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Discover your passion: finding the perfect job

19th February 2018

February is the month of matchmaking, so it's fitting that this is a time many employers are putting recruitment drives on full steam ahead. As with any relationship, the secret to effective recruitment is finding a pairing that works for both parties, so now is a perfect opportunity for job seekers to showcase their skills and discover a job that they love!

February employment statistics

For recruiters and jobseekers alike, the first few months of the year have always been busy periods when it comes to recruitment. In January to March 2017, the overall jobs market reported 767,000 open positions, with 4% of these in the financial services sector. What's more, during this period, a total of 1,541,000 UK citizens were actively seeking employment, widening the usual candidate pool by over 100,000 people.

Know what employers are looking for

Finding your perfect position is all about adaptability. This is true of all industries. Interviewers will scrutinise both skills and personality traits to discover how these will fit in with the company's culture and business objectives. Knowing exactly what employers are looking for will not only boost your chances of getting the job, it's also highly likely to boost your job satisfaction; recent research from the CIPD found that employees are more satisfied in work where they "have enough opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that [they] have".

Whether you're applying for a senior C-suite position, temporary employment or are just starting out in your career in finance, the following skills and traits are key within the industry:

• Problem-solving and an analytical mind
• Client services, teamwork and interpersonal skills
• Excellent numeracy and mathematical expertise
• Organisation
• Leadership and decisiveness

Know what you're looking for

If you're considering a career change, it's highly likely that you've become disenchanted with your current position. Whatever your reasons may be, when starting your job search make sure you're clear on exactly what you want to achieve.

For example, if your work no longer interests you as it used to, it's never to late to transfer your skills to a new type of role. If this resonates with you, do your research on the areas that you think appeal to you. Understanding the kind of work you're likely to be doing is important when you're looking to make a change, as is seeing how your current skills align with the role and whether you may need additional training or development.

As we've already discussed, it may be that you're not able to let your full skillset shine in your current role. This is a clear sign that it's time for a new challenge. In this case, you'll need to make sure you've read the job description back to front. If the end goal is to take a step up, it's important to make sure that the job is demanding enough.

It's only natural to be tempted by offers of higher pay and staff incentives, but these shouldn't be your only considerations. Whilst remuneration is, of course, important, finding a career you love is about so much more than benefits. Think of these as added bonuses rather than absolute essentials.

Ask for advice

If you've fallen out of love with your current position and want to understand what options might be better suited to your needs, talk to people in the know. Friends or colleagues who work in positions that interest you can give you insight into what their roles involve and what skills and experience you'll need to demonstrate. If your workplace offers the opportunity, secondments can be valuable chances to gain insights into different departments.

A specialist recruiter can also look at your current experience and qualifications and work with you to understand what aspects of your job you are passionate about to make sure that your next role will be a meaningful one. Our team have ten years' experience in matching candidates to their perfect job, so get in touch and let us help you find the one!

Looking to take the next step in your career? Wherever you are on your career journey, our financial recruitment specialists are here to help. If you'd like to find out more about how we can help you, please contact Nigel Jeyes on 01273 229499 or email nigel@graftonbanks.co.uk for an in-depth, confidential consultation.

Should you wish to contact us out of hours, please call 07714 765482.