5 Tips That Can Help You Advance Your Accounting Career

Accounting has always been a popular career option. There are many reasons for this, but the most appealing one is that you can be sure your skills will always be in demand. As an accountant you look forward to job security, an increasing number of employment opportunities, and an attractive salary as well. But what happens when you are stagnating in your career?

Sylvia has been in the accounting field for more than 3 years. Her first job was as an account assistant. After a year, she moved to a different company where she still got an account assistant position but she hoped she would grow her career in the new company. It has been two years in the company and she still holds the same position. What’s worse, the accountant position has been vacant twice, but the company has preferred to hire externally.

“I want to excel in my profession. I want to grow in my career and earn more. I’m tired of holding the same position for three years. I just haven’t figured out what the problem is and how I can tackle it. I need help!” said Sylvia on a call she made to our offices.

I spoke to our specialist in the accounting and finance team to find out top tips on how Sylvia and every other accountant can build their skills and technical ability to progress in their career.

1.  Have a good mentor

Imagine having someone who you can turn to when your job is at a critical juncture. That’s a mentor! A mentor can provide advice to help you avoid making mistakes that could derail your career.

I advised Sylvia to choose a person that has more years of experience than her in the field. The individual will provide valuable insights for the problems and issues she is confronting.

2.  Have a broad skillset

The best way Sylvia can keep her accounting career upscale is by enrolling in practical accounting training courses where she can learn about different aspects of accounting such as reporting, auditing, and taxation.

It is important to keep her work duties varied so she does not get pigeon-holed into one area of accounting. Having a broad skill set will add to her marketability and mitigate risk in an ever-changing business environment, especially with continual advancements in technology.

3.  Build a solid network

I asked Sylvia what networking forums she’s a part of. She said she did not belong to any. That’s a problem.

Networking is a big part of advancing your career in accounting. In fact, 85% of all jobs are filled using networking. Some jobs never get posted online but are filled by networking. If she shows potential and demonstrates past performance, she can land the dream job without the hassle of job searching. Sometimes, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

4.  Keep up with new technological developments

It is important to remain updated on new tech developments that are relevant to accounting. The skills that fall into this category could include enhancing your expertise in the use of excel and gaining familiarity with accounting systems like SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, and Oracle. Finally, you can learn how to use business intelligence tools like Cognos and Crystal Reports.

5. Build on your soft skills

Most people think technical competence is more than enough to climb top in their careers. However, it is important to develop your soft skills such as interpersonal skills. The way you communicate with others, time management, conflict resolution, decision making, and teamwork are the key traits that will help an individual build a promising career.

Bottom Line…

It is vital for Sylvia and other accountants to ensure that they continue learning new skills and enhancing those that they already have. This will help to fulfill all job requirements and boost prospects for the growth of their career.

Do you also have the need to advance in your accounting career?

Enroll in this practical accounting training that will do the trick!