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Tax professionals: How do I start my job search?
Following on from our Barden Tax Professionals Career Guide (see here) you should have an idea of the landscape for tax professionals and may even have decided if professional services or the corporate sector is for you. Now it’s time to get started on the job search…But where do you begin? Here Siobhán Sexton, Senior Associate and expert in accounting and tax careers, shares some top tips on where best to begin…
Choose a recruiter
The best way to identify a good recruiter is through word-of-mouth referrals. Talk to colleagues or friends about their experiences and rather than asking “who helped you get your job?”, ask who they would recommend as a career partner. A trusted career partner will not only help you find a job but offer unbiased career advice along every step of your career.
It is advisable to deal with specialist tax and finance recruiters (even if you are considering a move out of tax). All of our team in Barden come from an accounting/tax background and have been trained in the Barden Career Model. This unusual blend of experience, knowledge and training allows us to provide a different type of recruitment service. The fact that we put people first and jobs second is what makes us unique.
Use your network
Speak to friends and former colleagues who have made a move in recent years. Map out where people in your network are working and, more importantly, have a detailed chat with them regarding their daily duties and responsibilities and how their careers have progressed. Use your network to get informed.
Update your LinkedIn
LinkedIn has become almost as important as the CV in recent years so make sure that your LinkedIn profile reflects and validates what’s detailed in your CV. Try to include key words which are relevant to the roles and companies you are interested in, to ensure that you are giving yourself the best possible chance of being discovered in the event of narrow criteria being set.
Jobs boards
Keep an eye on various jobs boards where you will see roles advertised by recruitment companies and companies advertising directly. Be warned that there may be duplicate roles if companies are recruiting directly as well as using recruitment companies. Also, there may be a number of recruitment companies working on a given role.
If you are applying to companies who are recruiting directly, it can be difficult to maintain control over the process so do make sure to keep track of where your CV has gone. It can sometimes be easier for you to apply through recruiters as they will work very closely with you and the client. This will enable you to be kept up to date on the status of the role and also to be armed with further information on the company, its culture, the team, the overall interview process etc.
Be careful not to be misled by job titles, descriptions and job specs you see advertised. A job spec is really only a general guide as to what the role and company is about and you will need more information to decide if it could be a good opportunity for you.
Interested in looking at options but not sure if now is the right time to move?
No problem! Your future is too important to leave to chance – get informed and make sure you are on the right track. Even if now isn’t the right time to make a move, being aware of the market and how you are perceived as a “candidate” will help you prepare you for a potential future move, be it progression in your current role or a new role. The team are Barden are happy to chat with you regardless of what stage you are at.
Need help achieving your ambitions?
Are you a tax or accounting professional looking for help in achieving your ambitions? If so get in touch with one of our expert team below, who are ready with lots of CV, LinkedIn, interview and career advice along with cutting edge market insights.
Siobhán Sexton, Senior Associate at siobhan.sexton@barden.ie
Kate Flanagan, Partner, Barden Dublin at kate.flanagan@barden.ie
Aoibhín Byrne, Associate & Expert in Recently Qualified Tax Careers at aoibhin.byrne@barden.ie
Neil Murphy ACA, Senior Associate & Expert in Mid-Senior Accounting & Tax Careers at neil.murphy@barden.ie