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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 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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I have an interview coming up and whilst I’m confident when it comes to discussing my career history and what I can bring to the role, I dread the end of the interview when I’m asked if I have any questions; my mind just goes blank! What questions should I be asking?

This is a very common stumbling block and can throw even the most confident interviewee off course. The key lies very much in your ability to prepare well in advance and be ready when the time comes for the interviewer to be the interviewee.

You have been so determined to deliver clear and concise answers throughout the interview which demonstrate your skills and ability for the role that is can be tricky to then change your focus and consider if there is anything more about the company or the position that you would like to know.

However, by approaching this potential question with same consideration and preparation as you have done for the rest of the interview you will be able to cement your future employer’s opinion that you are the ideal candidate for the job.

It is probably very likely that there are dozens of questions running through your mind which you are keen to find out the answers to – “what would my holiday entitlement be?” or “is there a bonus scheme? – but try and put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer and ask yourself how you would react if faced with these types of questions as a candidate.

Employers could possibly look less favourably upon candidates who appear to be more interested in the pay and benefits associated with the role rather than displaying an enthusiasm about the company or the position itself.

Instead, you should look to ask insightful questions; you want to be asking something which demonstrates that you have done your research into the role beforehand, allows you a further opportunity to show you have valuable skills and experience or perhaps gives the impression that you are starting to picture how you would fit into the company structure should you be successful in landing the job.

Of course, there are many areas that could have already been covered during the interview itself you do have to remain nimble so that you don’t ask a question about something which has already been discussed in depth. If is worth having a few well-prepared questions ready that you can call upon, particularly if they can then lead to a further discussion or possible opportunity for you to give another insight into why you are the best candidate for the role; some examples include:

1.What do you enjoy about working here?

2.What is the company looking to achieve over the coming year / in the next five years?

3.What would a typical day be like for the person you appoint to the role?

4.What is the biggest challenge currently facing the company?

5.What can you tell me about the team / department that I would be joining?

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance and accountancy professionals across the full spectrum of roles. 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.

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