finance, property and IT systems.

Written by Marc Dewdney

A Recent Survey Finds The Finance Sector Value Reputation Over Profits

Any business owner in the finance sector or otherwise, who has suffered from a loss of faith in their company will tell you that maintaining a good reputation is absolutely crucial. The staff you employ, the investments you make and the marketing you carry out can all be more critical than you realise. Unfortunately, this often doesn't become apparent until you get it wrong.

Finance Sector Survey Findings

A global CGMA survey conducted by the AICPA and CIMA has recently found that 76 per cent of all senior finance sector professionals would be willing to sacrifice short-term profits to maintain their reputation in the long term. They said that this was because of the increasing demand for transparency, the greater use of social media and seeing what had happened in other firms that had lost their reputation.

Businesses Turn Down Projects to Protect Their Reputations

44 per cent of all businesses surveyed had decided not to participate in a particular project that would have brought them a profit because of the damage it could have done to their reputation. Surprisingly, despite the 76 per cent of finance sector professionals that understood the risks, only 65 per cent of their companies often or always considered the reputational risk and associated financial damage when making investments.

The Finance Sector Need to be Cautious with Social Media's Ability of Viral Reputation Damage

Almost a quarter of all the finance sector businesses surveyed had already suffered a reputational failure. The damage that can be done to a company's reputation is amplified in this age of social media. Whilst a word-of-mouth or standard media boycott campaign can be damaging, it is nothing compared to a viral campaign on social networking platforms.

Companies Need to Manage Risk by Monitoring Social Media

It is worrying that despite recognising this risk, many companies still don't monitor social media in any detail and they lack procedures for calculating the financial impact of a failure to manage reputational risk. Only 20 per cent use social-media feedback heavily, although a higher percentage used it to some degree.

The CGMA Rank Customer Relations #1

Companies that have strong branding, good customer relationships and are defensive of their brand image are more likely to put their reputation first. Every contact that a member of your staff has with a customer or potential customer can change your reputation. Respondents to the CGMA survey ranked customer relations as the most important, followed by employee relations and relationships with regulators and investors.

All businesses should monitor what is being said about both them and their competitors on social media. It is just as important to make sure that you know what your staff say about you because they can be your biggest advocates or your biggest enemies.

Written by Niraj Joshi of Circle Square 

If you are looking for a Finance or Accountancy Job our dedicated career advice section or more information on our finance & accountancy recruitment.

If you're not sure which career move would best suit your skills and experience take a look at our Finance & Accountancy Job Profiles: CFO Job Description    Finance Manager Job Description    Project Accountant Job Description    Financial Accountant Job Description    Financial Controller Job Description    Management Accountant Job Description

We have also tailored advice on finance & accounting qualifications and career options - ACCA Qualification  ACA Qualification    CIMA Qualification     CPA Qualification    CA Qualification

Career Options - ACA Careers    CIMA Careers    ACCA Careers    CA Careers    CPA Careers - Our Finance & Accountancy Salary Survey 2015 is now available.

Related Posts: Accountancy Graduates on the Increase    The Areas CFOs Should Be Concentrating On  Financial Markets Point to More Positive Future Job Market    Which Accountancy Qualification for Banking?Increasing Pay Levels for Accountants    Advance Your Career in Accountancy & Finance with Personal Branding

To contact one of our specialist financial recruitment consultants call 0207 492 0700 or email: jobs@circlesquare.co.uk   Connect with us on Google  & Facebook

Join our groups on Linkedin:London Accountancy Jobs    London Investment Banking Careers 

In Praise of Accountants

Accountancy may never have been regarded as the most exciting or ground-breaking of professions, but a new survey has revealed how a significant number of accountants in the industry regard themselves embarrassed of their chosen occupation.

Accountants Ashamed of their Profession

The survey reveals that accountants stand out as the professionals most ashamed about what they do for a living. Of the 2000 people questioned, a mere 44% of accountants expressed pride in their career choice, compared to 90% of those surveyed in the insurance industry. So what on earth is the reason behind these collective red faces?

Accountants not to Blame for the Financial Crisis

We can trace some of the blame for this shame-faced reaction to the financial crisis. Whilst a tiny minority of the nation's accountants had their part to play in this dire situation, it does seem a bit rich for them to take the whole weight of the blame on their shoulders. Ironically, a majority of bankers questioned expressed pride in their profession.

Accountants are Cutting Edge

It's true that when many of us hear the word 'accountant', a cliched vision of a grey man marking up a ledger with a quill pen may leap uninvited into our minds. These days, though, accountancy is driven by sophisticated computer programs and cutting-edge technology. Accountants have the heavy responsibility of keeping a weather eye on the financial situations of the smallest of family firms as well as the highest echelon of government. Accountancy has moved with the times and those working within the industry now play a crucial role in safeguarding the precarious state of the nation's finances.

Accountants Contribute to the Financial Health of the Nation

Accountancy is a profession with lots of scope for flexibility. There will always be a demand for accountants and those in senior positions can command an impressive salary. It is an ideal profession for those professionals who wish to map out a steady career progression as there are clear and structured career paths. Many universities offer accountancy degrees, but if you have a good head for figures it is entirely possible to enter the profession at ground level and work your way up. There are few professions where your career path will be so clearly signposted. Additionally, many accountants contribute to the altruistic health of the nation with their vital and often unpaid work for charities.

All in all, there is no need for accountants to hang their heads in shame. They play a key part in keeping the country financially afloat. Where would we be without them?

Written by Niraj Joshi of Circle Square 

If you're not sure which career move would best suit your skills and experience take a look at our Finance & Accountancy Job Profiles: CFO Job Description    Finance Manager Job Description     Project Accountant Job Description    Financial Accountant Job Description    Financial Controller Job Description    Management Accountant Job Description

We have also tailored advice on finance & accounting qualifications and career options - ACCA Qualification  ACA Qualification  CIMA Qualification  CPA Qualification  CA Qualification

Career Options - ACA Careers   CIMA Careers    ACCA Careers     CA Careers    CPA Careers

Our Finance & Accountancy Salary Survey 2015 is now available.

Related Posts:

Accountancy Graduates on the Increase    The Areas CFOs Should Be Concentrating On    Financial Markets Point to More Positive Future Job Market    Which Accountancy Qualification for Banking?    Increasing Pay Levels for Accountants    Advance Your Career in Accountancy & Finance with Personal Branding

According to market experts, the banking industry will be obliged to transform itself over the forthcoming five to ten years. Jean Pierre Mustier, a European investment banking veteran from UniCredit, has commented on the trend for lenders to re-organise their operating models along lines last seen in the 1980s.

Mustier is responsible for Unicredit's corporate and investment banking arm. Speaking to Bloomberg, he said that he anticipated a further increase in capital requirements. The knock-on effect would see the banking industry acting to further simplify their activities, and step back to a business model that focuses on transaction banking, lending and intermediation, which is similar to the 1980s model.

Banking industry regulators are strongly focusing on leverage, in a bid to prevent any recurrence of the bank rescues of 2008 funded by the tax payer. Universal banks, which combine commercial, investment and retail banking operations, will also be likely to farm out a greater proportion of their activities.

Although the banking industry transformation will not happen overnight, according to Mustier's predictions, it will be visible within the next five to ten years.

The idea of a banking world predicated on a previous model demonstrates the scale of challenge that lenders are facing as they deal with increasingly stringent regulations. Many believe that banks will simply abandon business activities that require too much capital, such as derivatives in particular.

The banking industry will increasingly embrace the commercial model, where clients are offered a broad range of credit options, from bonds to loans, with fundamentally local credit markets. Banks are realising that they don't necessarily need to have global operations in everything.

Some of these businesses - particularly investment banks - do require a certain critical mass in order to obtain acceptable returns. Universal banks might yet abandon activities such as merger advice, equities trading, and the servicing of hedge funds. By doing this, they will be able to obtain a stronger credit rating, see the cost of their funding decrease, be able to run off lower equity and see the ratio of loans to deposits decrease.

However, lending will also need to remain a focus. The banking industry will always risk losing money through poor lending decisions, regardless of their lending model. The financial market crisis of 2008 was driven by sub-prime mortgages or capital markets that were powered largely by the trade in securitised bonds. Equally, a spate of Latin American loan defaults in the 1980s showed that no totally foolproof banking system can ever exist across the board. However, elements can be controlled and improved, such as the recent regulatory tightening and challenges to banking excesses.

Most people spend a very long time crafting the perfect resume because they believe it will open up the door to their dream job. You have to know what happens when a recruiter is working on behalf of a company, but before you can do that you must understand what their job entails. They need to provide a company with the best candidates and their performance is based on the company being able to employ the perfect person for the job.

This means they need to go through a huge number of resumes and they don't have time to sit around reading each one thoroughly. You'll be lucky if they spend 20 seconds scanning yours, so think about that the next time you have your resume out in front of you. It's not their job to take chances, so if your recruiter isn't up to scratch they'll throw it away. Let's look at some of the things they want to see when they're rushing through the pile in front of them.

Recent experience

When applying for a job it's easier to step into a new one where you'll be doing the same kind of thing. If you currently have a job selling electrical equipment to overseas companies it's easy to do the same thing for another company, but if you've not done it for 20 years it's completely different. Obviously you don't have to step into the exact same role, but if you don't have relevant experience it means you'll need a lot of training.

Educational background

The educational system is getting a lot of bad press in some quarters at the moment, but that doesn't take away the fact your resume will probably get thrown away if you don't have a college degree. In some cases you will even need a master's degree if you want to get to the next stage in the interview process. Recruiters are looking for the best and whether you like it or not a degree is one qualifier they use.

Relevant industry

Applying for a job in a completely different industry is going to be difficult when you're dealing with a recruiter because they're trying to pick the perfect person who can slip straight into a company. If your current industry is similar it's a little more realistic, but if they're at two different ends of the spectrum you can forget it. The client will probably tell the recruiter they're not willing to take someone from a completely different industry, so their hands are tied.

Obvious extras

There are some things you're probably aware of because they are so obvious, but we'll mention them anyway so you don't mess up. If someone can't read your resume because of spelling and grammatical errors it's easy to throw it into the reject pile. If you leave someone guessing they won't take the time to work out what you failed to mention. Instead of rambling on you also need to get straight to the point so the recruiter can read everything they need to see.

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The author of this post, Kevin David, works at Resume Service, home to the finest CV writers in Perth. He keeps himself busy during the weekends by taking up restoration work for his home.

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No Such Thing as the Perfect Job Candidate?

The Biggest Problem Being the Lack of Appropriately Skilled Candidates

Bullhorn have recently released their annual recruitment trends report in the USA, which is always interesting for those working in the UK recruitment sector too, as many of its findings apply to Europe as well. One particularly interesting finding was with regard to the biggest challenges for this year, according to recruiters. Around 33pc of respondents said that a lack of appropriately skilled applicants was the biggest challenge. And in a separate question, over three-quarters of respondents said that they were experiencing a shortage of candidates with the right skills in various sectors, including IT.  

This was particularly interesting given how high-growth the IT education sector is, both in the US and here in the UK. The number of people achieving qualifications is steadily growing, so how can there be a lack of appropriately skilled people looking for roles?  

Unrealistic Client Demands

Many believe that the 'issue' is a perception one, driven primarily by unrealistic client demands. In fact, this was highlighted in the report as being the second biggest challenge of 2013. Certainly, empirical data in the recruitment industry suggests that some recruiters are reluctant to be seen to criticise their clients - even in an anonymous report -and others have become accustomed to unrealistic demands as being the new norm. So in reality, this figure might be even higher.  

There shouldn't be a lack of skilled Job candidates

Or even problems with access to this pool, particularly as social media and data-mining allow recruiters to engage with passive candidates and fill vacancies more quickly than ever before. Another question in the study gave further insight, showing that compensation requirements from job candidates are not yet in line with the clients' expectations. This could be symptomatic of the wider client-expectation problem as a whole, particularly given the growth of the highly skilled IT sector and the vast amount of demand for roles within it.  

The Idea of the Perfect Job Candidate

It seems that in pursuing this idea of a 'perfect' job candidate, some clients are in danger of ignoring more cost-effective alternatives, such as hiring smart, fresh graduates and challenge-seeking unemployed individuals and giving them the training they need to work in the industry. If carried out correctly, this strategy could help deal with the shortage of specific industry skills, cut costs and also build employee engagement and loyalty. For clients and recruiters alike, there is a real opportunity to start doing things more realistically and reap the rewards accordingly.

Written by Ross Stokes of Circle Square - Finance & Accountancy Jobs London