Just as the best finance companies need to build the right image to attract candidates, today’s accountancy professionals also need a strong reputation to earn their dream role.
When your would-be employer meets with you, reads your application, or sets up an interview, they’ll want to know as much as possible about who you are. While a list of your qualifications is helpful, a clear personal brand establishes you as an expert in your field. Unfortunately, finance professionals can often struggle with building the right image.
If you’re planning on taking the next step in your finance career soon, now’s the perfect time to start examining and improving your personal brand, to make yourself the perfect candidate.
Step 1: Define and Audit your Existing Brand
A personal brand is a culmination of everything you do. Everyone has a brand – most people just don’t know how to leverage it to their advantage. To begin building the right image for yourself, search for your name online and make a list of what appears. Are there social media accounts, reviews on forums, and blog posts under your name? What does each of those things say about who you are?
Remember, your employees can often see your personal social media accounts too. Is that something you need to be concerned about if you’re trying to be taken seriously? You might not have any image online at all. This can be problematic, too, as 70% of recruiters now check clients’ social media.
Make a list of what you like and don’t like about the personality you’re showing online. This will help you decide which content you should be removing and how you can start building your image the right way.
Step 2: Decide What You Want Employers to See
Once you know what your current personal brand looks like, ask yourself what you’d like people to see or think when they encounter you. Does your social media account show you’re committed to constantly learning, with updates about the recent courses and events you’ve been to?
Does your online presence demonstrate thought leadership through articles and thoughtful blog posts? List all the characteristics you’d like people to connect with you and ask yourself how you can show evidence of those features. This is also when you’ll need to determine your “unique value proposition.” In other words, ask yourself what makes you better than other employees seeking the same job? To establish your USP, ask yourself:
- Where have I excelled in the past? Are you a tech-savvy accountant who has helped other companies to transition into the digital age? Do your employers often complement your commitment and drive? What are you proud of?
- What are my employers looking for? What kind of skills and talents are most important to the kind of company you want to work with? If you have a specific job role in mind, your USP should be linked to that position and its requirements.
Step 3: Build a Narrative Online
Once you know your USP and have a list of some of your most impressive qualities, you’ll need to prove who you are to the world. Developing a narrative means building a credible story about who you are in everything you do and say – both online and offline.
You’ll be able to demonstrate parts of your personal brand in the offline world during the interview process. However, it’s what people see when they look for your name online that often determines whether you’ll get an interview in the first place. With this in mind, upgrade your job-seeking strategy by:
- Creating a website: Design your own personal one-page website or portfolio to share information about your previous accomplishments in the finance space. Your site can have an “about” page and even links for people to reach out to you if they want to learn more or schedule an interview.
- Building a social presence: While you don’t need to be active on every social media channel, LinkedIn is often a must-have for finance professionals. Make sure you complete your profile here, listing your past jobs and requesting endorsements from employers for the talents you’ve shown when working for them.
- Writing and sharing content: Producing content is an excellent way to establish yourself as a thought leader in finance. You don’t have to produce a new blog every week if you don’t have time, though. Consider curating and sharing other valuable pieces of news to demonstrate that you’re up to date in your industry.
Step 4: Work with a Recruitment Team
Working with a recruitment team is one of the best ways to ensure you have a better chance of earning the ideal job offer. A specialist agency can assess your personal brand with you and advise where you may need to improve to suit current demands. When the time comes for you to apply for the roles you want, your recruitment agency can ensure your CV gets in front of the right people and gives you advice on tailoring your cover letter for success.
Perhaps most importantly, working with a recruitment team means you can improve and optimise your personal brand over time. These professionals can offer feedback from the companies you interview with to help you understand what kind of brand you’re putting across. The more you learn from interviews and conversations with finance companies, the better your brand can become.
What’s Next?
Building a personal brand is a lot of work for a finance professional, but it’s also something definitely worth doing if you want to boost your chances of getting the ideal job. Personal brands allow you to build an identity in your industry that immediately sets you apart from the competition.
For help enhancing your personal brand, reach out to Rebus recruitment today!
You can connect by emailing us here or calling our direct line on 01282 930 930
Thanks
Rachel Mitson
About Rebus Financial Recruitment
Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, which historically range 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 get to the heart of employer and employee needs, and, in doing so, we match the two perfectly. To find out more, get in contact with one of our team today, or you can call us on 01282 930930.
