Making your first move from the profession is exciting. It's possible you were courted by existing clients trying to poach you and hounded by recruiters trying to entice you with big salary increases and the lure of less working hours.

Maybe it worked out, maybe it didn't? Or perhaps it worked for a while, but you now find yourself feeling a bit stuck?

The conversations we have with people like you typically start like this:

1. I was promised a better work/life balance but I'm still regularly working 60 hours per week. The company runs with poor systems, meaning that jobs which should take 20 minutes take me three days at month-end as it's so manual. I'm happy to have the bigger salary, but I'm absolutely shattered and I need a better balance for my own sanity.

2. I moved here because it was sold to me as a route to Financial Controller within three years. I've been here for two, working my backside off and all the hours necessary to learn about the business, build cross-functional relationships and prove myself to the Board. They've just hired a new Financial Controller so I feel my route is now blocked and feel deflated. I want to work for someone who values my commitment, where I can realise my potential.

3. I moved too quickly and jumped at the best benefits package I was offered. Now I'm regretting it. The salary is great, but I hate what I'm doing day to day; it's the wrong job and the wrong environment. Help!

4. I love my job. I really respect my manager and we have a great working relationship. I'm not actively looking, but if something came up offering X, Y and Z (insert any of the following* here) I'd be keen to hear about it.

*remote/flexible working

*renewables, non oil and gas, interesting industry

*project work such as major culture transformation, systems overhaul and integration

*a PE backed business looking for someone to help with acquisitions/getting a business ready for sale

*basically all the sexy stuff not related to crunching through Balance Sheet rec's five years after qualifying!

It's really hard.

Most companies nowadays preach the same "we are forward thinking, offer a dynamic work environment etc etc..." on their social media pages and the careers section on their website meaning it's difficult to really tell what their culture is like. They jump on #mentalhealthawarenessweek with tales of their flexible working policies, but as someone who takes calls from people working within their organisations, we can tell you a very different story. And let's not forget the vast majority of recruiters will only ever tell you the good stuff about a potential employer.

It gets harder when the market picks up. One candidate we spoke to recently described the recruitment market as "extremely noisy, it feels like I'm being bombarded with calls and emails and I don't really know where to start".

We think he summed it up perfectly; it can be really noisy.

That's why we fly under the radar; it's possible you've never even heard of us. But that's because the majority of the roles we recruit for are never advertised and the majority of the accountants we support aren't "active job seekers" (i.e. they're not sitting scrolling through job boards).

If we haven't spoken before, here's a little bit about us:

We're a husband and wife team with over 25 years' combined experience recruiting accountants in and around Aberdeen city. In 2019, following successful careers building and growing teams of recruiters for other companies, we launched Vero.

We have a very clear vision; to improve the lives of the people we work with.

What makes us different?

1. Advertising (or lack of)

We don't advertise all roles, and we don't use generic job boards. We have our own vacancy page, and we use our LinkedIn platform when the employer is looking for additional visibility. But as a general rule, we attract and select the very best accountants through our own network, without the need to advertise. That's why we like to get to know you, before you start actively looking for work. That way, when the 'perfect opportunity' arises, we can let you know.

2. Exclusivity

When an employer engages with us, we are the only agency they're trusting to support with the hire. This means they sign an agreement with us to exclusively handle the head hunting process, shortlisting and ultimately placing the perfect candidate. Simply, you wont find any of the roles we recruit for anywhere else.

3. We don't just put you forward for jobs.

That's not what we do here at Vero. We dissect each opportunity to ensure it's the right fit for you, your individual needs and wants. We work collaboratively to showcase your individual capabilities for each application, and support you through the interview process with thorough preparation. Our entire process has been designed to give you the very best chance of securing your ideal role.

4. We will only ever contact you about positions which are a perfect fit.

This means being incredibly selective about the type of opportunities we discuss with you. It all comes back to that holistic and highly personalised service we provide. Yes, it might feel exciting when you're being contacted about multiple roles on a weekly basis, but when you break it down, how many of them are really a fit for what you want? It's best to focus your time and energy on the right things.

5. We shortlist a maximum of 3-4 candidates for each role.

Rather than being one of 20 applicants (sometimes more) whose CV lands on an HR Manager's desk over a period of 2-3 weeks, you're application will form part of a small, highly targeted shortlist, sent directly to the decision makers. This gives you a far better chance of securing an interview, more face to face time with the decision makers to decide if it's the right opportunity for you, and ultimately a far higher chance of landing your dream job.

6. We don't work with everyone.

We only work with employers and leaders who share our values and care about their people. The employers we work with are committed to finding the right fit for their business, not just a 'bum on a seat'. They engage with us on an exclusive basis because they understand the value of working with a recruiter who puts the people experience at the heart of their process and delivers each and every time. Because of this, the accountants we support start each application safe in the knowledge that they don't need to worry about a toxic culture.

At Vero we are firm believers in old fashioned relationship building. We will never compromise on our highly personalised service. There's no on size fits all approach; your job search should be as unique as you are. But it's about far more than that. Most of the people we work with are quite happy in their current situation but have a "perfect job" in the back of their mind. By getting to know them over months and sometimes years, we develop a deep understanding of what their "perfect" looks like. Often, this comes down to personality fit and finding the right boss/mentor/manager in order to realise your full potential.

We're here when you're ready to chat.

Over the last 17 years, we've helped over 1500 accountants in Aberdeen to realise their ambitions. We take a holistic approach, and offer unrivalled levels of unbiased advice, guidance and coaching, whether or not you're actively looking to make a move.

Our recent case study focusses on a Finance Manager who secured his perfect role through Vero in 2022.

But don't just take our word for it...hear what others have to say about their experience of working with us on our testimonials page.