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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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​10 CAREER NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU NEED TO KEEP

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Getting a new role or securing a promotion are amongst the most common resolutions that people make to themselves at the start of the year. If you want to give your career a boost in 2020, take a look at our top ten resolutions that you should aim to keep in order to get ahead.

1.Speak up!

Don’t just assume that your boss knows that you are keen to take on new responsibilities or move onto the next level. Seize the initiative and ask to sit down with your manager and outline your career goals so you can both put in place a plan for you to achieve them.

2.Put it in writing

Make sure that you are fully prepared for your appraisal or review but putting down the key points that you want to communicate in writing. Take time to read over your job description and look back over previous performance reviews and highlight your key achievements so you can confidently explain why you think you are ready to make the next move.

3.Address any issues head on

Your boss may have reasons as to why you haven’t been given new responsibilities; rather than stewing about what these might be, look to find out what these are and what you can do in order to address these? By asking what you need to do in order to justify a promotion you will demonstrate that you are keen to make improvements as well as enable you to have a clear set of objectives to work towards.

4.Take the opportunity to learn

As well as looking at what training programmes could be available to you through your current employer, check out local colleges and online training providers to see what opportunities there are to challenge yourself and expand your knowledge. As well as professional development, taking part in workshops or classes related to your interests outside of work will also demonstrate to your boss or future employer your commitment to continual learning.

5.Dress for success

We all know the importance of dressing well for an interview but you shouldn’t let your standards slip once you have established yourself with your employer – especially when you are aiming for a promotion! Freshen up your look by updating your work wardrobe and if you are looking to take a step up take note of at others who are already at a similar level and look to emulate how they are expected to dress.

6.Make time to network

Whilst putting in the hours and taking on additional responsibilities can help you get recognised by your superiors, one of the most effective ways to improve your career prospects is to brush up on your networking skills. There are a host of networking opportunities and events ranging from industry conferences to one-to-one lunches so build time into your schedule to attend those which will be most suitable.

7.Don’t hide behind technology

It can often seem easier to send an email or a text rather than pick up the phone or have a quick chat with a colleague but if you are serious about improving your career prospects now is the time to get to know the people that you work with better and allow them to see more of what you have to offer. Discussing matters face to face will enable you to demonstrate your communication skills as well as letting others see how you handle certain situations.

8.Follow up your interview

Potential employers are keen to bring people into their teams who they can see are passionate and enthusiastic about the opportunity to join the company. Make sure you follow up any interviews with a brief email thanking your interviewer for their time and make reference to particular aspects of the role which you feel most interested you and reiterate any skills or experience which best demonstrate your suitability for the role.

9.Spring clean your social media accounts

Potential employers can find out a wealth of information about you from your social media activity so take a good look at what your online profile says about you. Make sure that your Linkedin account is bang up to date with your most recent achievements and think carefully about what aspects of your life outside of work you choose to share on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

10.Find a mentor

If there is someone in your field that you admire don’t be afraid to approach them and see if they would be willing to share some of their time and mentor you in a particular aspect of your career. Similarly you could look to offer your skills and talents to others whom you think could benefit from your knowledge and in doing so will enable you to add further strings to your own bow.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today to discuss your recruitment needs with a member of our team.