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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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TAKING A RISK TO REAP THE REWARDS

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​With the challenges of the previous 12 months, many organisations have – understandably – scaled back on their recruitment plans. However, with top talent in short supply those businesses taking a reactive approach to their staffing needs will find that they risk missing out on quality candidates to more dynamic competitors.

The continuing reports of increasing unemployment and struggling business due to the effects of COVID-19 have been impossible to ignore; and whilst there are industries and sectors which have suffered terribly over the last 12 months – and many more that face a longer and arduous road to recovery – we must remember that there are also those for whom the impact has not been felt as significantly, if at all, and potentially, will have experienced rapid growth and increasing opportunity.

Against this backdrop, it is understandable that there are businesses out there that think this should be a rich time for recruitment and that they will have their pick of an abundant crop. The reality, however, is somewhat different; those that are looking to make quality hires are finding that not only is competition fierce, but the candidates that they expected to be in high supply are themselves entrenched in mid-recovery projects and not quite so willing to make the move.

These are undoubtably testing times and employers are often taking a somewhat cautious approach, but with this, they run the risk of falling victim to two of the biggest downfalls when it comes to recruitment - hesitancy and indecision. With competition more intense, it is vital that the recruitment process is slick, the key decision makers are engaged from the outset and there is flexibility to consider a range of skills and attributes and not become fixated on a prescriptive set of criteria.

Employers that are prepared to break the mould and take a smart approach to recruitment are reaping the rewards. Those that can look beyond what a candidate can deliver in the here and now and can recognise the potential impact they will have by investing time into shaping and developing their skills will feel the long-term benefits as they secure high calibre individuals who are motivated to deliver success for the business.

As businesses start to look ahead and plan for a more ‘normal’ time, a proactive approach is very much needed. Many employees are conflicted by a desire to return to their normal working environment versus a more flexible working from home arrangement, and this, coupled with a lack of investment in training and career development will undoubtedly lead to destabilising moments.

Businesses that are not in tune with their employees – either through attentions being diverted elsewhere or through a disconnected workforce due to lockdown restrictions – will find that they miss previously recognisable signs of dissatisfaction, putting them very much on the back foot as candidates look to seek out the career-move opportunities which are very much coming to the fore.

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 to find out more.

Article taken from the Sharp Consultancy Salary Survey 2021/2022 – read more here​