John S.
About me
| John S. | |
| Economics and Related Studies | |
| Economics & Politics | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Vanbrugh | |
| 1982 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Retired Finance & Strategy Director | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Finance and consultancy |
Like this profile?
Add this profile to your favourites so you can return to it later from your account.
A day in the life of a Retired Finance & Strategy Director in the United Kingdom
I had an interest in maths and in law and wanted to work with teams of people on a consistent basis to see tasks through. Accounting in industry was a really good fit.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I worked for a global Electrical Engineering group of 100,000 + employees. Turnover 40bn usd.
What do you do?
My latest role was identifying and developing growth opportunities for the UK business. This included managing M&A projects and implementing tools such as Salesforce.com to promote cooperation and growth across divisions/countries.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I had an interest in maths and in law and wanted to work with teams of people on a consistent basis to see tasks through. Accounting in industry was a really good fit.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
When I graduated I remember asking at interview about the balance between technical accounting and management. What I did not appreciate was how much cross cultural work and project delivery would be involved..
Describe your most memorable day at work
I walked out of a meeting with the external directors of the business having sold them a plan to resolve a long running issue which was having a dramatic effect on group profitability. I had refused to commit that it would be completed for less than 250musd and yet they had given their go ahead! There was no one left who could say no. All we had to do was deliver!
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Many challenges. People get to the top of big businesses by making incremental changes or no changes at all. It is not unnatural that they react badly when you tell them that they need dramatic change.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
Great fun, very challenging, can involve a lot of travel.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
The Student Industrial Society gave an insight into business. I was slightly exposed to student union politics which was an interesting testing ground and gave a view of the self importance of those at the top in politics. Junior Common Room committee was a bit more down to earth. The motor club was a laugh. There is a book to be written on life in the Christian Union.
What would you like to do next with your career?
I have retired and trained as a coach. I want to use the coaching skills to encourage others.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Make sure your cv stands out. Polish your LinkedIn profile and ask people from lots of different businesses to connect with you. Don’t be scared to explain how a fun hobby demonstrates transferable skills. Put ‘hooks’ into your cv that draw the interviewers attention onto a topic that you want to discuss.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
I am reasonably happy to discuss most things with someone who really wants to learn. Accounting in Industry is an obvious topic. I will talk about Chartered Accountancy but don’t expect me to be entirely positive. Life and working in other countries is an interest of mine. I am not a big fan of London.
Next steps...
If you like the look of John’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send John a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask John to be your mentor.