In our extensive experience of supporting accountants to secure leaps in their career, we’ve met plenty of candidates who allow issues around confidence and self worth to negatively impact their job prospects.
Whether it’s a case of career self sabotage or deeply rooted issues of self esteem, we’ve seen it all and we’re determined to help these candidates find the roles that we know they deserve and will thrive in.
‘A hiring manager once told me that they always keep an eye out for the candidates who come across as less confident at interview, as they know that these are the hidden gems. It’s those who walk in guns blazing ready to reel of a pre-prepared spiel of success that spell trouble!’
Garry Howling, MD
And this is great news for those of you who quietly get on with the job at hand and have built up an incredible CV of skills and experience but struggle to sell yourselves in an interview situation.
So, now that you know that your lack of confidence shouldn’t be a barrier to you winning the job of your dreams, let’s take a minute to consider how you can get your nerves and anxieties under control and convince interviewers that you have plenty to offer.
Mindset matters
Though we’ve evidenced above that you don’t need to be cocky about your abilities to win a role in practice, you do need to showcase that you fundamentally believe that you have the skills that it takes to get the job done.
Your mental mindset walking into an interview is critical and though many employers will be pleased to see that you’re nervous (it shows you care!) give yourself a pep talk before you go in and remember one or two key sentences that you will emphasise no matter what.
If you’ve tried to adopt a positive mindset during the job seeking process and it hasn’t worked out for you, it might be time to consider what’s going on behind the scenes and why you’re not able to present yourself as worthy of a role that you’ve worked hard for.
Have you experienced a negative professional incident that you’ve internalised and are being held back by?
Everyone fails. EVERYONE.
But the trick to failing well is to reflect on what you might have done differently and to learn from that failure. In fact you can use it to your advantage and showcase how you’ve overcome a difficult situation to thrive and progress as an accountant.
Don’t let a failure define you.
Perhaps you’re telling yourself that there will be other candidates who are better than you and more worthy of the role?
It might be true. It might not.
Does it even matter?
In life we are all worth one point and if you don’t believe that you are worthy of that one point then how on earth can you expect an interviewing panel to?
If you’ve made it through the shortlisting process, you obviously have something to offer and in the same way that you’re worth the same as the next applicant, you also have the same opportunity to impress at interview so don’t waste it by being self-deprecating,
Maybe you’re one of those candidates that thinks a lack of experience in one tiny element of the job is reason enough not to apply.
You’re wrong! Did you know that there is a massive skills shortage and that accountants like you are in huge demand, negotiating massive pay increases and being able to name their benefits?
So, do you really think the fact that you’ve not filed a specific document with HMRC or used a certain cloud-based software system means you won’t be considered for the role? Of course it doesn’t!
You can teach these things. What you can’t teach is potential and if you have that, you’re in demand today.
Our Candidates’s Hub is a section of our website where we’ve curated heaps of useful articles and information with the sole purpose of equipping accountants just like you to know your worth and get interview ready. It’s a great place to spend some time to give your confidence the boost it might need.
And when you’re ready to dive head first into the rest of your brilliant career, you’ll find plenty of roles up and down the UK and available on a remote basis to apply for.
Here’s just a few that we’re recruiting into right now:
Senior Accountant Job in Hatfield
Audit & Accounts Manager Job in Hornchurch
