What do you do if your accounting career needs a boost?

1 Assess your strengths and weaknesses

The first step to boost your accounting career is to identify your current skills, knowledge, and abilities, and compare them to the requirements and expectations of your desired role or industry. You can use self-assessment tools, feedback from peers or managers, or performance reviews to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you determine what areas you need to improve on, what skills you can leverage, and what gaps you need to fill.

2 Pursue relevant certifications

One of the most effective ways to boost your accounting career is to obtain relevant certifications that demonstrate your expertise and credibility in your field. Certifications can also help you expand your network, access new opportunities, and increase your earning potential. There are many certifications available for accountants, depending on your specialization and interest. Some of the most common ones are CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CMA (Certified Management Accountant), and CIA (Certified Internal Auditor).

3 Learn new skills and technologies

Another way to boost your accounting career is to learn new skills and technologies that can enhance your efficiency, productivity, and value as an accountant. Accounting is constantly evolving and adapting to changing business needs and regulations, so you need to stay updated and competitive in your field. You can learn new skills and technologies by taking online courses, attending workshops or seminars, reading books or blogs, or joining professional associations or communities.

4 Develop your soft skills

While technical skills are essential for accountants, soft skills are equally important for your career success and satisfaction. Soft skills are the interpersonal and communication skills that enable you to work effectively with others, manage your time and stress, solve problems, and lead or influence others. Some of the most important soft skills for accountants are communication, teamwork, critical thinking, adaptability, and ethics. You can develop your soft skills by seeking feedback, practicing active listening, participating in group projects or activities, or taking courses or coaching sessions.

5 Seek mentorship and networking

Another tip to boost your accounting career is to seek mentorship and networking opportunities that can help you grow professionally and personally. Mentorship is a relationship where a more experienced or knowledgeable person guides, supports, and advises a less experienced or new person. Networking is the process of building and maintaining relationships with people who can offer you information, advice, or referrals. You can seek mentorship and networking by reaching out to your colleagues, managers, or industry experts, joining online or offline groups or forums, or attending events or conferences.

6 Take on new challenges and projects

The final tip to boost your accounting career is to take on new challenges and projects that can help you showcase your skills, learn new things, and advance your career. Taking on new challenges and projects can also help you increase your confidence, motivation, and satisfaction as an accountant. You can take on new challenges and projects by volunteering for new assignments, asking for more responsibilities, or initiating new ideas or improvements. You can also look for opportunities to work on cross-functional or interdisciplinary teams, or to lead or manage others.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?