Industry Insights

All things finance, purpose, and market intelligence

Welcome to Core3 insights, helping you to stay on the pulse

As your trusted recruitment partner we can help you by

  • Finding finance and accounting professionals
  • Keeping you up to date with industry news and insights
  • Bringing your employer brand to life
  • Giving you the benefit of our vision and skills to maximise opportunities
  • Increasing your impact by giving 3% every placement to good causes

Core3 put the tools into your hands to make a real impact on your organisation, your team, your community and the environment. Get in touch.

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Blog

Core3 Blog
6 May 2025

Conscious Capitalism: A CFO’s Guide to Turning ESG Into Shareholder Value

If you’re a CFO, then you’ll know the importance of delivering shareholder value. That hasn’t changed. But what has changed is how that value is created - and what investors…
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Core3 Blog
28 April 2025

The Real Cost of a Bad Hire

Hiring the wrong person hurts. But in finance, where accuracy, trust and commercial impact matter more than most, it can also be very costly. From the costs of advertising the…
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BlogCore3 Blog
21 April 2025

Why World Earth Day Is More Than Just A Hashtag

Every year, World Earth Day invites us to pause, reflect, and take responsibility for the role we play in protecting our planet. It’s a global reminder that sustainability is no…
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Core3 Blog
14 April 2025

Nurturing Talent in a Tough Recruitment Market

When skilled finance professionals are in short supply and recruitment feels more like a scramble than a strategy, it might be time to try a different tactic. Rather than constantly…
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Core3 Blog
7 April 2025

Thinking Outside The Recruitment Box: How We Helped A Client Overcome Their Hiring Challenge

Recruitment isn’t always straightforward. Some roles are hard to fill. There could be various reasons why businesses find it hard to attract the right talent. It could be that the…
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Core3 Blog
31 March 2025

The Skills Shortage Is No Joke – Here’s How To Navigate It

The first day in April, April Fools’ Day, is known for its lighthearted fun and practical jokes. But the current recruitment challenges businesses are facing are no laughing matter. Businesses…
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BlogCore3 Blog
24 March 2025

The Purpose Dividend – Why purpose-led business is a force for change

Every March, B Lab and the global B Corp community celebrate what it means to be a B Corp, raising awareness of the movement worldwide. At the beginning of March,…
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BlogCore3 Blog
17 March 2025

AI Investment in Finance Reaches New Heights

The UK finance sector is set to hit record levels of AI investment in 2025, with businesses ramping up their use of machine learning, automation and predictive analytics. According to…
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BlogCore3 Blog
10 March 2025

The Truth About Becoming a B Corp – Core3’s B Corp Journey

B Corp certification. It’s one of those things that shows that your business is a force for good. Ethical, sustainable, accountable. But what’s the reality of actually getting certified? Spoiler…
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BlogCore3 Blog
3 March 2025

Struggling to Attract and Retain Finance Talent? 2025 Salary Guide

2025 Finance and Accounting Salary Guide Get the insights you need to hire smarter, benchmark salaries with confidence, and keep top finance professionals on your team.  Tap here to download…
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Core3 Blog
24 February 2025

Mastering the Art of Employee Onboarding

Your employee onboarding process sets the tone for everything. Getting it wrong is a bit like dropping them in the middle of nowhere and asking them to find their way…
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BlogCore3 Blog
17 February 2025

CFOs’ Talent Retention Priorities in 2025

Some recent figures from Deloitte, paint a more cautious picture for UK businesses in 2025, with some CFOs and finance leaders expecting cost-cutting in the year ahead. But the economy…
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BlogCore3 Blog
10 February 2025

Finding Purpose in Finance with Sawday’s Jayne Phan

At Core3, we’re passionate about helping people find careers that align with their values. In a recent episode of The Conscious Finance podcast, we were joined by Jayne Phan who…
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Core3 Blog
3 February 2025

Broadening Finance Leadership To Drive Corporate Sustainability

Financial leadership is an intriguing place to be right now. If you read our blog from a couple of weeks ago, you’ll know that the CFO’s role isn’t just changing,…
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Core3 Blog
27 January 2025

Bridging Finance and ESG Impact with Deloitte’s Sophie Bailey

At Core3, we’re passionate about connecting people with meaningful careers, especially in sustainability-focused roles. In the latest episode of The Conscious Finance Podcast, Sophie Bailey, ESG Advisory Director at Deloitte,…
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BlogCore3 Blog
20 January 2025

The 2025 UK Labour Market Outlook

The UK labour market continues to have its ups and downs as businesses adapt to economic challenges, policy changes, and a tight labour supply. However, for business leaders who can…
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BlogCore3 Blog
13 January 2025

How is the CFO role evolving?

The traditional responsibilities of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) have been reshaped, and a new breed of finance leader has emerged: the super CFO. According to Deloitte, this transformation is…
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BlogCore3 Blog
6 January 2025

Is Using AI in Recruitment Ethical?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used everywhere and the recruitment industry is no different. It's a tool that can help recruiters and candidates identify opportunities, apply, and secure them. Over…
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BlogCore3 Blog
24 December 2024

How to Communicate Your Business’s Contribution to Society 

The years that we have been working in finance and accounting recruitment have taught us that success is no longer defined solely by financial performance. While profitability remains critical, employers…
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BlogCore3 Blog
10 December 2024

Empowering Inner-City Youth Through Sport: A Conversation with Sarah Mortiboys

When Core3 are not occupied with all the work that you would normally associate with Bristol recruitment agencies, the team can often be found volunteering with Bristol Sports Foundation. BSF…
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BlogCore3 Blog
3 December 2024

Why outsourcing to an accounting and finance recruiter makes sense

Recruiting the right talent can be a challenging task. CFOs have to balance the need to fill critical roles with the pressure of managing costs and time effectively and this…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
19 November 2024

Twelve ways to tell your staff that you appreciate them this Christmas

No one needs to develop a Scrooge-like attitude towards the festive season when Christmas is a golden opportunity to give staff a boost! In financially challenging times, the key is…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
12 November 2024

What can be done about the shortage when it comes to finance and accountancy talent?

Many organisations are competing for qualified accountants, with larger firms and international opportunities increasing the stakes. But what does it all look like from a Gen Z candidate’s perspective? How…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
5 November 2024

Remember, remember the 5th of November…

How to be the good Guy that interviewers remember for the right reasons!  We all hope to make an indelible mark when we leave an interview, but we can tell…
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BlogCore3 Blog
29 October 2024

Richard Ring, Man of the People

When leaders set the right tone for a business, the team will engage and everything falls into place! We were privileged to have Richard Ring, CFO of Apetito, come and…
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BlogCore3 Blog
22 October 2024

Give potential candidates the green light!

According to a recent TotalJobs Hiring Trends Index, 6 out of 10 candidates are looking for an employer that values sustainability.   https://www.totaljobs.com/recruiter-advice/hiring-trends-index#hiring-trends-index-market-overview  Although the main reason the research carried out…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
14 October 2024

Emerging roles in the finance profession

In recent years, the finance profession has undergone dramatic changes. This has been led by advances in technology that feed into improved data analytics and evolving business needs. Organisations are…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
7 October 2024

How Core 3 can help companies in a skill-short market

The job market is changing at a rapid pace. Whatever business sector you are in, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the right set of potential employees with the…
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BlogCore3 Blog
30 September 2024

For King and County!

Making a fairer city with Peaches Golding... Peaches Golding, OBE and Lord Lieutenant of Bristol, the King’s representative in the county of Bristol, came to speak to us about her…
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BlogCore3 Blog
16 September 2024

Finding Purpose in Public Service – Dan Wood

Recently, we were privileged to have Dan Wood, Chief People Officer for UWE, on our podcast, as we are proud providers of finance recruitment for the West of England! It…
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BlogCore3 Blog
2 September 2024

How to keep your best finance talent

In our highly competitive world, retaining the best finance talent is crucial for business success and growth. High turnover rates can have serious consequences, such as draining resources, disrupting operations,…
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BlogCore3 Blog
26 August 2024

Preparing for the World of Work as a Finance Professional

For many new graduates in finance and those just starting in the industry, there is always a mixture of excitement and fear for the future. The hard work of getting…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
19 August 2024

Building a Stellar Finance Team

Stand Out from the Crowd and Attract the Best Modern business is a highly competitive field, and the only way a company can survive is by the abilities of its…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
12 August 2024

Championing Equality with Poku Osei

Poku Osei, the founder of Babbasa, a social enterprise that helps young people from disadvantaged communities in Bristol, has a vision to put an end to systemic inequalities when it…
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Blog
5 August 2024

How ESG benefits Finance recruitment

How Adopting an ESG Strategy Can Help You Attract Talent The world is seeing an increasingly competitive job market. Getting top talent requires more than putting out a competitive salary…
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BlogCore3 Blog
29 July 2024

How a General Election Affects the Job Market

The country seems to be finding its feet as it gets used to the new “normal” following the general election. We’ve made our choice, for better for worse, for richer…
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BlogCore3 Blog
23 July 2024

Steering the ship with the help of finance professionals

Matthew Hamilton James arrived at Motability Operations in 2001 and has been their CFO for 7 years now. Motability support people with disabilities to achieve greater independence by giving them…
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BlogCore3 Blog
15 July 2024

How the “Trust Me” card gets the hire

In recruitment, as in every sector, technological transformation is revolutionising how businesses engage with their customers, generating exciting solutions for onerous tasks that used to take days now being reduced…
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BlogCore3 Blog
8 July 2024

Why do you want to work for us?

Much is said about company culture and a great company culture is one of the chief reasons behind good staff retention these days. There’s only so much time people will…
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BlogCore3 Blog
1 July 2024

Why ESG?

As the months and the years tick by towards 2030, implementing formal ESG practices is something that SMEs are not just more aware of, but increasingly feeling the pressure to…
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BlogCore3 Blog
25 June 2024

The Risks and Rewards of Innovation

Our podcast journey has brought us some very interesting guests to discuss the finer points of finance, ethics and recruitment. A fantastic guest that Leo had the privilege of speaking…
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BlogCore3 Blog
23 May 2024

The Inner Circle

At Core3 we believe that relationships are at the centre of everything we do, and this approach has led us to creating The Inner Circle – a community centred on…
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BlogCore3 Blog
13 May 2024

Meeting Skills Gaps in Finance Recruitment

Many factors contribute to a skills gap, but whatever their source, they can prove to be highly damaging in any sector. In the incredibly competitive world of finance, this skills…
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BlogCore3 Blog
8 May 2024

How our finance professionals can help promote ESG

All companies can benefit from having an Environment, Social and Governance or ESG policy. Although many companies do have one, the degree to which these policies are actually used still…
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BlogCore3 Blog
22 April 2024

Top tips for team well-being

Most company owners pride themselves on being good employers, with good salaries, flexible working options, and training and development opportunities for all. They would be shocked if they discovered that…
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BlogCore3 Blog
15 April 2024

Keeping your cool throughout the financial year

The financial year is very predictable albeit with some high-pressure points along the way. Having a wise recruitment strategy in place is essential to successfully make it through. We can…
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BlogCore3 Blog
9 April 2024

Ethical recruiters in a changing world

Over the last 50 years, the world of work, particularly in the Western world, has changed dramatically. In the early 1970s, the UK still had a robust and sizeable primary…
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BlogCore3 Blog
25 March 2024

What’s so good about interim finance talent solutions

When the market tightens, an interim talent solution to test the water can help to de-risk the whole process. “Try before you buy” if you like. Nobody wants to make…
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BlogCore3 Blog
18 March 2024

Top Ten Bonuses to offer new candidates

What exactly are candidates looking for these days in a new finance role? Top Ten bonuses to offer new candidates.   Employees today look for a variety of bonuses and incentives…
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BlogCore3 Blog
11 March 2024

Building a culture of people over profit with Rob Porter

As a professional recruitment agency we hear about finance departments only caring about top-line and bottom-line profit. However, Rob Porter, finance director of Miele, is someone whose leadership style fundamentally…
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BlogCore3 Blog
4 March 2024

Cultivating an inclusive culture in the workplace 

According to the government-backed, McGregor-Smith review on ‘Race in the Workplace, the UK employment rate for Ethnic Minorities is only 62.8% compared with an employment rate for White workers of…
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BlogCore3 Blog
26 February 2024

How should employers approach a virtual recruiting strategy?

With the advent of virtual recruiting, why would finance and accounting recruiters like us still advocate face-to-face interviews? Well, the short answer to this question is that virtual recruitment does…
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BlogCore3 Blog
19 February 2024

AI and the changing face of finance

Funny how wearing a shirt and tie to work used to be the norm with few questioning why it was necessary. A similar degree of mystery shrouded decision-making in the…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
12 February 2024

How accountancy recruitment firms have switched from grey to green

Finance and accountancy used to be oh so dull! Anyone who grew up with Mary Poppins playing in the background would know that there was no fun to be had…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
5 February 2024

Filling permanent and interim finance roles in challenging times

Employers everywhere are complaining of a lack of talent. Companies need talented people to secure a competitive edge, however talented people with relevant qualifications are becoming scarcer. This problem for…
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BlogCore3 Blog
29 January 2024

Why candidate experience is everything…

Why candidate experience is everything, especially in finance recruitment.  At Core3 we believe in the white glove service not just for the initial finance recruitment, but throughout the entire process too.…
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Core3 Blog
23 January 2024

Using social media for talent attraction

LinkedIn is no longer the only platform being used for recruitment. Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook are becoming effective channels through which to recruit the younger generations.   As an accounting…
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BlogCore3 Blog
15 January 2024

Discovering purpose as a finance leader

John Collins, CFO of Vivobarefoot and board member of Friends of the Earth joined us on the Conscious Finance Podcast to tell us a bit about how he discovered purpose…
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BlogCore3 Blog
25 December 2023

The Evolution of the Finance Department

Modern finance departments have shifted from simply overseeing transactional tasks and managing spreadsheets, to instead managing strategic business initiatives and value-added activities. It’s been a huge move for financial professionals…
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BlogCore3 Blog
18 December 2023

ESGs a Breeze

ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, and encompasses the criteria used to evaluate an organisation’s impact in these areas. Partnering with us as your accounting recruiters, means some of…
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BlogCore3 Blog
11 December 2023

We’re officially B Corp Certified!

We are very proud to announce that Core3 have received our official B Corp certification. It’s been a long time coming but now we are over the moon. For us,…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
27 November 2023

Financial planning and the power of investing in AI

A look at which companies are investing in AI and what can we learn from them? A Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) manager oversees all corporate projections. They give an…
Leo Hewett
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BlogCore3 Blog
20 November 2023

The best of both in the world of finance

Our Core3 candidates are passionate about office lifestyle, and they love having the freedom of working from home too. From purchase ledger to interim financial controller, finance professionals have changed…
Leo Hewett
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BlogCore3 Blog
14 November 2023

Mitigating risk in the world of credit

New ways for credit managers to make the cash flow! - A look at a few companies which provide smarter ways to make finance work whilst mitigating risk – and…
Leo Hewett
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Core3 Blog
7 November 2023

Levelling the playing field

How Core3 passionately support Babbasa’s work with young people in our ethnically diverse inner cities. Diverse organisations make for successful organisations, and businesses have a social responsibility to ensure they…
Leo Hewett
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Core3 Blog
23 October 2023

How Core3 is Changing the Game…

How Core3 is Changing the Game for Finance Recruitment Agencies Core 3 has taken the bold move to reimagine recruitment and challenge the narrative that exists in the recruitment sector.…
Leo Hewett
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Core3 Blog
16 October 2023

Having fun together helps you run together

There are a variety of key elements involved in making sure that, for your workforce, being in your workplace is an enjoyable experience. Simply working to earn a wage is…
Leo Hewett
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Core3 Blog
9 October 2023

How inflation leaves the workforce feeling flat

The headlines over the last year, since the leaving of Liz Truss and her tumultuous short reign, have been dominated by inflation and the methods that the Bank of England…
Leo Hewett
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Core3 Blog
2 October 2023

We’re not “living on another planet” 

There’s something very exciting about the Final Frontier and outer space – venturing into the unknown, making discoveries, watching mysteries unfold before our eyes as images are projected from the…
Leo Hewett
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Core3 Blog
27 September 2023

Hiring hacks for finance

How to stand out from the crowd in a busy market. What is finance & accounting talent looking for in their next role? Finding finance and accounting talent can sometimes…
Cre8ion
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Core3 Blog
20 September 2023

On cloud nine

Traditionally, the financial control and management within a business and the processes that have to be in place gave rise to a confusing picture that could only be interpreted by…
Cre8ion
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Core3 Blog
13 September 2023

Knocking it out the park

Through the years, Bristol has produced some notable sporting success. Whilst our two current football teams, City and Rovers, have never been in the Premier League, the best performance that…
Cre8ion
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Core3 Blog
6 September 2023

Time for a virtual reality check

Just existing in our universe can be difficult enough! However, with the advent of technological advances in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality we are now faced with…
Cre8ion
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BlogCore3 Blog
21 August 2023

Taking the West from Better to Best!

When people hear ‘West Country' their first thoughts are usually farmer accents – cue: The Wurzels, Cornish Pasties, and a history of pirates. These things are all from the West…
Leo Hewett
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BlogCore3 Blog
14 August 2023

Finance for purpose

Young finance professionals can do their bit for the greater good and make their working life count in many different ways. It’s not only about taking a year out! From…
Leo Hewett
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BlogCore3 Blog
9 August 2023

The road to CFO

It might seem like a steep ascent to that lofty seat on the executive board as a CFO, holding the most senior financial position in the company. However, the path…
Leo Hewett
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BlogCore3 Blog
7 August 2023

Using the power of AI in finance

AI and Chat GPT is already revolutionising the world of finance, and accountants from all walks of life (from Financial Controllers to FP&A Managers) are using it to make their…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
24 July 2023

School’s out; Now What?

A Guide for Finance Hopefuls It’s that time of year when many 16- to 21-year-olds are considering their future. School is finally over, and they can now start to convert…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
17 July 2023

Opportunity Knocks in Brilliant Bristol

Bristol has long been a city of opportunity, with a vibrant music and art scene, great transport links, restaurants and fantastic landmarks. Now the future has become even brighter with…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
10 July 2023

Love languages

How to make your staff feel good A look at the five ‘love languages’ and how they can be applied (appropriately) in the workplace to help employees feel valued. The…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
29 June 2023

Left Brainbox / Right brainbox

Our brain, a marvel of nature, it operates in a remarkable manner. Like Dave Grohl at Glastonbury, our brains steal the show with their mind-blowing capabilities. While you engage in…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
26 June 2023

The hard facts about soft skills

It goes without saying that if you’re going to work in the finance and accounting industry, you’ll need to be particularly numerate. The exams were hard, all the knowledge testing…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
19 June 2023

Making Business Count

It seems as if the world of business changes like the weather. And, unfortunately, there’s no corresponding weather app on our phones to help us navigate the climate of the…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
12 June 2023

Generation Next

Viewing the world through the eyes of Gen Z. Much has been written about the relationship between generations X and Y in the workplace but now the tables are turned,…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
5 June 2023

Closing the gap between attraction and retention

Mind the gap. For those that travel frequently to London and use the tube, the sign on the platform reads loud and clear. There is a slight distance between the…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
29 May 2023

When all else fails, authenticity prevails

How to ace your interview “Accounts Jobs near me…” If you are in the process of typing ‘accounts jobs near me’ into your search engine, you’re probably also thinking about the interview…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
22 May 2023

Where cash is king, cause connects!

(Tips for team building) For a Finance Director, finding the right people for your team takes time and effort, and having the right people on your side to help you…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
18 May 2023

Why a Career in finance pays dividends

Jobs in the financial sector can be highly lucrative, so if you want to earn the kind of money that will enable you to make a difference in the lives…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
15 May 2023

The rising power of B Corps

Bold, brilliant and good for business - the rising power of B Corps. Discussing the benefits of B Corp status for your business or organisation. B Corp certification is a…
Leo Hewett
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Blog
23 February 2023

Welcome to the Core3 Blog

Welcome to the new Core3 blog, designed to provide value to finance and accounting professionals by keeping you on the pulse of the talent world. Our aim is to give…
Leo Hewett
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Podcast

Are you a purpose driven Finance leader? This podcast could be for you.

Join Leo Hewett, founder of Core3, to explore ways in which finance leaders can impact business decision making for the greater good. Through discussion with some of the top Finance leaders who are forging the way, this podcast will challenge the stereotypes surrounding finance and inspire real change.

By tuning in, you will learn practical ways on how you can make a positive impact, regardless of whether or not you work in a purpose-led organisation.

Listen and subscribe today on your favourite podcast platform

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