If you haven’t yet heard of, or worked with an AP Change Maker, that’s something which is likely to change in the near future. Or, most likely – you already work with someone who’s well on their way to becoming one.

For several years the AP industry has been facing huge changes, both in technological advances, and in process improvements. But that’s not all. The change has also been one of perception and an acknowledgement of the power that lies within Accounts Payable to transform the way the finance function operates. Increasingly, the value of an AP department goes straight to the heart of an organisation’s bottom line figures. With their hands firmly on the purse strings – given the right kind of recognition, power and responsibility, AP professionals are becoming instrumental in maintaining and driving profitability.

Over the past twenty or thirty years there has been a broad change in the way many organisations are structured. Nowhere is this more true than in the public sector where many people began their employment under the premise of structured career progression and a job for life. These days – and this is true across all industries - the pressure is on to do more, work harder, achieve measurable results, and often to work longer hours. With the expansion of social media networking and smart phones/tablets etc, our working life is pushing deeper into private time, family holidays and weekends.

How to Progress Your Career

This time of year often provides a natural period of reflection - a time to sit back and reflect on how our careers are developing and to consider the main professional highlights or low points of the previous year.  It’s a chance to take a long, hard look at whether things are heading in the direction we want them to, and to think about whether our chosen career path is the right one.