Harriet Saunders- Future Face of Finance 2023
Here to talk us through winning the Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year award for Finance 2023 is Harriet Saunders.
What is your name, and what is your role and your place of work?
Harriet Saunders, and I am a Deals manager at PWC
Were you nominated by someone else for an award, or did you nominate yourself, and why?
By myself- I really wanted to win this award as I feel it is very prestigious, well known and a good recognition of someone's achievements in their field and wider community.
How did you find the application and interview process?
Application process was fine, it was helped a lot by the zoom sessions that were held. The interview process was fine also- I felt very comfortable and it was professionally organised.
How did it feel to win your award?
Excellent- I’d really been working hard the past few years to change the trajectory of my career so it really felt amazing to be recognised for everything I had been doing for myself, at GBCC and beyond. I also felt that the calibre of applicants was high in my field and looking at the other winners, so I felt lucky to have been picked.
What impact did winning your award have on your career?
Accessibility to new job opportunities- I was looking for a new role in Jan 24 and I feel this is set me apart from other candidates- it is a vote of confidence in your work ethic and ability to collaborate across different stakeholders. I feel that this and my ACCA enabled me to get a new job at PWC at a more senior level. It's interesting how many people are aware of the award and discuss it with me at networking events etc.
What advice would you give to those applying for the Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards 2024?
Be creative in your application- use different fonts, colours, photographs- judges are reading hundreds of applications- make it easy for them to see why yours stands out!
Keep a log of your achievements- this will make an easy jumping off point for filling in the form.
Speak to past winners and attend the application advice sessions- understand what good looks like.
Where can people get in touch with you if they want to have a chat about the application and interview process, winning an award etc.?
You can find me on LinkedIn., just drop me a message!
