As work-life balance is increasingly becoming a key driver for job seekers when choosing their next role, contracting jobs, temping jobs, and interim jobs, have all now evolved from simply being seen as stop-gap solutions, to now becoming credible and flexible career choices.
There are a wide range of opportunities just like this in the accountancy and finance sector across the UK, whatever you are looking for. From the pool of interim workers, interim managers are generally the most sought after by employers - however there are roles available for all levels of experience.
Considering looking beyond permanent job opportunities and moving into something more flexible? This article will focus on our 5 top tips for succeeding as an interim worker.
How to succeed as an interim worker.
- Be honest in your application
- Be ready to be a chameleon
- Always ask questions
- Work fast, but not too fast!
- Keep your eye on the end result
Be honest in your application.
The best way to approach your interim job search is to be clear and honest about what you achieved in your previous interim roles, or other positions you have had in accountancy and finance. For example, if you have project management experience then be specific on exactly the type of projects you managed, the type of tasks you completed and what the role required on a day-on-day basis. Were your targets achieved and did you save the business money?
By being this specific in your application, it will ensure that you find a job that suits your skills set, and allows you to really make a difference in the position.
Be ready to be a chameleon.
Being flexible and adaptable and not being fazed by uncertainty and change is critical to success. You need to be ready to roll up your sleeves and get involved in day to day tasks, as well as leading a team if relevant. You’ll also need to be ready to handle new working processes, and be flexible to the needs of different organisations you work with.
Always ask questions.
As an interim worker, you’re in a great position to question how things work, and offer solutions that will help the organisation. You’ll always want to go the extra mile, create new ideas and be the innovative type to get better results. If this sounds like you, you have the greatest attributes to be a truly impactful interim worker!
Improvement and change are generally speaking major aspects of many interim assignments. If you are comfortable with questioning behaviours which are “the norm” to an organisation, attitudes and ways of working in a measured way, you are likely to be successful.
Work fast, but not too fast!
A key aspect of interim working is balancing the needs of the business you are working for with the speed of delivery and execution - even though many tasks may be urgent, you’ll still need to ensure that any work completed is high quality. The best interim workers will be able to apply skills with speed and urgency to a range of often time critical scenarios, avoiding mistakes and errors.
Keep your eye on the end result.
Interim workers need to be focused on delivering results quickly with benefits which go on for years. To be successful you'll need to learn hone in and focus on the outcomes that you've committed to achieving in order to guarantee the success of your assignment. In many turnaround missions there will undoubtedly be a lot of background noise which could be very distracting. Be of the mindset, “I do not need to attend every meeting”!
To find your next interim role, browse jobs here.
