Every April, the UK ushers in a new financial year. This transition brings a natural opportunity for businesses and finance professionals to recalibrate. While companies re-evaluate budgets, adjust headcounts, and fine-tune strategies, finance professionals have a perfect opportunity to explore new career opportunities.
This period could be your cue to start getting intentional about finance career development, rather than waiting for an opportunity to land in your inbox.
Instead of allowing the market to plan the next steps in your career journey, embrace this moment and identify what you really want next. Assess your existing skills, opportunities for upskilling, and how you can make strategic moves before the year progresses any further.
After all, the industry is evolving fast – it only makes sense for you to transform with it.
Understanding the Current Finance Landscape
The finance space might be in flux right now, but there are still many opportunities. In 2025, economists expect to see a 1% growth in the UK economy. That might not sound like a lot, but any economic growth leads to new paths for finance professionals.
Already, certain trends are starting to take shape. Demand for Fintech is increasing, thanks to ongoing AI innovations and robust venture capital. Vacancies in this space have increased by around 44% year-over-year. Roles for accountants are increasing, too, thanks to evolving regulatory landscapes, with vacancies growing by around 29%. Meanwhile, bank restructuring has led to an 11% decline in vacancies.
From a regional standpoint, London is still leading the way, with a 7% bump in new positions, but recruitment is accelerating in regions like Manchester and Birmingham too, where emerging financial hubs are presenting new opportunities.
Across the nation, certain skills are gaining more attention. We’re seeing higher demand for data analytics, AI, automation, and ESG expertise, but soft skills are still crucial. Many employers are prioritising communication and persuasion skills, knowledge of stakeholder management, commercial awareness, and ongoing resilience.
Strategic Planning for the New Financial Year
The start of a new financial year can be a fantastic launchpad for career development – if you use it correctly with a roadmap and a clear objective. Here’s how you can take a proactive approach to shaping your future in 2025.
Start with a Self-Assessment
Before making any big moves in your career, take an honest look at where you stand. Audit your skills. Look at data analytics, AI, automation, and ESG reporting capabilities for technical skills. For soft skills, think about how effectively you communicate with clients and colleagues at different levels and where you need to grow.
Ask yourself whether your current position is leading you down the path you want to follow, or whether you want to explore new opportunities.
Set SMART Career Goals
Once you’ve identified your gaps and strengths, start establishing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. Think about what you want to achieve in the next 12 months (before the next financial year begins).
Ideally, your strategic career moves should align with the broader trends in the UK finance market. You might decide to focus your attention on analytics, ESG initiatives, or forecasting. You may consider pursuing a leadership role, which could mean developing a broader range of skills. Split your goals down into actionable stages.
Update Your Finance Qualifications
In finance, upskilling is becoming increasingly crucial, particularly as the market continues to shift. If you don’t already hold any of the top finance qualifications, now might be the time to pursue one. Credentials like ACCA, CIMA, and ACA can open doors in various markets.
If you already have a traditional qualification, look at new ways to develop finance professional skills, such as taking micro-credential courses or workshops online. Upskill in emerging specialist areas, like AI, sustainability reporting or advanced tax rules. If you have an ideal “next role” in mind, look at the job descriptions being posted for similar positions, and list relevant qualifications to pursue.
Positioning Yourself for Opportunity
Now that the finance job market in 2025 is so competitive, it’s not enough to upgrade your qualifications or set a plan in motion. You also need to make sure you’re visible to potential employers, which means learning how to market yourself effectively.
Personal Brand Enhancement
Virtually everyone in the UK finance market is now online – from recruiters to candidates. That makes your digital personal brand crucial. Give your LinkedIn profile a strategic refresh, ensuring it highlights your finance upskilling efforts, recent qualifications, and achievements.
Switch out bland headlines for statements that underscore your niche or focus areas in things like AI or ESG initiatives. Get active online, sharing thought-provoking articles, joining group discussions, or commenting on industry updates. Regularly build out your connections with anyone and everyone who can help move your career forward.
CV Optimisation
Today’s employers often look beyond CVS when choosing top candidates, but your CV still matters – it’s usually the first thing that encourages employers to get to know you better. Tailor your CV to focus on in-demand skills and achievements. Share genuine outcomes, such as how you’ve improved forecasting accuracy by 20% or led a digital transformation project with an 89% adoption rate.
Try drawing attention to your adaptability – how you’ve thrived in hybrid working roles, adopted new technologies or systems, or volunteered for new projects. You can cover these things further in your cover letter if necessary.
Interview Preparation
Interviews are still a source of stress for a lot of candidates, but they’re important. You’ll need to be prepared for evolving experiences this year. Many employers are using competency-based questions to learn more about the skills of their potential employees, so research common questions.
When crafting your responses, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). For example, if an interviewer says, “Tell us about a time you influenced a major financial decision”, outline the situation, how you were involved, and how you used your technical and soft skills to achieve a specific result.
Be prepared to negotiate, too. Research salary ranges for the kind of role you want so you can argue your case effectively. Consider asking for extra details on hybrid work arrangements, benefits, professional development support, and more to get a clear view of the total value of the offer.
Leveraging Recruitment Partnerships
Going it alone can be unnecessarily complicated in a tricky finance job market. Specialist finance recruitment teams, like Rebus Recruitment, can help you navigate an uncertain market. They have insider knowledge of the UK job market, real-time insights into who’s hiring, and exclusive leads on opportunities you’ll never see on common job boards.
A niche recruiter can also provide more accurate pictures of salary benchmarks, market demand, and the skills you should pursue. They can offer unfiltered feedback to help you plan your development strategy more effectively.
Don’t just ask a recruitment professional to find you a job; leave it at that. Make the most of the relationship. Communicate constantly, updating your recruiter on your progress, any priorities you have, or if you’ve recently completed a new certification. Ask them to help prepare you for interviews and skill tests, and request their honest feedback.
Your Career, Your Strategy: Make This Year Count
The start of a new financial year is a great opportunity to pause, reflect, and start taking control of your future in the UK finance market. By tracking down sector trends, plotting your career goals, and constantly updating your skills and brand, you can start to really propel your career forward.
Start simple with a self-assessment and a goal-setting strategy, then dive into proactive steps for success, from building your online brand to pursuing new skills and working with recruiters. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you this year; get out there and grab the role you deserve.
Thanks
Rachel
About Rebus Financial Recruitment
Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, ranging from various organisations, including SMES, to large PLCS.
We strive to offer both the client and candidate a seamless recruitment experience. Using our expertise, we understand and match employer and employee needs perfectly.
To learn more, contact one of our team members today or call us at 01282 930930.
