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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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Liam Connolly
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Liam Connolly

Senior Consultant

​Liam Connolly brings over a decade of varied recruitment experience to Sharp Consultancy, where he has been an invaluable team member for the past six years. After completing a three-year stint at Wakefield College studying Sports Science, Liam transitioned from an Accounts Assistant role at Yorkshire Auto Trader to the marketing side of the business.

It was in 2010 that his recruitment journey truly began, navigating sectors such as Office Support, Sales and Marketing, before ultimately specialising in Accountancy and Finance.

Since August 2018, Liam has specialised in recruiting for permanent transactional-level finance roles across West Yorkshire, from admin to management level positions including Credit Control, Accounts Assistant, Purchase Ledger, Sales Ledger, and Payroll.

Described by friends as funny, competitive, and resilient, Liam brings a dynamic and engaging personality to his professional and personal life.

A devoted Manchester United fan, he spends much of his free time watching football with his teenage son or cheering on him during junior football matches around Yorkshire. Beyond football, Liam enjoys a variety of sports, is an avid film enthusiast, and loves taking long walks with his little dog and best mate, Benji.

Through his commitment, expertise, and passion for both work and play, Liam Connolly exemplifies the qualities that make him a trusted partner for clients and candidates alike.

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    ​Liam was very professional, knew exactly what I wanted. Wasn't pushy at all (which I had experienced with other recruitment agencies).

    Charlene
    Charlene
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    Absolute pleasure working with Liam Connolly! He helped me secure my role at JMG and helped me navigate the whole process with the best insights and advice!

    Shiza Ahmed
    Shiza Ahmed
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    ​I would rate your service as 10 due to Liam's help and guidance throughout the process. I have never gone through a recruitment agency before so I was unsure what to expect but Liam was extremely helpful. I would absolutely recommend your services and Liam in particular.

    Faye
    Faye
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    Liam Connolly has been amazing throughout my experience of finding a job. From the initial interview to finally securing my job. He has helped ease my anxiety in finding a new job and attending the interview.

    Maadiyah
    Maadiyah
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    I would recommend Sharp to colleagues. My previous company was very difficult to work around at times. Liam would call late and early, organise meeting and interviews around this particularly difficult schedule; and throughout, kept a balance of professionalism and friendliness which made the entire process feel easy and manageable. I couldn’t recommend Sharp Consultancy and in particular Liam Connolly highly enough.

    Oliver
    Oliver
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    I couldn't fault the recruiting service; the whole team was lovely since the first day we had a meeting. Liam then came to me with this opportunity and I managed to secure two jobs and start 1 in the space of less than 2 weeks. I also had other job offers and I spoke to Liam about it and we went thought the advantages and disadvantages of both jobs without him being biased and I’m so happy with the decision I made after that.

    Sophie
    Sophie