How To Rise From A Good Enough Accountant To A Great Accountant

By Ruoro Kairu  

“Finance professionals are not just stereotypical number-crunchers but business leaders, trusted expert counsels and key strategic advisers at the highest levels of organizations in the public and private sectors” Atul Shah

For years, accounting has been thought of as a back-office position. Your work as an accountant has been to merely crunch numbers and data and to present it to the management so they can make informed decisions.

This, however, is slowly coming to an end. The ground is shifting and accountancy is taking the steering wheel in most organizations.

Are you positioned for this change?

Do you have what it takes to grow and excel in accounting in this new market?

Speaking with Agnes, a chief accountant in a fabrics export company, she speaks of how the scene is changing in the job market.

“Accounting has evolved from the former tax-filing and number crunching. Now, accountants are key to business strategy, growth planning and the overall success of an organization.” remarks Agnes.

What do you need to position yourself as a great accountant?

Ms. Agnes talked of a mixture of technical knowledge, skills and abilities, and interpersonal behavior and qualities.

I broke down this information that you may be able to see what you can build on and what you need to start focusing on to excel in accountancy.

1. Practical technical skills

Isn’t that obvious? Well, yes and no. Yes, there are skills you must have to become a competent accountant.

However, you should also consider technological advancements and how this affects the accounting industry. For example, five years ago, KRA didn’t have a digitized platform. Today, however, if you’re applying for a job, the employer wants to know you can file the various categories on the KRA iTax portal. Another example is accounting books. Today, accounting is recorded on specialized accounting software such as Quickbooks.

Can you file taxes on the iTax portal? Can you effectively operate Quickbooks? Having these skills will increase your demand in the job market. Learn how to file taxes and use Quickbooks today.

2. Creativity and problem-solving skills

As mentioned above, we’re in an era where accounting is core to the success of a business. This means you have to look at the bigger picture.

Interpreting the numbers and data is only the first step. You also have to practically analyze this data to see how it would be helpful to the growth of the organization. This calls for creativity and problem-solving skills.

When you position yourself as a professional accountant who can solve arising problems both in and out of the department, you’re assured of success and career growth.

3. Diversity and comprehension of multiple areas

In the past, the advice given was to find a specific area and specialize in the area. However, with the competition of jobs at an all-time high and more accountants joining the job market, you need to be well versed in several areas.

For instance, an employer will go with an all-rounded accountant over one who has experience in credit control only.

To increase your employability in the job market, pick a wide variety of skills in accounting and master them.

At the end of the day, accounting is being viewed as the epicenter of growth and development in the job market. If you strategically position yourself and gain the technical knowledge, skills, and abilities, and interpersonal behavior and qualities needed, you’ll be on your way to becoming a key player in the job market.

Looking to strategically place yourself as a professional accountant? Start by enrolling for the next Practical Accounting Training.