Editor’s note: In today’s A Day in the Life, Kelly Wee (pictured), business director for accountancy & finance, human resources, and legal & office professionals at Hays, shares with FutureCFO audiences how a little embarrassing experience became key to her professional growth and how she has witnessed a growing number of women excel in C-level leadership roles.
FutureCFO: What does a typical day look like for you?
Kelly Wee (KW): I start my day early at 6am with a quick 15-minute work-out and a 10-minute meditation session.
I enjoyed this me-time a lot as I tend to spend a lot of time with people during my work. My day is often packed with appointments in the morning meeting potential candidates and clients, a quick lunch and I have my afternoon reserve for working on my client assignments and time with my corporate function teams.
FutureCFO: What excites you the most when you work with the Finance Function?
KW: While my role may seem straightforward--placing candidates in positions with organisations, I get to experience great satisfaction from partnering with clients to develop strategic talent plans, including team design and succession planning.
I'm also energised by connecting with finance and C-level professionals across industries, exchanging best practices on talent engagement, retention, and growth.
It feels refreshing to be interacting with diverse individuals, gaining insights that transcend finance and inform life's broader perspectives.
Kelly Wee, business director for accountancy & finance, human resources, and legal & office professionals, Hays
Moreover, I invest significant time advising finance professionals in their career growth, collaborating to achieve their aspirations.
Witnessing their progression over the years, both professionally and personally, is the most fulfilling part of my role.
In fact, it could be as simple as getting an individual a role after being unemployed for two years or building on a candidate confidence on how they view themselves or sharing with them advices on what I learn from senior finance leaders.
It’s the little things and conversations that are the most fulfilling.
FutureCFO: Can you share an experience which was key to your professional growth?
KW: This can be a little embarrassing to share but it was indeed an experience that was key to my professional growth.
I recalled years ago that there was once when Hays was invited to do a 20-minute talk at one of our business partners events where there was an audience size of about 700 finance professionals.
To be frank at that time, I had close to zero experience in public speaking to the external market and the thought of speaking to 700 people for an introvert like myself – was terrifying.
Back then, my boss gave me the opportunity to do so, and at that time I was completely dreading it (and really hated it, sorry boss if you are seeing this!).
I was glad that I decided to push it through, get it done, and interestingly enjoyed the process of it! I have to say that ever since after that experience, it taught me that there will be many times in our career where we are “thrown” to do something that we thought we are incapable of, but all we have to do is... “just do it, anyway”.
This mindset shift has given me the courage and confidence to tackle new challenges and tasks that initially seem daunting. I've learned to embrace uncertainty and trust in my ability to rise to the occasion. And even if I don’t make the “mark”, I trust that it will be a great learning experience!
FutureCFO: Can you briefly describe your career journey and one or two highlights along that journey?
KW: During my studies, I took on various part-time jobs with hospitality establishments. Later, I leveraged these connections to launch my own events business, juggling it with my full-time degree.
Being an entrepreneur sounded glamorous, but the reality involved handling everything myself. Nevertheless, this experience exposed me to the manpower business and gave me a sense of fulfillment, as I saw temporary employees earning extra money for their studies or daily expenses.
This taste of recruitment eventually led me to pursue a full-time career in the industry after graduation.
One of my most memorable experiences was navigating the team through the challenges of COVID-19. It was a make-or-break moment, but instead of fracturing, our team became more united than ever, supporting each other through the tough times. Interestingly, it was the year that we did our all-time-best record.
Away from the relationship with my team, I cherish the strong bonds I formed with the overall leadership group, as we collectively weathered the storm as a business.
That period, though daunting, was also the most enjoyable, thanks to the camaraderie and shared sense of purpose. It taught me the value of resilience, teamwork, and leadership in overcoming adversity.
FutureCFO: What are your hobbies and how do these help you relax outside work?
KW: I love to travel, and to do nothing during my spare time.
Sounds boring, but I think it is an art to not do anything in a fast-moving world.
FutureCFO: What do you want to do in the future? Is there anything else you would like to try?
KW: I think I will always want to do recruitment (unless AI completely take on my role in the future!).
Away from recruitment, I am currently taking on my ICF (International Coaching Federation) course – as I aspire to be a certified coach one day.
To be honest, I am finding it a little tough these days to juggle my studies and work – so I must work on that. But that is one of my to-do as I hope that I will be able to value add to the people around me (be it my candidates, clients, friends, family and even myself!). It’s a very interesting self-discovery journey going through the ICF course.
FutureCFO: What’s your advice to female finance and accounting professionals of today?
KW: As a headhunter, I've witnessed a growing number of women excel in C-level leadership roles.
Interestingly, many of these female leaders didn't intentionally set out to achieve these positions. Instead, they seized the right opportunities, accumulated valuable experience, and developed the necessary skills to become senior finance leaders. Their journeys serve as a reminder that this is possible.
One concept that resonates with me is the importance of creating a personal board of directors.
This board comprises three essential groups: peers, champions, and mentors. Champions, typically direct supervisors, offer guidance and support.
Peers, often overlooked, are invaluable as they face similar challenges and are building their careers in tandem. They provide a safe space to share ideas, challenge each other, and celebrate successes. In today's challenging economic landscape, having a peer group is crucial for senior finance leaders.
Finally, identifying mentors who are years ahead or in a desired role can provide invaluable insights. Their experience and wisdom can help accelerate growth and avoid pitfalls, making them an essential component of a personal board of directors.
