Accounting has always been a highly demanded career option. Organizations, small businesses, and individuals hire accountants to manage their finances. Accountants can look forward to boosting their careers and increasing employment opportunities. The salary of accountants varies with seniority levels and job functions.
Accountants in Central London have great opportunities to build their careers and earn attractive salaries. But, how can you climb the pillar of success? Here are a few tips for your help:
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Become a CPA
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Getting a valued certification can improve your career. The CPA credential is a widely recognized qualification across the country. There is an advantage to getting this certification you can decide to work as a public accountant or take part in the financial functioning of a large corporation.
According to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), getting a CPA license is beneficial for an accountant. You need to pass the three E’s: Education, Exam, and Experience to get a CPA license. A mentor can help you throughout the process with his years of experience.
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Work with your networking skills.
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To boost your accounting career, you must have an extensive network of contacts. They can help you with advice and guide you to maintain client relationships. Moreover, you can get new ideas from them. Large social networks can introduce you to better job opportunities. Almost every company has a hidden job that is not posted on a platform but works with referrals.
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Gain specialization in different areas.
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You may take part in bookkeeping and preparing financial statements for a company. But, use your spare time to learn how large organizations are working and what they want. It may include taxation, financial reporting, auditing, payroll services, cash flow analysis, etc. The more you gain experience, the better career options appear in the upcoming years.
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Focus on soft skills
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Accountants are professionals in taxation, accounting, financial budget planning, auditing, and other accounting activities. But technical knowledge is not enough, and you need soft skills. That includes decision making, time management, empathy, problem-solving skills, and a conflict resolution system. Soft skills are the interpersonal skills that help you work efficiently as a team member or a group leader.
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Up-to-date technology expertise.
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Accountants must stay updated with the latest technological developments. With the advancement of technologies, and the introduction of new software, cloud computing and automation, accountants need to work with different software and tools. These include advanced Excel, Enterprise Resource Planning, Big Data analysis, Microsoft visual basic, etc. To boost your career, you can enrol in any of these technical courses.
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Improve communication skills.
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Accountants must work with their communication skills. Being technically competent is not enough to go ahead with your accounting career. There are lots more to learn for progress. Communication solves problems and helps in managing client relationships. You will meet a variety of people with different mindsets and behaviours. They are laymen to the accounting terminologies. Your communication skill can help them understand the numbers and their responsibilities.
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Improve yourself.
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Are you eligible for a promotion? You can answer this question if you are not confident. It is a red flag for your career improvement.
Companies look for reliable and trustworthy employees. You need to complete all your tasks on time and maintain a positive attitude. Being a team player is an advantage during promotions. See if you can solve issues at work rather than complain. All these skills make you eligible for the promotion.
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Talk to your boss
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You can ask your boss for a promotion. Though most accountants avoid taking this step, it shows your intention for career advancement. Make sure you have great examples of work you contributed to the firm.
In the initial year of your career, you need to understand your firm. Try to understand what services they provide and how they deal with customers. You can also learn how your firm is generating profits and how to manage deadlines. If you are flexible to learn different areas of expertise and adapt to changes, you will succeed.
Final thought!
If your target for this year is to boost your career prospects, remember that technical knowledge is insufficient for success. A job success needs constant effort to learn new things and adapt to the work environment.