Every day I spend time speaking with Accountants and Auditors. I hear feedback from all facets of the industry – positive, negative and everything in between. I communicate with employers who provide me with information. They tell me about their business, culture, benefits, management style, staff turnover and career pathways. Through my well established networks, I often talk to employees and ex-employees of these businesses. They give me their perceptions and experience of what a real day looks like to a new employee. Both sides of communication give me a 360 degree view of employers in the New Zealand market.
When you are promoted there are always implications. Is it positive or negative? As always, it is on a case by case basis so bear with me.
The job title given for the years of experience
| Graduate | Up to 1 year of experience |
| Intermediate | More than 1 year of experience |
| Senior | More than 3 years experience |
| Assistant Manager | More than 4 years experience |
| Manager | More than 5 years experience |
| Senior Manager | More than 6 years experience |
Working Examples:
I have recently met candidates with two years of work experience who have been promoted to Senior. I have also met people with three years of work experience who have been promoted to Assistant Manager.
This means employees can have a job title with a higher salary banding compared to their years of experience. Some of these candidates may be considered as not performing the traditional day-to-day work that is normally expected for a job title at this level.
What effect can this have on me?
If you have two years of experience and your job title is “Senior” it is worth exploring whether you are fulfilling the expectations and responsibilities at this level in the New Zealand market. Be aware that the workload and the level of expertise required by a new employer, may be higher. This may lead to challenges when considering making a change to another role. You may need to alter your expectations to move, you potentially may have to step down to a “lower” job title and take a salary cut.
If you are promoted sooner than your peers to a new level of responsibility, it is worth determining the reasons behind this promotion. There may be a disparity between your current firm and then looking for a new opportunity with a different employer. In my experience some firms are offering promotions fairly early with a change of job title and salary, which is a great way for them to retain their staff and show that they are valued. The promotion is likely to be well deserved down to the individual’s performance but might not be as recognised outside of their current employer due to their time served as a CA.
Where and Why?
I most commonly see medium to large-sized firms offering these types of promotions every six months. It is a competitive market for employers at the moment, so it’s most likely a strategy to retain their staff and also project themselves as an attractive employer, that offers promotion on a regular basis. This makes them stand out in the market, as they will most likely retain their staff for longer and attract new staff.
When would I know if this would be a negative or positive for me?
As a general rule, if you are doing the work that is expected at your level then it would be well deserved and positive. You should feel that the promotion is not a shock, but more of a reward for your expertise and work. Consider your peers and whether they have less or more experience than you or if you’re operating at the same level as them.
If you’re ever unsure as to where your skills and experience are placed in the market, please get in touch for a confidential conversation. I can assess your job title and worth in the market.
I will do this by getting a breakdown of your day-to-day work, projects you have completed and an idea of the variety of client industries and the size of your clients (IFRS, PBE Tiers or annual turnovers). I can inform you about your performance level compared to your job title and how your salary compares.
About Me
I am a Specialist Recruiter within the CA space which means I help Chartered Accountants / Certified Public Accountants and those studying toward their CA or CPA qualification.
My clients are Public Practice and Accounting firms and the roles/accounting jobs are within Business Advisory Services (BAS), External Audit, Tax, Corporate Finance, Risk Advisory, and Insolvency.
Find out more about Tyler Wren’s NZ Public Practice Recruitment here
Australia Public Practice Recruitment here
Our latest Salary & Benefits guide here
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