Iconic Invites
By Iconic Resourcing
We cover a range of industries, including accounting and finance, legal, marketing, and HR, so there's something for everyone. Whether you're looking for practical advice on navigating the job market, need some interview tips, or just want to hear some advice from people who've been there and done it, we've got you covered.
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Iconic InvitesMar 10, 2022
Career Insights with Musab Hemsi: Leading with Passion & Authenticity
In this episode of Iconic Invites, Lauren Jow is joined by Musab Hemsi, specialist Employment Lawyer and a Partner in the award-winning Employment, Immigration and Pensions team at Anderson Strathern.
Musab is also a notary public, a member of the European Employment Lawyers Association and Chair of the Scottish Discrimination Lawyers Association.
During this episode, Musab shares with Lauren with more about his career journey, his passion for employment law, his career highlights, career challenges and shares some valuable advice for aspiring lawyers in Scotland.
There are so many valuable take-aways from this episode as Lauren and Musab talk about career drivers, work-place culture and how to show up authentically.
Beyond Exams with Brian Thomson: Building a Thriving Career as a Chartered Accountant
Are you ready to take your first steps on the path to becoming a chartered accountant? Then you won't want to miss the latest episode of Iconic Invites, featuring Brian Thomson of Consilium Chartered Accountants.
Join us as we explore the various pathways to becoming a chartered accountant, with a particular focus on the ICAS qualification. Brian will provide insights into what the exams entail and the type of experience you can expect to gain while working at a firm like Consilium. Plus, we'll discuss key advice for those considering any accounting qualification.
But becoming a chartered accountant is about more than just passing exams and getting the right experience. It's also about finding the right fit for you - a supportive, dynamic, and inspiring environment where you can grow and thrive. That's why we'll also talk about the importance of finding the right training firm and how to ensure that your values and career aspirations align with your employer's.
So, if you're ready to be inspired, motivated, and informed about the journey to becoming a chartered accountant, don't miss this episode of Iconic Invites. Tune in now and get ready to take your career to new heights!
#charteredaccountant #accounting #careerdevelopment #professionaldevelopment #ICAS #inspiration #motivation #growth
Skills-Based Hiring: Insights and Strategies with Graeme Knox-Cowan
Iconic Resourcing's latest podcast episode features an insightful discussion on skills-based hiring with Lauren Jow and Graeme Knox-Cowan.
As someone with over 15 years of experience in the recruitment industry and a background in sourcing, client management, and executive search, Graeme brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Throughout the episode, Lauren and Graeme delve into the topic of skills-based hiring, discussing its definition, benefits, and how organisations can implement this approach to hiring. From identifying the skills and competencies required for each role to developing a structured interview process and leveraging data and analytics, they provide practical advice and tips for hiring managers and recruiters. Graeme also shares his own experience with skills-based hiring and predicts where he thinks it will go in the future.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in improving their hiring process and finding the right talent for their organisation.
Graduation to Career Success: Farrah Burke - The Grad Coach in conversation with Nathan Oenardi
In this episode Nathan Oenardi is joined with Farrah Burke who coaches graduates and early careers to get noticed, hired and promoted.
We discussed how candidates can make job application that stands out from the crowd and how organisations can help early careers bridge the gap between university and world of work.
ICONIC INVITES | EPISODE 8 | NATHAN OENARDI WITH JUSTIN FARRANCE
In this episode Nathan and Justin discuss Justin's story as a gay person working in law, some tips for individuals who may be struggling with their identity and how businesses and employers can be a better support for the LGBTQ+ community.
ICONIC INVITES | EPISODE 7 | KERRY MCFARLANE TALKS WITH CAITLIN WHITE
In this episode Kerry and Caitlin discuss Caitlin's career progression, going from Marketing Assistant to Head of Marketing and Director. Caitlin talks to us aobut how she has adapted to each role, grown a team and played a huge part in the growth of FatBuzz .
ICONIC INVITES | EPISODE 6 | HANNAH GREEN TALKS WITH BRIAN THOMSON OF CONSILIUM CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
Welcome to episode 6 of Iconic Invites, a career podcast brought to you by Iconic Resourcing!
In this episode, hosted by Hannah Green, we feature guest Brian Thomson, a Senior Manager at Consilium Chartered Accountants. After qualifying as a CA in 2011 with a big four firm, Brian moved into independent practice specialising in owner managed businesses and charities. Brian joined Consilium in 2022 and now runs statutory audit services for a portfolio of clients including the firm's largest corporates and charities.
We discuss how Brian entered the industry and some of the exciting parts of working as an accountant and specifically within audit. Furthermore, Brian offers some insights and advice about the industry, some of the things he has learned and some discussion about how to get started and progress.
If you have any questions around this episode please reach out to Hannah or Brian. If you would like to work with Iconic Resourcing and for support on how to make your next career move you can get in touch with one of the team here at Iconic by emailing hannah@iconicresourcing.com. Alternatively you can find us on LinkedIn!
SEAN MCGRATH IS READING THE TEA LEAVES… SEEKING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT IN EVERY ACCOUNTANT
In the first of a series of video chats, Iconic Resourcing’s Hannah Green picked the brain of Entrepreneurial Scotland’s Sean McGrath on the topic of Entrepreneurship in Accounting. They discussed Scotland’s long history of innovation and invention, the critical criteria for seizing opportunities, and how accountants are the “rock stars of business.
Sean began his career working as a Brand Manager for companies like Red Bull and Monster, before retraining as an accountant and joining Deloitte, becoming a CA in 2014. Before long, he had become the Financial Controller at Scottish Investment in London before moving to his current role as the Financial Director of Entrepreneurial Scotland.
Entrepreneurial Scotland is an independent charitable organisation which aims to foster entrepreneurial action and leadership, helping others to unlock and unleash their potential for the benefit of all.
KEY IDEAS
Here are the key points we’ve taken from our conversation with Sean:
- Entrepreneur isn’t a job—it’s a mindset, a skillset, or an approach to business. Entrepreneurs are people who drive change.
- Accountants are ideally placed to be entrepreneurial: they work with different types of organisations; get to see ‘under the hood’; understand the numbers that drive business forward; and this understanding conveys credibility when proposing new ideas.
- Entrepreneur in Latin means ‘first to do.’ Entrepreneurs recognise a good idea and act on it, this doesn’t mean the idea must be their own.
- Sean introduced us to the term ‘intrapreneur’ – someone inside an organisation acting in an entrepreneurial way – but said that, to him, there’s no difference between intra- and entrepreneurs.
- Small firms grow and large firms expand into new markets only when those inside them act in an entrepreneurial way. An accountant working with in an industry has enormous scope to innovate.
- The three critical characteristics to access in order to be more entrepreneurial are: confidence, resilience, and connectivity.
- Organisations look for commercially-minded accountants capable of out-of-the-box thinking.
- Accountants working in small and mid-range firms sometimes get to see more of a business as a whole, and gain a deeper understanding, than those working for larger organisations.
Sean was an excellent guest for our inaugural video, and he certainly gave us a lot to think about. You can find out more about Entrepreneurial Scotland and becoming a Saltire Scholar here.
We’ll leave you with our favourite quote from Sean:
‘There are accountants that brew the tea, and there are accountants that read the tea leaves’
So, at least we know who not to ask to put the kettle on.
For any questions on this topic please don’t hesitate to reach out to Hannah Green or Sean McGrath. If you would like to work with Iconic Resourcing and for support on how to attract and retain the right people for your business please contact Hannah at hannah@iconicresourcing.com
ICONIC INVITES | EPISODE 5 | DEBBY STEWART TALKS WITH ALAN MCKEE OF MCKEE CAMPBELL MORRISON SOLICITOR
Iconic Invites are delighted to welcome Alan McKee, Director of McKee Campbell Morrison Solicitor to chat with Iconic Resourcing Legal Specialist, Debby Stewart. In this episode we chat around Alan’s background, progression through the Scottish Legal market and his decision along with the other founding Directors to start MCM Solicitors.
Key discussion points are:
What challenges opening a firm in a pandemic presented, the limitations but also opportunities the pandemic brought
Who MCM Solicitors are, what areas of law they cover and where they could assist you
The rapid growth and success of MCM thus far and why they will be looking to hire their future leaders
And that all important giving back, working with their selected charity partners
Alan was a fantastic guest and explains all of the above in a relaxed, light hearted, plain English manner and this is same approach he takes when advising his clients. If you have any questions around this topic please reach out to Debby or Alan, and if you would like to work with Iconic Resourcing to grow your own teams please contact Debby at debby@iconicresourcing.com or 07423 750 815
ICONIC INVITES | EPISODE 4 | JENNA CROLE TALKS WITH JOHN MELLIS OF MELLIS MEDIA
Iconic Invites is delighted to share a short conversation between Jenna Crole our Public Practice Specialist and John Mellis of Mellis Media, in this episode we share a collection of tips and advice for employers who are currently recruiting or plan to recruit over the next year.
With the UK experiencing a record number of open jobs and vacancies this short discussion allows employers to get a snapshot of the current market, trends, difficulties and how to overcome these. Jenna shares insight on her experience of the public practice market, how to attract the best talent and most importantly how to design a recruitment process that allows for the best candidate experience.
Iconic Invites Podcast is available on Spotify @ Iconic Invites 💡
ICONIC INVITES | EPISODE 3 | KERRY MCFARLANE TALKS WITH ROBIN CHAMBERS OF DC THOMSON
In this episode Kerry McFarlane is talking to Robin Chambers of DC Thomson. Robin has joined the group at a really interesting period of change as they look to streamline their internal processes, whilst holding onto their renowned individual style.
Here we are discussing how some of DC Thomson’s iconic brands have adapted over the years, and remain a household name today.
Key points we have taken from the conversation -
- Cultural working groups have proven a brilliant way for the group to share information, best working practice and brainstorm ideas.
- Quality can’t be sacrificed. Within a digital age, where brands are rushing to be at the forefront of any new trend, it is key to remember that the quality of your product cannot be diluted.
- Creating opportunities for your workforce to learn, both from experts internally as well as training and development on new technologies, is imperative in ensuring you protect your brand and get it right first time.
We loved hearing Robin’s insights and we hope that you have taken something away from the conversation. If you would like to work with Iconic Resourcing and for support on how to attract and retain the right people for your business please reach out to Kerry at kerry@iconicesourcing.com
ICONIC INVITES | EPISODE 2 | KERRY MCFARLANE TALKS WITH VICKY CRICHTON OF THE SCOTTISH LEGAL COMPLAINTS COMMISSION
In this episode Kerry McFarlane is talking to Vicky Crichton, Director of Public Policy at The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission. Vicky has held some really interesting posts over the years where she influences the direction of communications, and creates a strategy to deliver this to her audience.
Here we are discussing the virtual onboarding process, key learnings on how to make this a positive experience and how you ensure your values and culture are not lost.
Here are some of the key points we have taken from the conversation with Vicky:
- There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to onboarding virtually and we have learned from experience it needs to be tailored to the needs of your new hire. Everyone has a different set up working from home and what works for one person might not for another, take the time to think about what an individual needs and how you can best support them.
- Introducing people from different business areas will make your new hire feel like part of the team. As well as meeting key stakeholders they will be working closely with, why not introduce a ‘buddy’: Someone they can ask general questions about the office, who can give you an insight into the culture of the business, and it’s completely not related to their specific job role.
- Virtual interviews can be a very robust process, and be as useful in getting to know your prospective hire as a face to face meeting. Using various methods of communications, and styles of interviews, allows you to really get under the skin of a person and you can build as clear a picture online as you can face to face.
- The small things matter. Whether it be group chats keeping you connected throughout the day, or your weekly stand up office wide meeting keeping some form of consistency. It takes all forms of communication to build and maintain that virtual culture.
We loved hearing Vicky’s experiences and we hope that you have taken something away from the conversation. If you would like to work with Iconic Resourcing and for support on how to attract and retain the right people for your business please Kerry at kerry@iconicesourcing.com
ICONIC INVITES | EPISODE 1 | KERRY MCFARLANE TALKS WITH BRIAN GRASSIE OF PHLO
Introducing our new podcast series Iconic Invites! Here we have Iconic Resourcing’s Kerry McFarlane talking with Brian Grassie who is currently Head of Marketing at Phlo Pharmacy. Having had a successful career working for marketing agencies before moving in-house, Brian knows a thing or two about partnering with your supplier, both as the supplier and as the client.
Here we are discussing the ever changing landscape of digital marketing, stakeholder management and recruitment. How do we get the best out of our suppliers in 2022?
Here are some of the key points we have taken from our conversation with Brian:
- Your supplier is an extension of yourself, a brand ambassador of you and your business. You have to take the time to educate them on your requirements and expectations, and how you want them to represent you in the market. They can only work with what you give them, invest the time, it is time well spent.
- Price is a key factor in choosing the right supplier for your business. Use the tools at your disposal to negotiate and come to a fair price. But bear in mind, you get what you pay for, and this negotiation has to work for both parties. Listen to your supplier and their pricing guidelines, ask for market info to justify this, and pay for the service you expect them to deliver.
- Remember when you are hiring, the candidate pool doesn’t have the same key objectives as you. They have a different story, of which you will be part of it. Listen to your team, future employees, partners, and make sure you are selling them their benefits, and not your own. You are hiring a different skillset, with different motivations and drivers. Don’t assume you know what they are looking for.
- Create great relationships, with everyone. You just never know when you will be looking for their support. Or, when someone might ask them what their opinion is on you and your business. Makes sure your network are saying positive things about working with you.
Brian was a brilliant guest and certainly gave us a lot to think about. For any questions on this topic please don’t hesitate to reach out to Kerry McFarlane or Brian Grassie. If you would like to work with Iconic Resourcing and for support on how to attract and retain the right people for your business please contact Kerry at kerry@iconicesourcing.com