INTHEBLACK September/October 2025 - Magazine - Page 13
“Skills verification is incredibly important,
particularly if you want to be a global
worker, because it enables a candidate
to demonstrate that they can apply
specific skills in a contextual setting.”
DR ASHELEY JONES, CPA AUSTRALIA
Next on the list are creative thinking; resilience,
flexibility and agility; and curiosity and lifelong learning.
Nicole Gorton, director at global recruitment agency
Robert Half, says the WEF report’s findings align
with her experience.
“Across the globe, finance and accounting managers
are using AI and automation tools to increase
efficiencies, and they need teams in place with the
right skills to use them. As finance teams’ digital
transformation projects ramp up, companies need
professionals with strong skills in AI, cybersecurity,
automation and enterprise resource planning systems,”
Gorton says.
“Employers are also looking for candidates who
possess strong soft skills, including stakeholder
management, communication, problem-solving
and critical thinking.”
Gorton says in-demand skills vary from country to
country. “Across international markets, companies’
prioritisation of technology, risk, regulatory
compliance and strategic advisory roles is escalating
demand for a variety of finance and accounting
professionals,” she says.
“In the US, financial reporting, financial modelling,
technology expertise and management experience
are highly sought after.
“While financial reporting is a skill in demand
in the UK, [companies] also seek talent who
have automation, technical accounting and data
analytics/business intelligence tools experience.
European countries like Belgium and Germany
seek multilingualism as well as budgeting,
forecasting and financial analysis.”
FRAMING IS EVERYTHING
IN-DEMAND GLOBAL SKILLS
Dr Asheley Jones, CPA Australia’s chief learning and
innovation officer, says in Schwab’s Intelligent Age,
critical thinking and the use of AI have superseded
basic data compilation as the most in-demand skills
in accounting and finance.
“How do you tell compelling stories? How are
you able to persuade using data? And how are
you able to position yourself as a business advisor?”
David George, senior managing director at
Michael Page Australia says that, in the current
climate, most organisations around the world
are focused on increasing productivity and
cost reduction.
“Strong analytical skills and the ability to make
strategic recommendations based on the numbers
are key in a world where costs and productivity are
critical factors.”
As an international candidate seeking to stand out
from local applicants, the framing of employment
history matters. Gorton recommends highlighting
impact, accomplishments and achievements gained
in previous positions.
“Simply listing the responsibilities tells the employer
nothing but a description of that role,” she says.
“To highlight contributions, include statements
such as ‘Led the implementation of a new
budgeting system, resulting in an X per cent
reduction in budget variances within the first year’
or ‘Streamlined the accounts payable process,
decreasing invoice processing time by X per cent
and capturing $X in early payment discounts annually’.
“These types of impactful résumé points hold a lot
more weight than simply listing tasks from the job.”
For some organisations, recruiting a candidate
from overseas can feel like a risk.
GLOBAL GAME CHANGERS intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 13
