HOW TO CONDUCT YOURSELF DURING YOUR NOTICE PERIOD

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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Your interview has been a success and you have landed a new role. Once you have tendered your resignation with your current employer, you will need to work your notice period. It is just as important to make a good impression during your last few weeks with a company as it is to get off on the right foot in a brand-new role; take a look at our tips and suggestions on the best ways to conduct yourself during your notice period.

Understand how long your notice period is. Check your contract for details on the notice period that you will be expected to work – this may be a fixed term or increase annually based upon your length of employment. Your new employer may like you to start sooner than your notice allows but be respectful of your current company’s position and the time they will need to arrange your replacement. You may be able to use any holidays that you are owed as part of your notice period.

Gardening leave. Depending upon the role you are moving onto – if you are going to work for a direct competitor for example - your employer may place you on gardening leave for the duration of your notice period; whilst you will not actually be working during this time you are still being paid by your current company and will not be able to start your new role until after your official final employment date.

Make sure you remain professional. Maintain a conscientious approach throughout your notice period and continue to perform your role to the highest possible standards. Don’t undo several years of good work by being lacklustre in your last few weeks – make sure you leave a great last impression as you never know you may come into contact with former colleagues once again in your new job.

Uphold high standards. Continue to deliver work that is of the highest standard possible and make a full contribution to team meetings. Remain focused on key tasks and ensure that you continue to have good attendance and be punctual.

Don’t be boastful. It’s only natural that you will be excited about your new position but try to avoid bragging about it too much to your colleagues – and don’t put down your current employers, remember your peers will still be working there after you leave!

Agree your priorities with your manager. Arrange a meeting with your manager (and colleagues if applicable) to agree which tasks you should focus upon during your notice period. It may be that some projects need to be handed over to other team members so ensure that you are willing to help and offer assistance to bring people up to speed. Your day-to-day workload may decrease as you get closer to the end of your notice period so make sure you check in with your manager and continue to offer to help where you can.

Handover period. You may be asked to help your replacement get up to speed before you leave; be professional and remember that they will be as keen to impress in their new job as you will be in yours. If you are departing before someone has been recruited, try to complete any projects as best you can and prepare detailed notes so the transition is as smooth as possible.

Exit interview. Be constructive with your feedback and look share positive experiences as well as highlighting areas and offering suggestions where you think your employer can make improvements.

Your last day. You want to leave with a good reputation so make sure you remain professional to the end; take the time to say goodbye to colleagues and senior managers. You will be remembered as much – if not more - for how you conduct yourself during your final weeks with the company.

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 consultant’s recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today to find out more.