We’re delighted to welcome Tom Harrington to SRM Recruitment as a Principal Consultant in our London finance recruitment team. Tom tells us a bit about himself and what prompted his move to SRM. He'll also share about the roles he’ll be working on, and his advice for hiring managers and job seekers in the current market.

Tell us a bit about yourself? 

I am a father of two, a keen sports fanatic and someone with a keen interest in politics and economics. When my two boys aren’t keeping me occupied, I like to get out for a cycle or enjoy football with friends. One of the things I enjoy the most about recruitment is having your finger on the pulse of the economy and finding out about some amazing businesses in all sorts of industries.

Tell us about your career to date? 

I have been in the finance recruitment industry for 13 years, initially working part-qualified roles, interim contract positions.  For the past 7 or 8 years i've focused on qualified mid to senior finance positions. This has typically been in investor-backed, high-growth businesses, across a range of industries but with a bit of a focus within the B2B markets such as energy, construction, tech infrastructure and professional services. 

What prompted your move to SRM?

I wanted to join a specialist boutique agency, with a presence and ability at the senior end of the job market.

What was it that appealed to you about working for SRM? 

I was really impressed with the leadership team. They all have impressive careers to date, are market experts and operate with honesty and integrity. They have also built a business with a great culture where consultants are treated as individuals and allowed to thrive.

Tell us about your remit at SRM? 

My remit is qualified finance at the mid to senior level. This includes roles from the recently qualified Management/Financial Accountant to Finance Manager, Financial Controller up to Finance Director.

What do hiring managers and job seekers like about working with you? 

I like to really listen to people so that I can better understand their situation, their backgrounds, and their pain points. That way I can give them an individual tailored service. I always try to be upfront and consultative, so that we can work together to reach their goals.

What’s your top piece of advice for hiring managers right now? 

Retain an open mind on candidates. There is a perception at the moment that the balance of power now sits with the employer and that the market is flooded with candidates. While there is some truth in that, it is still challenging (as it always is) to recruit top talent. This can sometimes result in businesses missing out on some real superstar candidates. Despite them being highly motivated to join their team, they were overlooked simply because they haven’t for example worked in the same industry or they haven’t used a specific accounting system. 

What’s your top piece of advice for candidates right now? 

My advice for candidates is to take time to prepare a well thought out CV and don't over complicate it with alternative formats. When you have a certain amount of career experience, there is a danger you just add your current role in at the top of your CV and move everything else down the page. Without re-evaluating the existing content this often results in a very long CV. So, be sure to assess the whole document and be ruthless when deciding what will help you to achieve that next step in your career.

GET IN TOUCH

Need help to hire or find your next finance role? Contact Tom on tomharrington@srmrecruitment.com or call +44 7777 156692. You can also connect with Tom on LinkedIn here