Diversity

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Careers
job can add an entirely new range of
competencies to your repertoire. It will
allow you to demonstrate and enhance
competencies that until now you have
not had the opportunity to use. For
instance, volunteering can improve
your abilities in terms of teamwork,
communication, relationship
management, problem-solving and
critical thinking.
Become a non-executive director
Obtaining a position as part of a
board can also provide the ideal
opportunity to develop a new range of
competencies, such as communication,
influencing and strategising. It is,
of course, a great way to increase
your network and profile. Securing a
board position with a not-for-profit
organisation can be a great starting
point as well as an opportunity to
make a meaningful contribution to a
cause that you have an interest in.
Join Toastmasters
Toastmasters is an international notfor-profit
organisation that provides
a supportive environment where you
can improve your public speaking,
communication and leadership skills.
Self-promotion
Developing your competencies is an
essential part of a successful career
and a core skill in its own right is the
ability to promote these competencies
in a way that gets you noticed.
Increased visibility will enhance your
credibility. Working on your ability to
self-promote and build a network is
critical.
The recruitment process
The HR and recruitment processes
implemented by many organisations
have a competency framework at
their core. They have driven and
accelerated the use of competencies in
the provision of training, drafting of
job specifications and the recruitment
process. Most job specifications will
now include an outline of the core
competencies required for a role. The
interview process will also most likely
incorporate questions that require the
candidate to outline the competencies
they have demonstrated in the past
TOP 10 NON-FINANCE
COMPETENCIES
1. Communication and
influencing skills.
2. Emotional intelligence/selfmanagement.
3. Relationship management.
4. Project/change management.
5. Flexibility/agility.
6. Performance management –
company, self and others.
7. Analytical/strategic thinking.
8. Problem-solving/innovation.
9. Commercial acumen.
10. Coaching/mentoring.
and how they will utilise these to
the advantage of the organisation in
a new role. During most interview
processes, you are now required to
demonstrate how you meet each of
the core competencies identified by
the employer. CVs are no longer just
an account of the functionalities of
your role; they should also incorporate
an overview of the non-technical
competencies the candidate has
to offer. This is in turn reflected in
LinkedIn profiles, which professionals
showcase to the world.
Doing that bit extra
When prospective employers look
for potential candidates, they often
zone in on extra- curricular nonwork-related
activities to get a better
sense of the skills you might bring
to the role. Looking at the interests
you have outside work can provide
real insights into the person you are,
the competencies you possess, what
motivates you and what environment
might suit you best.
A new focus
When we consider competencies, we
might not be inclined to consider
resilience and self-compassion.
However, they are crucial to achieving
career success. In a fast-paced and
ever-changing world, the ability to
cope with this pressure and manage
your reaction to it is essential for
survival. We can develop the ability
to identify, manage and bounce back
from challenging situations. Resilience
is now recognised as an important
competency in the modern-day
workplace. Developing your levels of
resilience includes key management
skills such as managing conflict and
difficult situations, being assertive and
understanding why people behave in
particular ways. It also includes the
ability to use and implement stress
management techniques such as
mindfulness and meditation.
Another key competency in terms
of career success is self-compassion.
Cutting yourself some slack and
not being hard on yourself is an
underestimated competency. We often
set ourselves unrealistically high
standards and when we inevitably
fail to reach them, it impacts on our
confidence and can cause huge levels
of stress. Knowing when and how to
use self-compassion is a crucial selfprotection
mechanism in sustaining
your mental health and career success.
Many see self-compassion as a failing
but in reality, it is a survival strategy.
Newly qualified?
Following their training, newly
qualified members understand the
key technical competencies required
to start their career. The next step,
however, is to supplement this
knowledge with competencies such
as effective communication skills, the
ability to work autonomously, effective
time and project management and the
ability to demonstrate initiative and
commercial acumen.
Last word
The role of the Chartered
Accountant is evolving and will
continue to do so. It will remain
underpinned by core technical
and accounting competencies but
to add real value and to remain
relevant in a rapidly changing work
environment, those seeking career
success and fulfilment will need to
add and develop other non-finance
competencies to their offering.
KARIN LANIGAN
Karin Lanigan is Manager of Career
Development & Recruitment Services
at Chartered Accountants Ireland.
ACCOUNTANCY IRELAND
APRIL 2017