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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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​ASK THE EXPERT - In a previous interview I was asked what my weaknesses were. I struggled to deliver a good answer - now I have another interview coming up and would like to know how best to handle the question?

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It probably seems a strange question to be asked; why would an interviewer want you to admit to something you are not very good at in order to get a job? However, this is a very common question that interviewers deploy for that very reason – the strongest candidates will be able to handle a tricky situation like this in their stride and it’s a great way for would-be employers to see how you deal with potentially uncomfortable scenarios.

Firstly, it is important to remember that whilst it can be a tricky question, the interviewer is not trying to catch you out! They want to understand if you have the ability to recognise areas that are not your strengths and can identify how you can improve your own performance. To deliver an impressive answer to this question, there are a few dos and don’ts to consider.

  • Don’t say that you haven’t got any weaknesses. Everybody will have at least one weakness and to try and suggest you don’t have any will come across as disingenuous and arrogant to the interviewer

  • Don’t try and present a ‘strength’ as a weakness. For example; ‘I can be a bit of a perfectionist but that is because I have such a keen eye for detail’ - an interviewer will see this as you trying to avoid answering the question

  • Don’t offer a weakness that has little or no relevance to the role you are interviewing for; ‘I am not a very good cook’ doesn’t really matter if you are applying for a position in a finance team

  • Don’t put forward a weakness that could have a bearing on whether or not you are successful; if the job role states that strong IT skills are an essential criteria, don’t suggest that you struggle to grasp anything beyond the basics

  • Do consider where you have been able to overcome a particular weakness; for example if you have previously struggled to say no when colleagues or managers have asked you to take on additional tasks and this has had a negative effect on your ability to meet deadlines, describe how you addressed the issue and how you know handle similar situations

  • Do try to ensure that your ‘weakness’ is something that you have been able to identify yourself rather than something which has been pointed out to you; the interviewer is looking for you to outline what the weakness was/is, how it was impacting upon your work and what steps you have taken to improve in that area to demonstrate your proactivity and self-awareness.

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.