As we bid farewell to 2023, it's only fitting to take a moment and reflect on the milestones, challenges, and successes that defined ProTalent's incredible journey this year. We sat down with Lydia Sinclair, the Founder and Managing Director of ProTalent, as she shares insights into the company's achievements, standout success stories, market trends, challenges faced, and the exciting outlook for 2024. From the joy of growing the ProTalent family to the emotional highs of delivering life-changing job offers, Lydia's reflections offer a unique glimpse into the heart and soul of ProTalent's mission.
Reflecting on 2023:
What achievements and milestones have there been for ProTalent in 2023?
Growing the team – we have such an amazing bunch of people that whenever we add to this I feel very proud. Our team are amazing and adding Haidee and Ryan who are both fabulous personalities is just brilliant.
Can you share any standout success stories or memorable moments from the past year?
There have been so many! We have helped many amazing candidates at various stages of their careers and have helped many accountancy firms achieve their growth targets and other business objectives.
For me personally though – there is one standout moment – I delivered a job offer to a fabulous candidate called Ben. He had had several interviews and received several offers, but he fell in love with one firm. The poor guy was on tenterhooks for a couple of days. I called to give him the news and he hid in the stationary cupboard and burst into happy tears. This moment gave me goosebumps all over and reminded me exactly why we do what we do!
Market Trends:
How has the accountancy practice recruitment landscape evolved in 2023?
Highs and lows really. As with almost every industry out there, finding talent has been tough and so many businesses are struggling to attract the right people. This leaves businesses struggling to grow and at times struggling to deliver. This means it’s a candidate market at the moment. Good candidates have a great choice and they really are in the driving seat of their careers.
Have there been any notable trends or shifts in the demand for specific skill sets?
As technology continues to evolve, we see more happening in the crypto accounting space. And of course audit – there have been big changes in the audit world over the last year or two so the opportunity in audit is phenomenal. There are really impressive careers to be made in the audit world.
Challenges Faced:
What challenges did ProTalent encounter in the past year, and how were they overcome?
Bricks and mortar!! We have been waiting on our new office so that we can continue to grow our talent team, however various delays with the building have meant we are not in yet… soon though!
Client and Candidate Feedback:
What feedback has ProTalent received from clients and candidates in 2023?
We have had some lovely feedback from both clients and candidates this year – we love to hear great feedback and we have received some amazing and very personal feedback for all the individual consultants – and well deserved too.
Can you share a stand-out success story?
I think this has to be our latest award! ProTalent were awarded the ‘Best Recruitment Agency - South East’ by SME news – something we are super proud of, and something that the team really deserves too.
2024 Outlook:
What are the key goals and priorities for ProTalent in 2024?
Our office! I am so looking forward to having our new office space and building our Talent Team. We really want to be able to offer young people the experience and career path they deserve. We have been working really hard on our induction and training program and we really are looking forward to kick starting that.
We are also keen to really progress our team too. Emily and Haidee are both moving into leadership roles which is brilliant, and James and Ryan continue to set the bar high for the rest of us! Imogen has taken on more responsibilities and has been an amazing support.
We are also looking forward to welcoming another little person next year with our amazing Amelia due to have baby number 2 in the spring.
I am excited for the year ahead – it will be our next chapter and we look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the practice world.
Advice for Clients and Candidates:
What advice would you offer to accountancy firms seeking talent in the current market?
Talk to us! We can help! It is a hugely competitive market at the moment, so you need to be clear on your USPs - we are really good at helping with this too.
Any tips for candidates navigating the job market in 2024?
Know what is important to you! This clarity is important and will help you massively. However – getting clarity can be easier said than done, so again, talk to us. Having a sounding board can make a big difference and we can help you get clear about what it is that is really important to you – then we help you go and get it.
Final Thoughts:
Is there anything else you would like to share about ProTalent's journey in 2023 or goals for 2024?
I want to thank my team, our clients and all our candidates. I am utterly blessed to work with such amazing people. I truly am and I am grateful to all of you! I couldn’t imagine working in any other industry – granted the recruitment could be easier, but the people could never be nicer!
Happy new year everyone!