We are thrilled to announce that Danielle Cresswell and Alastair Tough have joined the Alexander Knight & Co team.
Bringing a wealth of experience from her time working at accountancy practices across the region, Danielle will provide hands-on support in the role of Manager. In her spare time, you will find Danielle either walking her beloved Shih Tzu, Ty, or cheering on top tier rugby league club, St Helens.
Alastair recently graduated from the University of Warwick and has chosen to take the first steps of his accountancy career with us. Joining as an Assistant Accountant, Alastair recently relocated from Nottingham to be part of the Alexander Knight & Co team and we are so pleased to have him.
Murray Patt, founder of Alexander Knight & Co, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Danielle and Alastair to our team. It’s fantastic to have them on board as we enter the exciting next stage of growth as a business.”
Welcome to the Alexander Knight & Co team, Danielle and Alastair!
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New skills have been acquired by all business owners during the past twelve months. Entrepreneurs are a resilient bunch and many have successfully been able to evolve their businesses and their skillsets during the pandemic. In many sectors, they are beginning to thrive again or at least, as the vaccine is being rolled out, starting to feel more positive about the future.
Therefore, the mindsets of many business owners have turned from ‘survival mode’ to ‘growth mode’ as they tentatively seek to expand their teams to enable them to thrive in the looming post-Covid business climate.
For most people, business growth is synonymous with hiring new people.
Recruiting in a pandemic certainly presents its challenges. We talk to many business owners who say the way they hire people will have to change if they are to attract the best staff not only during lockdown but afterwards too.
Remote-recruiting
On the one hand, it’s easier and more convenient than ever before to undertake interviews and assessments via tools like Zoom and Teams.
Attracting candidates digitally through social media and the ease of applying for jobs on platforms like Linked In means that, in theory, it should be simple to attract people to roles that need to be filled. Recruitment agencies can also play a positive role if they are fully tuned into the candidate you’re looking for and can articulate it well to the ‘marketplace’.
On the other hand, some people are reluctant to make the move from their existing employers in these times of uncertainty and competition is fiercer than ever before for the right candidate.
It’s an attractive role -plenty of opportunity for the right candidate to succeed in a supportive environment, along with flexible working arrangements on a hybrid basis from our Grade A office space in Hale village. Despite us only just starting the search we’re in the fortunate position of having strong interest in the role already and we are happy to take our time in selecting the right candidate.
Take your time
Some businesses, however, aren’t as fortunate as us and don’t have the luxury of time and/or the magnet of being an ’employer of choice’ in their marketplace. It’s these types of business that will have to work harder than ever before in modernising their recruitment process in order to attract good candidates in 2021.
If there’s one piece of advice I’d offer, based on my experience of running a business and working with many successful entrepreneurs, it would be that it is far better to wait for the right person to add to your team than recruit in haste and regret it for a long time afterwards. Taking care to select the right person for the job will pay dividends further down the line as we emerge from lockdown.
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We are looking for a bookkeeper to join our team of accountants in Hale, Greater Manchester.
Our clients are entrepreneurial businesses mainly based in Greater Manchester and Cheshire.
Key Responsibilities:
Manage a portfolio of clients to ensure their day to day bookkeeping requirements are met ✅
First port of call in assisting clients with bookkeeping queries ✅
Preparing and posting journals including accruals, prepayments, depreciation ✅
Assisting the accounts team with the preparation of annual statutory accounts ✅
Preparation of client VAT returns ✅
The ideal candidate will have solid experience working within a similar role, experience with Xero and Sage will also be preferable, you will also have good IT and communication skills. We offer very flexible working practices – currently a mix of office-based (in our Grade A office space in Hale village) and home-working.
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Perhaps you have recently left 6th form, college or University?
Join our growing practice in Hale as an apprentice accountant
The role: Apprentice Accountant
Alexander Knight & Co is a leading accountancy and audit practice based in Hale, Greater Manchester. We have a strong, positive and entrepreneurial culture, reflected in our impressive client base.
We are growing and we’re hiring now. We pride ourselves on recruiting the best people so that our clients can be assured they’re in safe hands. We are now looking for an apprentice accountant – at either L3 or L7 – to join our team at the start of 2021. We have a good track record of helping the next generation of accountant develop in their career.
Jack joined us as an apprentice and is now progressing in his career as an accountant.
Read Jack’s story here – he joined us as an apprentice and he’s now progressing a successful career in accountancy at Alexander Knight & Co.
What you’ll get if you join us as an Apprentice Accountant:
Supportive, friendly and flexible working environment.
Grade A office in the heart of Hale village.
Regular training and career development.
Competitive salary + flexible benefits.
The successful candidate’s duties will be varied, and office/client based. Our clients are spread across the Greater Manchester and Cheshire area and in some instances the apprentice will be expected to travel to see clients independently.
Key responsibilities will include:
• General accounting and office duties – and checking and analysing client invoices
• Drafting financial statements
• Assisting with personal and business tax
• Credit control
• Updating and creating spread sheets and using computerised accounting software
• Basic costing duties
Desired skills
• High level of numeracy and literacy essential
• Computer literate with experience of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, plus excellent keyboard skills
• Accurate and analytical approach, paying attention to detail
• Strong communication and organisational skills, plus effective time management and attention to detail
Personal qualities
• Must be professional with a smart appearance • Punctual, hardworking and keen to learn and progress within a professional environment • Enthusiastic, self-motivated but conscientious and able to work both independently and as part of a team
Desired qualifications
The successful candidate must have achieved:
A minimum of 5 good GCSEs to include Maths & English (ideally at the highest level A/A* or 8/9)
A minimum of 2 A-levels (or equivalent)
plus
A degree (or equivalent for Level 7 of the Apprenticeship)
APPLY NOW TO BE AN APPRENTICE ACCOUNTANT AT ALEXANDER KNIGHT & CO.
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We are proud to report that our colleague Jack Crowther, who joined us as an apprentice, has now attained AAT full membership (MAAT) – the internationally recognised professional status in accounting and finance.
We are committed to supporting the careers of the next generation of accountants and we are delighted with the progress and dedication that Jack has shown.
Alexander Knight & Co is an attractive career choice for both experienced accountants and people who are just starting off in their career.
Our supportive, flexible and entrepreneurial approach attracts just the right kind of professionals who our wide client base of business owners trust.
If you want to join a growing firm that invests in your accountancy career – especially one that offers a hybrid office/homeworking environment in the current climate – then speak to us now.
We are recruiting – so please send your CV to Alison Spier now.
Since launching Alexander Knight & Co in 2012, we have developed a reputation for being the “accountants for entrepreneurs” & our client base includes some of the leading private (and publicly- listed) businesses in the UK & Europe.
We are now looking for an Newly Qualified Accountant to join our fast growing team in 2023. This is a senior position within our team, ideally suited to you if you are professional looking to fast track your career to management level & beyond with your next career move.
The multi-disciplinary structure at Alexander Knight & Co means that this role is flexible and we are happy to tailor it to meet your skills and career aspirations if you’re the successful candidate. Initially, we see the role as focusing on audit and accounts but it will certainly evolve over time.
Essentially the role involves:
– Working proactively in the best interests of our clients & delivering a high quality audit & compliance service.
– Working both independently and in collaboration with other members of the team.
– Reporting directly to senior colleagues, including the founder of Alexander Knight & Co
Specifically, you should have confidence in your ability to:
– Plan and lead on complex audits – both remotely and on-site ✅
– Coordinate across different disciplines within the Alexander Knight & Co team ✅
– Deliver complex assignments through to completion ✅
– Prepare and report on group consolidated accounts both in FRS & IFRS ✅
– Liaise with overseas parent company auditors & advisers ✅
– Share knowledge across the wider audit and tax teams ✅
– Oversee the “onboarding” of new clients ✅
– Recommend positive courses of action for our clients to support them to grow their business & meet their compliance objectives ✅
– Act as a role model for junior members of staff, helping to develop their own skill sets and supporting them to deliver audit assignments professionally, on time and on budget ✅
Prospects
Full support for achieving your own career ambitions ✅
Flexible working benefits ✅
Market-leading salary according to experience ✅
About Us
We are a modern, progressive and forward-thinking accountancy practice & are always looking to develop our practice to best suit the needs of our brilliant team & incredible, loyal clients. A boutique-style firm (ie focusing on advice for owner managers & experienced entrepreneurs), we have developed a reputation as a specialist in working at board level alongside our owner-managed clients.
Largely located in the North West of England (including international clients with UK subsidiaries based in the region), our client base has grown substantially during the past twelve months – thanks to our good reputation for delivering high quality work & having a friendly, proactive approach to accountancy.
We are well connected as a practice & we have excellent professional relationships with other professional advisors, including law firms, financial advisors & banks who recommend clients to us on a regular basis.
We are also active members of MGI Worldwide – one of the world’s largest accounting networks – which enables our team to be universally connected & enjoy working relationships with other members across the globe.
We are based at our own Grade A office in Hale village (Hale Road). We are proud of our modern, vibrant premises & feel that this investment in our surroundings helps to promote a positive & professional culture for our clients & staff & other professional contacts in Cheshire & Greater Manchester who we work with regularly.
We offer a supportive & flexible approach for all our colleagues. Currently we are operating on a “hybrid” basis – a sensible mix of home-working & office-based working which is an agile approach appreciated by our staff & clients. It also enables our team to manage their own work-life balance & support their families during these times. Having been impressed by the success of this, we are passionate about retaining this culture into 2022 & beyond.
Disclaimer
Alexander Knight & Co is an equal opportunities employer and no terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person’s gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation.
All candidates will only be assessed in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the role expected. Only successful applicants will be invited to the next stage consisting of an interview and assessment.
To apply for this role please email your CV and a covering letter to Alison Spier.
In addition, if you would like a confidential chat about your current position and to see if this next step is suitable please call Alison Spier in confidence on (0161) 980 8788.
We are pleased to announce that Alan Su has joined Alexander Knight & Co as an assistant accountant.
Alan qualified with a first class honours degree in Accounting & Finance from the University of Huddersfield in 2018. He has also worked in the accounting and admin team at Lip Hing Metal Manufacturing, the international wholesale business in Trafford Park.
Alan will play a key support role to the wider team in delivering audit, accounts, bookkeeping, payroll and VAT.
Alan was born in Guangdong province in China and speaks fluent Cantonese. He arrived in the UK aged 6 and attended Xavierian College in Manchester.
Murray Patt, founder of Alexander Knight & Co, said:
We are delighted to formally welcome Alan to our team. He is a very welcome addition and he has already accrued good experience client side. He showed great initiative in contacting us directly and we are always keen to hear from good people in the accountancy profession. We look forward to him continuing his journey, securing his professional qualifications here at our practice and enjoying a career with Alexander Knight & Co.
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We are delighted to welcome Alan Su to our team as he begins his internship programme at Alexander Knight & Co. Since we launched our practice in 2012 we have always invested in the next generation of accountants.
This summer, in 2019, we have introduced a more formal internship programme for people who wish to launch or progress a career in accountancy in Manchester and Cheshire.
If you are in college, sixth form or university and you are trying to get a foot in the door in the finance industry then you’ll know how challenging it can be.
The competition is intense. However, there are some things that you can do to stand out from the crowd. Here are some of our key tips:
Polish your CV
First things first, you need to have a clean and clear CV – with no spelling mistakes. Make sure that you proofread your resume for any spelling errors. Correct any spelling, style, or grammatical mistakes. Then, check it again. It is better to get someone else to proof read it too.
Be truthful and realistic on your CV. Don’t stretch the truth. That time when you worked in the school tuck shop doesn’t count as “financial management”. Don’t be tempted to exaggerate the roles you have played in organisations or it will surface in interview.
Think outside the box
Be alert to internship and work experience opportunities all year round – not just during the summer months. Getting experience at anytime of the year in a good accountancy firm is always worthwhile.
Get advice – and go direct
Careers advisers at schools, colleges and sixth forms are normally pretty good these days at guiding students on the availability of internships. Don’t just rely on them though.
To uncover really good internship opportunities, check the websites of accountants because many of them will have a careers page which offers details of their work experience or internship programme. Even if some of them don’t list one, the chances are they might have one, they just don’t advertise it. Don’t be shy to pick up the phone and speak to people to find out who the correct person to send your CV to is.
Apply on time
More formal internship programmes have strict deadlines for applying. Make sure you submit your application on time. Pay close attention to the submission process and don’t miss anything out. If anything is ambiguous, double-check with the employer so that you are fully clear on what is expected. Many applications get rejected because candidates don’t complete their application properly.
Prep for your interview
Going to an interview unprepared almost certainly guarantees that you won’t land the position. Obviously, you should be well presented, smart and arrive on time for your interview. Find out as much as you can ahead of time who will be interviewing you so that you are familiar with their role in the company.
Be proactive in asking questions about the company you are applying for – what is their growth strategy? How do they go about finding new talent? What is their range of clients?
Some of the more popular open-ended interview questions posed by employers include:
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Why did you choose the A-levels/degree you did?
Why are you interested in becoming an accountant?
Tell us about a time when you resolved a problem.
Alison perhaps add some better ones!?
Be flexible!
Internships offer a varied range of duties and learning opportunities. Whether your task is to input data into a spreadsheet, support an audit team or attend a client meeting, make sure you do it enthusiastically and professionally. Employers are always on the look out for new talent to enhance their organisation. If you follow these simple tips you could be the next superstar they are looking for.
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Are you a newly qualified (or part-qualified) accountant?
A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a newly qualified – or part-qualified accountant – to join our growing practice in Hale, Greater Manchester.
Alexander Knight & Co is based at modern Grade A office space in the heart of Hale village. We have an entrepreneurial culture and work with some of the brightest and fastest-growing businesses in Greater Manchester and Cheshire.
Working in a supportive and friendly environment you will be involved in a wide variety of accountancy services for our client base.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is Chartered, Certified or AAT qualified/part-qualified and looking for ongoing personal and professional development and support.
