CAREERS ADVI CE Changing skillset Some of the skills required by a modern credit professional might be quite unexpected. AUTHOR - Karen Young Karen Young A S skills shortages contin ue to affect a variety of sectors across the globe, the core skills needed for a role in credit manage ment have also remained in demand. Almost half of accountancy and finance employers (43 percent) re vealed in the ‘Hays Salary and Recruit ing Trends 2019’ guide that finance skills were most needed by their organisa tions. However, to get ahead in today’s competitive recruitment environment, credit professionals need to possess more than just core finance abilities. So, what are the other skills a credit professional needs and how can they utilise these in a current or future role? A CREATIVE APPROACH Technology is influencing our world of work at a faster pace than it ever has before, changing the skills landscape dramatically. As roles are adapting and evolving, it is innate, human skills, such as our creativity, which will hold the highest value. As creative skills cannot be borrowed, replicated or programmed by a machine, these skills will remain unaffected by automation and their demand across all professions will only continue to rise. Equally, employers favour jobseekers who are comfortable speaking with people at all levels of an organisation in a professional manner. Creativity is valuable to a role in credit management as it is a crucial part of problem solving, strategising and generating the ideas that will drive businesses forward. Although for many credit professionals numerical skills come more naturally than creative ones, taking a creative approach to work is important. With creativity set to become an even more desirable skill requirement over the next decade, professionals in credit are encouraged to focus on this aspect of their role in the near future. A first step for credit professionals to take is changing longstanding habits and routines inside and outside of work. If you’ ve been in your current role for a long period of time, you may benefit from revaluating your routine to eliminate elements that may be hampering your ability to think creatively. Question whether your current set-up is allowing you to be engaged, inquisitive and innovative inside and outside of your work. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS Maintaining a creative approach to your work is crucial to your career, but developing creativity is ill-spent if you don’ t possess the ability to communicate it effectively. Good communication is the difference between bringing an innovative idea to the table and making it have a proper impact on the business. Employers in credit want professionals who can keep discussions on-task and professional, who listen to employees and respect other’s ideas. Equally, employers favour jobseekers who are comfortable speaking with people at all levels of an organisation in a professional manner. For credit professionals to work successfully with their customers and clients, communication skills are vital. This involves building positive relationships with customers and clients who will have different requirements and maintaining clear channels of communication. As well as external communication, working successfully with colleagues within your organisation also requires good communication skills and can be instrumental in advancing your career. Good communication depends on being clear and concise, and not overloading a colleague when an immediate action may be more necessary. While a focus on detail is important in the technical aspect of credit management, knowing when to keep it short will serve you well. As an extension of this, knowing when to speak up versus when to appreciate a calmer moment is an ability that goes with a strong communicator. WILLINGNESS TO LEARN A willingness to learn is the most requested soft skill in the world of work today. Hiring managers across all disciplines want the ideal candidate to be proactive and take the initiative to continuously develop themselves and their career. According to our research, career development and CPD was the most important benefit for 15 percent of accountancy and finance staff, indicating that this section are committed to their learning and development. Maintaining a willingness to learn will be crucial for credit professionals considering the emergence of AI in the workplace. In-demand skills are still changing in the face of constant technology innovation so credit professionals are encouraged to embrace new skills in their roles to ensure they can continue to develop and progress in their careers. As almost half of accountancy and finance staff (46 percent) feel there is no scope for career progression in their current organisation, remaining open to learning new skills may help those feeling pessimistic about their career prospects. In today’ s connected world there are so many accessible ways to learn. Outside of work credit professionals can benefit from taking advantage of listening to webinars and podcasts on their commute as well as staying up to date with news and movements in financial markets. While at work, seek customer feedback and stay up-to-date with what your competition is doing. By keeping an eye on changes not only within credit management, but also with regards to the sector you work in, your knowledge will develop to spot new gaps in your industry, and potentially seek to bridge them. Karen Young is Director at Hays Credit Managem en t. The Recognised Standard / www.cicm.com / June 2019 / PAGE 54 Copyright of Credit Management is the property of Institute of Credit Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.