Students studying for accountancy qualifications at the Colchester Institute were given a free career advice session from Pure.

Craig Cordle, accountancy recruiter at Pure’s Ipswich office, delivered the session to 35 Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) students. The event, held on 19 May, was organised to help ensure the students understood how they could make maximum use of their qualifications and to give them an overview of the region’s current financial job market.

The students were also given advice on how they could stand out against other candidates when competing for job roles. Topics discussed included CV structure and content, interview preparation, interview skills and what to expect from potential personality profiling or psychometric tests.

Craig Cordle said: “Accountancy and financial services are two of Pure’s key specialisms and we are keen to help develop and support the region’s up-and-coming talent in these areas. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Drawing on more than a decade of experience in placing accountancy candidates, both in house and in public practice, we were able to provide some top tips on how to make a winning first impression when competing for jobs in this sector.”