In today’s competitive treasury recruitment market, knowledge is power. To reach the top of an increasingly complex corporate treasury profession, the budding treasurer needs strong technical acumen backed up by an elusive mix of strategic, management and influencing abilities.
This month’s Spotlight feature, ‘Pathways to Success’, looks at some of the challenges and opportunities facing the career treasurer in the current marketplace and explores some of the ways that treasury professionals can work to secure their place on the next rung of the ladder.
There is never a substitute for high-quality work experience in acquiring new skills. Therefore, selecting the treasury role which offers both a dynamic environment and a supportive attitude to personal development and professional progression is all important in planning a successful career. However, with the mobility of treasury staff to an extent restricted by the present constraints of the job market, where the perfect role may not yet be available, it is crucial for treasurers to explore any available opportunities to broaden their exposure within their current position.
This may involve taking on new responsibilities: for example, managing an implementation project, supervising staff or organising a secondment or job swap with a colleague. The focus should always be on nurturing transferable abilities – for example, in-depth knowledge of an in-house developed system will never be as marketable as a command of a widely used commercial package.
As a supplement to rewarding practical experience, it is also important to develop individual knowledge and skills on a proactive basis. This can open doors within the treasurer’s own organisation and also provide a platform for applying for the next key role. Transferable formal treasury qualifications are obvious tools in demonstrating to employers fundamental skills which can be brought to bear in any organisation. However, for those in more senior positions or with demanding lives outside work, a tailored programme of selfdevelopment may be most suitable.
Treasurers can make use of resources provided by the ACT, including events like our new 2004 Treasurers’ Conference, specialist training courses which are now expanded to cover a range of treasury-related skills, regional group meetings and publications like The Treasurer’s Handbook and, we trust, The Treasurer. There is also a wealth of self assessment and learning resources provided through the ACT’s CPD programme in conjunction with Standard & Poor’s.
And the reward for all this hard work? Well, a well-deserved rest over the summer with Mediterranean beaches,Wimbledon and no Tube strikes to look forward to would do for starters. After that, maybe that dream job in treasury…Yet to tide you over until then we can still offer you a lighter look at the treasurer’s world. JF returns on our back pages.
MIKE HENIGAN
Managing Editor
