Everyone wants experienced people, but where do they gain that experience today?
The Big Four are hiring fewer school leavers, I read in De Tijd this week. AI is taking over basic tasks and the economy is struggling, so the large firms are targeting experienced profiles. I understand that choice. But those who stop training today will have no experts left to recruit in five years.
At AAA, we consciously choose young starters. We have always done so, and we will continue to do so. Not out of idealism, but because we believe that true expertise begins with the work itself.
“Where the money comes in, that is where you learn what keeps a company running.”
Our starters get to work operationally right away, at the heart of finance. Credit Management is often reduced to following up on invoices, but it is much more than that. It is the place where everything converges: terms of sale, invoicing, customer relations, cash flow, and working capital. Those who understand how a sale is ultimately translated into money in the bank understand how a company remains financially healthy.
You also discover where things can go wrong. Where processes falter, where data is incorrect, where sales and finance work in isolation. You build those crucial insights fastest by being right in the middle of it.
“I strongly believe in the potential of AI. That is exactly why I keep hiring juniors.”
With CrediBill, our own software, we are fully committed to automation and AI. You can see at a glance which tasks have priority, which customers need follow-up, and the best way to handle them. Thanks to AI, you can ask your data questions just as you would a colleague. And this will evolve much further throughout the entire finance department.
But a tool only answers the questions you ask. You need to know which questions matter, and you must also be able to interpret the answers. An algorithm does not know when a loyal customer is in temporary difficulty, or why a payment arrears actually points to an error in the invoicing process. Automation only truly works when someone understands what is happening and can make adjustments when necessary. People with that knowledge and insight do not appear automatically. You have to train them.
The large firms say they are looking for people with more social skills. I completely agree. But you don’t get those for free with your degree. Persuading a customer to settle a payment, explaining to a CFO why their working capital is tied up, getting sales and finance around one table: you learn that by doing it.
Those who work closely with the figures and customers for years will also see connections that others miss. How a payment term in a contract affects cash flow. Why a problem with debtors actually begins in order processing. That perspective across the entire finance department and even the entire business only comes from deep expertise. And it is that perspective that is needed to guide the AI revolution. There is plenty of technology. The real question is where it makes a difference and how you deploy it. No tool decides that; people who know the business inside out do.
That is why our young graduates are given responsibility quickly, with guidance. After 18 months, they stand their ground as full-fledged consultants. No waiting two years until you are finally allowed to decide something for yourself.
My advice to graduates? Look beyond the big names. Remain critical and always ask why. Do not be afraid to roll up your sleeves. Those who get to know a company from the inside build an advantage that no tool can overtake.
