Key Skills You Need to Become a Good Accountant

Accountancy. How many of you are aware of the skills required for a successful career in this area? Accounting jobs are available but do you have the skills to ensure that you land jobs near you? In name, it may not seem the most glamorous career option available, but take a closer look and you could find yourself at the heart of business, making key decisions.

No matter how big a company ever gets, the need for an accounts department persists. Perhaps that focus is on auditing, maybe management or tax and finance related. Chances are, you will start in one of two career paths – technical or commercial.

For those of you who feel numerically literate, here are the skills you need to start off on your journey.

1. Innovation

Accountancy has been an indispensable tool of business since day one. No project can get off the ground without a tight control and solid method applied to the numbers. Innovation is needed because, as the business world evolves, so too does the accounting requirements that go with it. Often, recruiters will be looking for candidates with fresh ideas – poised to make an impact on the future of the accounting universe.

2. Understanding

Hand in hand with a need for innovation is the need to understand the field in which you will be working. Assimilating new information and data, project management or meeting new clients forms the backbone of daily tasks.

As such, understanding information quickly is essential and it is through asking well thought out questions that you can get settled in no time.

3. Communication

Part of the sacred requirements in any industry, once again communication is vital. Accountants need to convey complex information in the most straightforward way possible. Whether you are an outside firm hired on behalf of a business, or you are part of an internal accounts team, it is likely you will need to work alongside colleagues on every level. Assessments of these skills start when you apply for your first accountancy role.

4. Commercial Awareness

It’s perhaps a little surprising that people forget about this. While certain skills are basically offshoots of common sense, the need for commercial awareness is crucial. Commercial awareness is, in essence, the knowledge of how and where your business fits in the market – how it is affected by economic, social and political movements and how it can forge ahead and evolve. It is about knowing your craft.

5. Enthusiasm

As with any role, enthusiasm is a key component that recruiters will look for. The ability to bring positive energy to a team and truly believe in what you are working towards is crucial. Enthusiasm is contagious; it demonstrates that you are willing to learn your trade.

6. 6. Credibility/Integrity

We all have particular brands we are fond of using. Most of the time, the reasoning behind our choices comes down to one thing: trust. The same applies when you are building your career. You want people to trust you. Credibility is the currency that you can trade on. With more credibility comes more opportunity. Through building a credible brand, you are also laying the foundations for a solid future.