WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT EMPLOYMENT GAPS ON MY CV?

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 ResponsibilityAs 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-DevelopmentAs 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. NetworkingNetworking 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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Firstly, it’s important to remember that almost everyone will, at some time or other, have a gap in their employment and this will not necessarily be a cause for a would-be employer to reject your application.

As tempting as it may be to try and manipulate your CV to minimise a break in your employment by stretching your start and finish dates for example – or have it disappear altogether – this will unlikely do you any favours. Hiring managers are very skilled at spotting anything which doesn’t quite add up and you run the risk of tripping yourself up should you be questioned in more detail about your time at a particular organisation.

At the same time, not providing a reasonable explanation for any gaps on your CV can make a potential employer uncomfortable if they are left to join the dots or come to their own conclusions about your absence from work. Addressing any gaps with clarity in an open and honest way is best and will demonstrate a professional approach to anyone reading your CV.

There are many reasons why you may have a gap between roles and depending on how far back they feature in your career and how personal the reasons are could influence how much detail is appropriate to share at this stage.

For example if you were made redundant from a position – and in the current climate there could potentially be far more applicants in a similar situation than previously before – then demonstrate how you have used the time productively to either improve your skills, undertake additional training or utilise your experience in a voluntary capacity.

Many people will experience a career gap if they have had time off for maternity or paternity leave, to raise a family or to care for a family member. Relatively little explanation will be needed other than to simply outline the time period or periods that this relates to.

A common reason for a career break is a gap year or time spent travelling and this is a relatively easy one to put a positive spin upon. Unless you have multiple breaks after relatively short periods of employment, many managers will see this in positive light – particularly if you are able highlight how these opportunities and experiences can be of benefit to you in the workplace. It also demonstrates that you have independence, organisation skills and resourcefulness - qualities that employers are likely to appreciate and value in their team.

There are some situations which are a little more sensitive and you will want to think carefully about in terms of how you approach these; if for example if your employment was terminated or a long-term illness prevented you from working for a significant period of time. In the case of the former, whilst you may need to explain the circumstances further during an interview, you should, similar to how you would a redundancy, outline how you utilised the time positively. With an illness, you may not feel comfortable about sharing too much detail at an early stage in the application process however you should explain how you are ready to get back into work, particularly if you are looking to return after a relatively recent break.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance and accountancy professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today for expert advice on your next career move.