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Trainee Accountant to Senior: How to Progress in Practice (Quickly!)

​Throughout my career as a specialist recruiter in professional practice, I’ve had the privilege of working with many talented, ambitious accountants, and some have progressed faster than others. While every journey is unique, there are clear patterns in what helps people move from trainee roles into more senior finance jobs within professional practice. Drawing from this experience, I’ve put together a set of strategies any accountant can adopt to accelerate their career up the professional practice ladder. These tactics have proven to be highly effective for those aiming to achieve their professional goals efficiently and successfully. ​​Embrace Increasing Responsibility​As you begin your career in accountancy, the scope of your duties often starts with basic tasks such as data entry, reconciling accounts, and preparing reports. While these tasks are important for building a foundation, taking on more responsibility is key to developing the skills and experience needed for progression in practice.Start by volunteering for more complex tasks that stretch your skillset, such as handling larger client accounts, managing financial forecasting, or (if possible) participating in audits. These challenges will expose you to new aspects of accountancy and allow you to learn beyond the day-to-day duties. Another way to progress quickly is by taking on leadership roles within a team or department. Taking on the responsibility of overseeing junior staff, delegating tasks, and ensuring deadlines are met can significantly enhance your development and provide you with the invaluable ‘management experience’ which is essential for trainee accountants looking to advance to the next step in their professional practice careers. ​Continuous Learning and Self-Development​As you challenge yourself with new responsibilities, actively pursuing knowledge and development goes hand in hand with completing further qualifications. Traditionally, most accountants I work with are newly or nearly AAT qualified which is a fantastic accomplishment in itself but for those with aspirations of climbing the ladder the next step should be further studies. Qualifications such as the ACA, ACCA or CTA (depending on your chosen specialism) will allow you to strengthen your technical expertise. It’s worth mentioning here that a good training contract and mentor are invaluable for the next step in your journey and should be a big factor when deciding to look for a new role after completing your AAT. ​Finding a Mentor Another important aspect of progressing quickly in accountancy is developing relationships with more experienced colleagues, supervisors, and managers. By seeking mentorship from more experienced professionals, you can gain insights into how they managed their career progression. Also, they can guide you in taking on appropriate challenges and responsibilities and help you navigate the complexities of the profession. Many of the most successful finance professionals credit their career growth to strong mentorship relationships established early in their journey. ​Networking​Networking is one of the most underutilised tools for career progression in finance. While it might feel intimidating at first, networking allows you to connect with and learn from likeminded individuals, stay informed about trends in professional practice, and discover new opportunities. One of the primary reasons networking is important is that it helps build valuable relationships that can last your career. By connecting with colleagues, senior professionals, and other stakeholders, you gain access to a wealth of knowledge, insights, and opportunities that can propel your career forward. Ultimately, networking is not just about what you can gain but also about what you can offer to others. By fostering meaningful relationships, you contribute to a collaborative and supportive community that benefits everyone involved. Here at Sharp Consultancy, we host events across the year and have a long-standing relationship with various institutions and training groups including S&DCASS (Sheffield and District Chartered Accountants Student Society), LCASS (Leeds Chartered Accountants Students Society) and First Intuition to host events that bring studiers together from various firms throughout Yorkshire. It really is a brilliant first step in your networking journey. ​Whether you're just starting out or already on your way up, accelerating your career in professional practice comes down to a mix of mindset, opportunity, and action. By embracing responsibility, committing to continuous learning, building genuine relationships, and tapping into the right support networks, you’ll put yourself in the best possible position to thrive. If you’d like to explore how to take that next step—or just want to chat through your options—I’d love to hear from you. Let’s connect and start shaping your future together. Charlie Marper, Business Manager, charliemarper@sharpconsultancy.com – 0114 261 1700 ​Looking for your next career move in finance or accountancy? At Sharp Consultancy, our expertise lies in matching your potential with the perfect temporary, interim, or permanent position. With a well-established presence in Leeds and Sheffield, our seasoned team of consultants extends their services across Yorkshire and beyond. Don't wait for opportunity to knock, reach out to us TODAYand let's chart your career path together. ​

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THE IMPORTANCE OF ACHIEVING A BETTER WORK LIFE BALANCE

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​Achieving a better work life balance is a key consideration for many job seekers – Sharp Consultancy’s 2019/20 Salary Survey highlighted its importance with employees ranking it as one of the main factors influencing their decision to seek out a new role.

One such person is Sharp Consultancy’s Karen Pitchforth who made the decision to return to work part time after maternity leave; we caught up with her to find out more about how she made the move.

“I’ve worked in recruitment for many years; I first entered in the industry in 2002 and started out recruiting doctors for a couple of years before becoming a Branch Manager for a regional commercial business in Wakefield.”

“I then joined a national recruitment business in 2006 – this was when I first started working in the senior interim finance market, the area that I specialise within now. I stayed there for seven years, gaining several promotions over the course of a few years.”

“I went on maternity leave in 2012 and, like many others, had several factors to take into consideration when it came to being a working parent. Following my maternity leave, I made the decision to return to work on a part-time basis and this resulted in me moving on from my employer at the time to join Sharp Consultancy in 2013 as a Senior Consultant specialising in Interim appointments.”

“My previous role had required me to split my time between managerial responsibilities such as developing and mentoring my team along running a busy recruitment desk so when I returned to work I was very confident that I would be able to make the transition from full time to part time a success. I was used to managing my time carefully to make certain that I had enough time to dedicate to my desk so by ensuring that my new role focussed solely upon this aspect, I knew what could be achieved during my three days in the office.”

“There are a few aspects that I feel have been hugely beneficial – both to myself and my employer – in making my role a success. From the outset it was important for me to maintain full control of my desk – I specialise in recruiting senior interim appointments across Leeds, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Halifax – and manage the process from start to finish. Ensuring that the service my clients and candidates receive is consistent is essential.  Remote access and flexibility have been crucial in order to achieve this and as a result I’m not relying on others to pick up my work if I’m not around.”

“As with many people working in recruitment, I am naturally a very driven individual – an essential quality for anyone working in a sales focussed role – so I ensure that the time I have in the office is used as proactively as possible.”

“I’ve always been ambitious – I still am – and there are career aspirations that I want to achieve. Whilst my children are young, working part time offers me the desired balance between work and family and although my goals have adapted to reflect this, I know that the opportunities are there for me to continue to move forward in my career.”

Karen Pitchforth is Executive Consultant specialising Senior Interim recruitment including part qualified and qualified accountants at all levels.